Caring for your home

Repairs Service

Prospect is committed to ensuring that your home is kept in a condition which is habitable, wind and watertight and well maintained. 

We are responsible for maintaining the internal and external areas of your property however you are responsible for certain items within your home.  It is your responsibility to report repairs to us, especially if you know it is affecting another property. 

Each repair is categorised into the following priorities:

Emergency – 6 hours

Urgent – 3 days

Routine – 10 days

You can report a repair either by telephone, in person, text, email or in the Your Account section.

Right to Repair Scheme

Qualifying Repairs

Under the Right to Repair Scheme, you are entitled to have certain small urgent repairs carried out within a maximum time scale - we call these "qualifying repairs". When you report a repair, we can advise you if it is a qualifying repair.

Your Rights

If a contractor does not start the repair before the maximum time limit, you are entitled to instruct another contractor to carry out the repair. We will then pay you £15 compensation and a further £3 per working day until the repair is complete up to a maximum of £100 providing there are no exceptional circumstances.

If our contractor has started a qualifying repair, but doesn't complete it within the maximum time and you are not advised, you will be entitled to £15 compensation. The Right to Repair Scheme is subject to you providing access for the contractor and compensation may be offset against any rent arrears owed.

For further information a leaflet please see link below:

Your Right To Repair Guide

Scottish Government Right to Repair Information

Fire Prevention

Our aim is to work with you to keep your stair clean and safe.

We expect tenants to:

Keep the stairs and landings clear of any items - In the event of a fire, the stair is the escape route for everyone living there.

Only store items in drying areas which are permitted: pushchairs, bicycles or clothes when drying.

Do not leave rubbish bags, paint tins, old furniture or appliances in the common stair, these are all fire risks.  

For more information see our Stair Standards leaflet.

Tenant Alterations

As a tenant you may want to change, amend or make a few improvements in your property but we ask that you seek our permission first before completing any alteration or improvements.  Requests should be put in writing prior to any work being carried out.

Some examples of what tenants might ask permission for are:

• Install a shower, satellite dish, laminate flooring
• Put up a shed or other outside structure
• Paint, modify or change external door

Can I Improve It Guide

Health And Safety Spotlight

You may have heard of an illness called Legionnaires’ Disease. As part of a new regular Health and Safety Update, we are giving you some information about this illness, what causes it, and how you can prevent it in your home.

Legionnaires’ Disease is a lung infection caused by a bacteria called Legionella. The bacteria can grow in water that is being stored in purpose built systems at a temperature that encourages growth, including hot and cold-water systems. It is not common and is more often found in non-domestic places like a hotel or office. But it can sometimes start to grow in a home if a tap is not being used often, or there is a build-up of scale or sludge in a tap or shower head. If you then breathe in tiny droplets of water that contain the bacteria, it can cause Legionnaires’ Disease. You can’t catch it from other people, or by drinking the water in your home.

It is easy to prevent Legionella growing in your home. Legionella can’t grow in cold water that is under 20 °C or hot water that is over 50 °C. If you run the hot and cold taps in your home each week this will stop it growing. When you run a hot tap, make sure the water is coming out hot before you turn it back off. Also make sure you do this with all your taps, and the shower if you have one. If you have a shower head, you should clean it regularly to make sure you are removing scale and sludge. If you have any queries please email Property Services, repairs@prospectch.org.uk, or call them on 0131 458 5480

Medical Adaptations

If you need changes made to your current home for medical reasons we may be able to help.  In the first instance you should discuss these with an occupational Therapist who will be able to do an assessment in your property and apply for adaptations, if required on your behalf.

Gas Safety

If you smell gas, please phone National Grid, immediately on 0800 111 999.

Prospect takes its legal responsibities in relation to gas safety seriously. 

Prospect:

• Full gas safety check carried out before letting a property.
• Only use qualified Gas Safe registered contractors.
• Annual gas servicing and safety checks of all applicances we provide.

Tenant:

• If your CO alarm is sounding please contact National Grid, on 0800 111 999
• Apply for permission before installing any gas appliance.
• Only use qualified Gas Safe registered contractors to install any gas appliance in your home.
• Always allow access for contractor to carry out servicing and safety checks.

Dealing With Rats

We understand seeing rats in or near your home can be very distressing. We can help by filling in holes in your home that rats might use to get in. Contact us if you see rats in or near your home. We can give further advice and ask our pest control contactor to treat communal areas. Rats are persistent so preventative action also helps. The best way to deter rats is to make sure they can’t get food, water or shelter, in your home and garden. Pest control experts advise the following simple steps.