Your Responsibilities

What you must do

Your general responsibilities

You have certain general responsibilities:

  • To let us know as soon as you notice a repair is needed and to take action to prevent it getting worse
  • To allow us access to your property to carry out repairs, annual safety checks and any inspections that are necessary
  • To keep the inside of your home in good repair and in a clean and safe condition
  • To decorate the inside of your home to a reasonable standard, including filling minor cracks or holes in walls
  • To repair and maintain any fixture, fitting or appliance you have put in
  • To take action to prevent and control condensation. See Condensation
  • To take action to prevent pipes from freezing or bursting.
  • To arrange for the repair of any damage that has been caused by you or a member of your family or a visitor.

Damage and charging

If you, or anyone in your home, cause damage to your home, we expect you to arrange for it to be repaired. 

If damage is caused by a break-in or vandalism, we will carry out work to make your home safe. We will only do further work if you supply us with a Crime Reference Number. You must get this from the Police

Alterations you have made

You can carry out alterations to the property provided you get our written permission before you start. This includes such additions as laminate flooring. You will be responsible for any repairs to the changes you have made and for reinstating them if we need to remove them in order to carry out repairs to other parts of the property.

You are responsible for certain tasks

You are expected to do these yourself, or arrange and pay to get them done:

  • Replacing glass in windows or doors unless you can prove that the cause of the damage was outside your control
  • Replacing door and window keys or locks when keys are lost, or you get locked out
  • Accessing your property if you get accidently locked out
  • Fitting additional locks or draught excluders to doors or windows
  • Adjusting door, door chains and door numbers doors, particularly when you have new carpets fitted
  • Fitting curtain rails, blinds or coat hooks
  • Replacing light bulbs
  • Resetting trip switches
  • Putting up TV aerials or satellite dishes except in communal areas or on communal blocks
  • Testing and cleaning smoke detectors. If yours is battery-operated (not mains-wired) you also need to replace the battery when it gets low
  • Trying to clear blocked basins, sinks, baths or toilets 
  • Repairing or replacing toilet seats
  • Maintaining or replacing sealant around baths, showers, sinks and basins
  • Replacing plugs and chains on baths, basins and sinks. Bathroom fittings, including towel rails, toilet roll holders and mirrors
  • Descaling shower heads and supply of shower heads and curtains
  • Fitting wastes and supply pipes for washing machines and dishwashers (if not already provided) and vents for tumble driers
  • Installing or removing cookers or other gas or electrical appliances you own (All works must be carried out bay a gas safe or NICIEC qualified electrician. Copies of all certificates must be forwarded to us
  • Cleaning extractor fans
  • Keeping drain gullies clear of leaves etc.
  • Maintaining general garden paths (not the main one leading to the front door)
  • Maintaining dividing boundary walls and fences between properties, WATMOS maintain fences in communal areas or where they face onto public areas
  • Repairing steps, patios, sheds, or garden features not originally provided by us
  • Maintaining your garden including trees and shrubs in private gardens
  • Replacing clothes lines, posts and rotary driers, except in communal areas