Responsive Repairs Policy
Policy Control
Policy Owner: Chief Property Officer
Accountable Lead: Director of Property Maintenance & Building Safety
Policy Level - Operational
Policy Reference - CS/R&AM/010/2025
Link to Strategy - Quality Homes
Version Control
V1 – May 2013: New Curo policy
V2 – Sept 2014: minor changes
V3 – Jan 2016: policy review. Changes include inclusion of damp principles.
V4 – Sept 2019 minor changes. Job titles, document references and team names updated.
V5 – Sept 2022 minor changes. Job titles, document references and team names updated.
V5.1 – Nov 2023 Accountable Lead’s job title updated
V6.1 – Feb 2025 minor changes. Job titles, team names and accountable leads.
Effective from: Feb 2025
Effective until: Feb 2028
Approved by - Chief Property Officer
Consultation - Customer focus group and service improvement panels
Equality analysis - Incorporated in the Repairs and Maintenance EIA – Completed in January 2022, reviewed as part of this policy update
Next review date - Sept 2028
Policy Statement
1.1 Curo is committed to providing a quality repairs service. We aim to deliver a 'right first time' responsive repairs service where repairs are completed to a high standard and where customers are satisfied with the service and are safe in their homes. In doing so, we will also meet both our statutory, legal, and regulatory obligations and ensure that the decisions we make represent value for money.
1.2 The Policy outlines Curo’s approach to: Delivering a high-quality repairs service efficiently and effectively to maintain the housing stock.
1.3 The Policy applies to:
• Property Maintenance In-house and Contract delivery Colleagues
• All Colleagues Involved in the Raising, Scheduling and the Completion of Responsive Repairs.
• Property Maintenance In-house delivery and Contract delivery covers Responsive Repairs & Specialist Repairs across our housing stock of approximately 13,000 properties. We serve both internal and external customers and strive for customer excellence.
1.4 Property Maintenance In-house delivery delivers all services via internal means, i.e. DLO (Direct Labour Organisation).
1.5 Property Maintenance Contract delivery delivers services through external contracts, i.e. via subcontractors.
2. Scope
2.1
This policy applies to all properties and communal areas which Curo owns and rents, and to any other properties where Curo has a contractual obligation to repair and maintain. For example:
• Individual domestic units inc. market rent properties
• Purpose built blocks of flats
• Converted town Houses, including Grade I & II
• Extra care schemes
• Houses in multiple occupation (HMO’s)
• Properties or schemes under refurbishment
• Commercial units
• Sheltered and supported housing schemes
• Community spaces
2.2 Leasehold and shared ownership properties (domestic)
Curo has no direct responsibility for the maintenance and repairs within domestic leasehold premises unless it is part of block structure on building where Curo are the freeholder.
2.3 Leasehold properties (commercial)
Curo has no direct responsibility for the maintenance or repairs on Commercial leasehold premises. However, commercial leaseholders have legal duties as an employer and are responsible for maintaining their premises.
2.4 The policy does not cover void work, defects, gas or safety servicing. It does not cover the planned replacement of components.
2.5 This policy applies to all relevant persons including customers, visitors, colleagues, managing agents and contractors, who may be potentially affected by heating risks whilst living or working within any premises which is owned or managed by Curo.
3. Legal and other requirements
3.1 Legal
This policy operates in the context of the following key legislation:
• Health and Safety at Work Act etc. 1974 (HASWA)
• Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (LTA)
• Housing Act 2004 (HA)
• Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 (HFHHA)
• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
(MHSWR)
• Housing Health and Safety Rating System Regulations 2005 (HHSRS)
• The Building Regulations 2010 (BR)
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
• Construction, Design and Management Regulations 2015 (CDM)
• Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR)
• Social Housing Act 2023- Consumer Standards
4. Responsibilities
4.1 Curo’s Chief Property Officer is responsible for approving the policy.
4.2 The Chief Property Officer has overall accountability for the policy and its related procedures.
4.3 The Director of Property Maintenance & Building Safety along with The Senior Property Maintenance Manager is responsible for the delivery of all aspects of the In-house delivery and contract delivery repairs & HHSRS.
4.4 The Property Maintenance Manager (In-house delivery) and Repairs Team Leaders are responsible for the effective implementation of those procedures for the Inhouse delivery. The Property Maintenance Manager (Contract delivery) and Surveyors are responsible for the effective implementation of those procedures for the contract delivery to include HHSRS.
4.5 The Senior Property Maintenance Manager and Property Maintenance Manager (Contract delivery), are responsible for the implementation of procedures under formal HHSRS to follow the protocol agreed and set out with B&NES. Informal to follow Categorisation under our agreed priority codes.
4.5 The Customer Contact Team are responsible for customer contact, appointment making and scheduling. The Customer Resolution Team is accountable for complaint handling.
4.6 Property Maintenance In-house delivery colleagues are responsible for delivering reactive repairs service in line with this policy. They also have a duty to ensure they work in accordance with current Health & Safety legislation to ensure the safety of both customers and themselves.
4.7 Sub-contractors employed by Property Maintenance Contract delivery must adhere to Curo’s Code of Conduct when carrying out repairs.
4.8 Colleagues are empowered to make reasonable adjustments based on individual customer needs ensuring equal access to services.
4.9 Colleagues are encouraged to assess each situation thoughtfully and make adjustments where appropriate, considering factors such as accessibility, medical or specific requirements. These adjustments should be made in a way that meets statutory and regulatory requirements, maintains a high standard of service, and supports customers in a fair and respectful manner.
5. Definitions
5.1 Reactive repairs are the day-to-day repairs that are required to keep the structure, exterior and the internal components of Curo’s homes in good condition, to ensure everyone is proud of their home.
5.2 Communal internal and external areas are also covered by this policy.
6. Principles
6.1 Our principles in carrying out reactive repair works are that we should:
6.2 Ensure that the service is easily accessible through a range of communication channels by customers at all appropriate times.
6.3 Meet our legal, regulatory and contractual obligations.
6.4 Keep our homes safe, healthy, affordable and warm
6.5 Investigate symptoms (such as damp) thoroughly by inspection, ensuring that customers are informed of progress and outcomes.
6.6 Carry out repairs at a time to suit our customers wherever possible.
6.7 Aim to complete the repair right first time.
6.8 Always have a customer focus in our policy and procedures.
6.9 Achieve value for money, and complete works within budget.
6.10 Have regard to the environmental impact of what we do.
6.11 Involve customers in deciding how the service is delivered.
6.12 Consider customer satisfaction and advocacy as key measures in assessing the quality of the repairs service.
6.13 Aim to meet the highest standard in the delivery of the service.
7. Application
7.1 Our literature, website and social media provide advice to residents about responsibilities for repairs in plain English and, if required, in alternative formats.
7.2 Arrangements for reporting repairs are clear and straightforward, meet the needs of all customers, and are included in our literature and our website.
7.3 We provide a variety of ways of way of reporting both emergency and non-emergency repairs (including out of office hours) and this is publicised.
7.4 Our damp, mould and condensation procedures ensure that we investigate the causes thoroughly. Using a systematic approach, we determine the cause and remedy; where the remedy require either major works, or action by the customer, we will provide information and support.).
7.5 Sub-contracting of work is procured transparently, through a panel of contractors covering all our needs, who will sign up to the principles set out in this policy. The process for selecting and monitoring contractors involved customer, and feedback from those who have had repairs carried out.
7.6 The procurement process, and its monitoring, will also ensure that we receive value for money in providing repairs services.
7.7 We will publicise our Customer Commitment, which sets out which repairs we are responsible for, and the timescales involved, and which repairs customers are responsible for.
7.8 We have a code of conduct for our own colleagues and for contractors to support them in the way that they deal with customers.
8. Procedures
8.1 The following procedures support this policy and ensure its implementation.
• Contract delivery guide
• Our Out of hours contract
• Our Damp and Mould Policy
• The Curo Code of Conduct
• Standard Tenancy Agreements and other occupancy agreements
• Our published service standards
• Our Health and Safety policy
• Our Procurement policies and procedures
• Our Customer Commitment
• Our process user guides in relation to the administrative tasks
• HHSRS protocol.
9. Consultation and monitoring
9.1 Customer input was sought in the development of this policy (Voicebox, focus groups) as set out in the Customer Engagement Strategy.
9.2 Internal stakeholders were also consulted.
9.3 Feedback from customers is reported to PSLT, ASG and the Board.
9.4 Contractors’ performance is monitored by the management team and is reviewed regularly with individual contractors.
10. Equalities Impact Assessment
10.1 Incorporated in the Repairs and Maintenance EIA, in August 2022 reviewed as part of this policy update.