Merthyr Valleys Homes (MVH) aims to complete repairs quickly and efficiently. As part of your tenancy agreement, it’s our responsibility to aid in repairs, however, as a tenant, you’ll also have some repair responsibilities.

REPORTING A REPAIR

To help us provide a good service, we need you to tell us as soon as there’s a problem. To report a repair, you can:

• Fill in our online repair form below to help us identify the problem
• Give us a free call on 0800 085 7843 or 01685 727772

Important: In an emergency, please don’t report the problem online, contact us 0800 085 7843 for free.

Reporting a Repair – out of hours

You can report a repair even when the office is closed, but we can only attend emergency repairs. If your repair isn’t an emergency, it will be logged by our call centre staff the next day.

Contact us on 0800 085 7843 or 01685 727772 to report a repair.

WHEN WILL WE CALL OUT DURING OUT OF HOURS ?

During our out of hours, the repairs team will call out for the following emergency repairs:

• Water in contact with electrical circuits or fitments
• Structural damage where there’s a risk of collapse
• Rainwater ingress or plumbing leakage which will cause substantial damage if not addressed immediately (and where the tenant cannot take temporary action)
• Fire damage
• Blocked toilet (and no other facility available)
• Heating failure
• No electrical power to any part of the premises (this will not therefore include the loss of one circuit or one or more light/socket fitting.)
• Smoke and other alarms sounding (Following attendance of emergency services )
• Doors and windows not capable of being secured against access
• Lost keys which mean that the tenant cannot gain access (we may charge for this call out)

Please note: If it’s found that the repair has been exaggerated to get an out of hours call out, we’ll recharge the full cost of the call out.

REPAIR TIMESCALES

We categorise our repairs into three groups depending on the type of work needed. We aim to complete the repairs within the following timescales:

• Category 1: Emergencies to attend within 4 hours and complete same day
• Category 2: Urgent repairs to complete repair within 5 working days
• Category 3: Routine repairs to complete within 28 working days

Please note: Non routine or external repairs cannot be given specific timescales

REPAIR RESPONSIBILITIES

As a tenant of MVH, you’ll have several responsibilities – these include some repairs.

You’re responsible for:

• Reporting any faults or repairs which are our responsibility straight away
• Keeping toilets and soil pipes free from blockages.
• Maintaining adequate ventilation and heating to avoid internal condensation
• Easing/oiling internal doors
• Fixing minor internal plaster cracks
• Fixing floor tiles or replacing loose or worn carpets
• Carrying out minor repairs to kitchen units and drawers
• Replacing glass in windows and doors if it breaks
• Replacing fuses
• Looking after gardens and hedges.

For a full list of what you’re responsible for repairing, and what we’ll do, read our ‘Repairs – Who’s Responsible’ PDF.

Please note: If you, other household members, or your visitors damage the property, it’s your responsibility either to undertake this work yourself or to pay us to repair the damage.

For more information, contact us for free on 0800 085 7843 or 01685 7277722.

RECHARGABLE REPAIRS

WHAT IS A RECHARGEABLE REPAIR?

A rechargeable repair is a repair that isn’t MVH’s responsibility, as it has arisen from wilful damage, neglect, or careless behaviour by a tenant.

UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES WILL TENANTS BE RECHARGED FOR REPAIRS?

We’ll recharge you if we identify any of the following incidents:

• Deliberate damage to a property caused by a tenant, their family or friends.
• Neglect of a property
• Accidental damage to a property
• Unauthorised alterations to a property/garden
• Damage caused to a property following a lawful raid by the Police or Customs and Excise Officers
• The property and gardens require clearance at the end of the tenancy
• Fumigation of a property is required either during the tenancy or at the end of a tenancy (as directed by Public Health)
• Vandalism caused to the property by a third party
• Storage of goods is required following an eviction
• We have to obtain a Court Order to access tenanted properties to carry out repairs

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE CARRY OUT RECHARGEABLE REPAIRS AT YOUR HOME ?

As a tenant, you’ll be given the option of either doing the work yourself or using your own contractor. If you chose this route, you’ll be provided with a list of the work we want undertaken and you’ll need to make sure that you comply with the specification that we give you.

You must also ensure that you complete any routine repairs within 28 working days.

If you want MVH to undertake the work for you, you’ll be given an estimate of the cost of the works. All estimates will be provided within five working days of the visit.

You’ll then need to sign an agreement form confirming that you agree that the item is rechargeable, and you’ll then be expected to pay for any works before we commence.

RIGHT TO APPEAL

If you dispute an invoice for rechargeable repairs, you have the right to appeal.

If you wish to submit an appeal, please write a letter (addressed to the Head of Housing) requesting an appeal within 5 working days of receiving the invoice.

In the letter, please quote your invoice number and the reason why you’re disputing the charge. Your appeal will then be considered, and you’ll receive a response in writing.

PAYING INVOICES

When paying your invoice, please quote your Customer Account Code (beginning with a ‘D’) and your invoice number.

WAYS TO PAY AN INVOICE

DEBIT OR CREDIT CARD ONLINE

You can pay your invoice online using a debit or credit card.

DEBIT OR CREDIT CARD ON THE TELEPHONE

You can also make a debit or credit card payment over the phone during office hours. Please call the Finance Department on 01685 727795.

Our telephone opening hours are:

Monday -Thursday: 8:30am – 17:00pm
Friday: 8:30am – 16:30pm

CHEQUE OR POSTAL ORDER

Please send cheques or postal orders only made payable to “Merthyr Valleys Homes” to the following address:

Merthyr Valleys Homes Ltd, Finance Department, Ty Brychan, 22 Lansbury Road, Gellideg, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 1HA

Important: Please write your Customer Account Code and invoice number on the back of the cheque.

PAYMENT CARD AT POST OFFICE OR PAYPOINT

Payment cards are available on request, please contact us on 01685 727795 if you’d like a card sent out in the post.

These Payment Cards can be used at any Post Office or Paypoint outlet, and there’s no charge for this service.

Please note: From 1st September 2013, you’ll no longer be able to pay your MVH invoice at the Merthyr Tydfil Council cash office.