Housing Maintenance, Repairs & Improvements

Question 1

What is the role of owners / occupiers / providers / LA in the maintenance, repair and improvement of housing?

Answer 1

It depends on the contract but landlords are usually responsible for the structure of the dwelling house and the services, tenants are responsible for decoration and minor repairs (or keeping the property in a tenant like manner)

Question 2

What funding methods are you aware of?

Answer 2

Usually through rental income, but it can also be paid for by service charges, leaseholder contributions, grants or a sinking fund linked to the service charge

Question 3

What legislative requirements are you aware of?

Answer 3

Planned Preventative Maintenance of Residential and Commercial Property Guidance Note 2022, legislation includes things like the HHSRS, Landlord and Tenancy Act 1985, Homes Fitness for Human Habitation Act 2018, Gas Safety, Installation and Use, Decent Homes Standard

Question 4

What property related H&S issues are you aware of?

Answer 4

Slips, trips and falls, electric issues, gas leaks, mould, dampness, asbestos, lead piping, tenant abuse, falls from height

Question 5

Talk me through your understanding of housing policy and law relating to maintenance and repair.

Answer 5

It is predominantely underpinned by the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Homes Fitness for Human Habitation Act, and Building Regulations but there are also statutory requirements and things such as H&S regs, CDM regs etc

Question 6

What are the key principles of the L&T relationship?

Answer 6

There must be trust between the parties, an effective contract, both parties must look after the properties, open lines of communication

Question 7

What property maintenance issues are you aware of in relation to the housing market?

Answer 7

Currently the cost and continuity of supply of materials, along with rising fuel prices and a difficulty in recruiting trade operatives

Question 8

What is the Decent Homes Standard?

Answer 8

It is a piece of government legislation setting a technical standard for public sector housing which aims to provide a minimum standard of housing conditions for anyone living in public sector housing with a target for the standards to be met by 2010. A decent home isone, which is wind and weather tight, warm and has modern facilities. It also has been updated to reflect the Housing Health & Safety Rating System (HHSRS).

Question 9

Tell me about the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018.

Answer 9

It’s a recent law, introduced to ensure rented property is fit for human habitation, that it is safe to live in and occupants are free from things which may cause harm

Question 10

Tell me about S11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.

Answer 10

It requires landlords to maintain the exterior and structure of the dwelling house and to keep in good repair the services for fresh water, draninage, gas, electricity, space heating and warm water

Question 11

Tell me about the RICS Planned Preventative Maintenance Guidance Notes 1st edition.

Answer 11

It is a guidance note for both Commercial and Residential, effective from May, it aims to set out the general principles that should be adopted when undertaking a PPM survey. It includes advice like understanding client requirements & expectations, what to include in the instructions, what the purpose of a PPM survey is

Question 12

What is a Gantt Chart?

Answer 12

It is a bar chart that shows the project schedule, with how long tasks will take, when they will start and in what order

Question 13

How have you assessed the condition of housing?

Answer 13

By inspecting it with the purpose of indentifying defects to arrange remedial repairs

Question 14

Talk me through your preparation of a report or cost estimate.

Answer 14

I have inspected the property, noted defects, then using the SOR’s developed a schedule to rectify the defects, which included quantities and a value for the works

Question 15

How have you advised on obtaining funding?

Answer 15

I have not done this as the budget has been made available, however I have put together reports, detailing the condition, likely costs for repair, likely costs of replacement and risks in leaving it as it is

Question 16

How have you prepared a contract in relation to work programmes?

Answer 16

I haven’t done this but I had put together schedules, then undertaken pre-start inspections with the contractors to agree access arrangements, H&S, welfare etc

Question 17

How have you assessed and advised on residents’ needs?

Answer 17

When inspecting as arranging works I have discussed this with the tenant, discussing their ability to do small parts of decorating or if they have disabilities which need to be taken into account, this is then worked around or referred onto internal specialists for support

Question 18

How have you produced a project plan or report?

Answer 18

This is not something I have done but I know it includes information such as a statement of work, a resource list, work breakdown structure, project schedule, risk plan

Question 19

How have you interpreted a contract or agreement?

Answer 19

By assesing the SOR rules when a contractor has drawn up their own schedule and either adding or omiting items to reflect the rules, so I have removed scaffold charges from a contract extension

Question 20

How have you managed the relationship between contractors and clients?

Answer 20

I have acted as the contract manager in the client role, scheduling meetings and being on hand to discuss issues as they arise during a project

Question 21

How have you assessed clients’ needs in relation to the housing market?

Answer 21

At Connect we developed a flexible void standards, to encourage faster let times and develop long term sustainable tenancies, so I would be working with colleagues, looking at other rental properties to decide if we wanted to improve on the standard offer to make our property more appealing

Question 22

Cromwell Heights, Leeds, describe your role in the legal disrepair case. Outline your employer’s procedures/repairs and maintenance policy? What were the issues in this disrepair case?

Answer 22

So my role was to develop a witness statement, going through the repair history for the property, when the tenant has reported repairs related to items in the claim, what work was completed and when. In court I was then acting as a witness to answer any questions on my statement and the relevant policy which included LCC’s response times, if a suspected leak from the toilet supply pipe constituted an emergency etc

Question 23

Talk me through how you answered questions on the Council’s response to reports of disrepair.

Answer 23

I was asked my opinion on what a repair was at one point, if it was condensation or a leak, if the windows were defective and if a repair order related to a particular issue

Question 24

Darkwood Way, Leeds, what leaseholder notification rules did you comply with?

Answer 24

This is under section 20, which required us to notify the leaseholders of our intention to carry out repairs to the roof, why we are proposing them, identifying the contractor, the likely costs for the works and timescales, the leaseholders then had 30 days to respond, using the contact details noted in the letter

Question 25

Did Section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 apply to the works to rectify defects? If so, describe your role in relation to Section 20 compliance.

Answer 25

Yes, as the contribution was over £250 per property so we were obliged to send notification to the residents. I worked with the Technical Officer to fill in the forms with the correct details etc and who in the leasehold team to send it to

Question 26

Talk me through the schedule of works that you prepared.

Answer 26

It included lifting a rebeding the ridge tiles, patch repair and replacement of broken slates and replacement of sections of the timber gutters.

Question 27

How have you managed works in progress / payments?

Answer 27

I have done this whilst working at Connect Housing, I obtained a copy of the stage payment request, which detailed progress against each task, my role was to confirm or deny of they had made the progress stated and therefore if the funds could be released. I inspected, the reported back my findings including photo details of one area of in the bathroom where they had claimed for tiling which had not yet been completed, advising that this needed to be omited from the payment

Question 28

How have you advised on defect liability and dispute resolution procedures?

Answer 28

I have, in completing the OCM we included a section on defect liability periods, contacts and the procedure to be followed

Question 29

What dispute resolution procedures are available?

Answer 29

Arbitration, Adjudication, Mediation, Litigation, Conciliation

Question 30

What are the likely causes of disputes?

Answer 30

Usually a misunderstand or failure in the scope or contract documents to fully explain a specification

Question 31

How have you provided strategic advice on L&T matters?

Answer 31

I have advised colleagues on procedures, when LCC will take action and undertake repairs and when it might be the tenants responsibility

Question 32

How have you responded to clients’ needs?

Answer 32

Depends on the client, in terms of LCC I have enforced procedures to protect the budget and not set a precident, for tenants I have taken their individual needs into account and designed works around them, even sourcing alternative accomodation

Question 33

How have you managed a works programme?

Answer 33

I have managed a program of works to an individual property but not to multiple properties

Question 34

Talk me through your role developing the Operational Procedures Manual. What advice did you give on recommended policies/procedures/best practice?

Answer 34

I gave advice on what policies to include, what to include in a sample agenda, key stakeholders, procedures, authorisation process and resonsibilities in emergencies etc

Question 35

Cross Catherine Street, Leeds, how many properties did you inspect?

Answer 35

There were 9 on the estate and I had inspected 6, it was part of an estate walkaround

Question 36

What was the purpose of the inspections?

Answer 36

It was a mix of the tenants reporting repair issues and completing an estate walkabout with a colleague in housing

Question 37

What advice did you give regarding kitchen replacement?

Answer 37

I compiled a brief report, using pictures of the kitchen, an assesment of the condition, the lack of replacement parts and recommendations that they are replaced

Question 38

Talk me through the planned replacement scheme.

Answer 38

I gave the report to the manager in that team, they assesed it, talked to me about it then added it onto a program for the following financial year

Question 39

Orchard Way, Leeds, tell me about your employer’s habitable standard.

Answer 39

So it had to be in a good state of repair, loose plaster was repaired, we replaced the WC seats, sink u bend, shower pipes, checked all doors and windows, replaced the locks, provided an external means of drying clothes, checked and cleared the loft, replaced damaged floorboards etc

Question 40

How did you ensure funding was available?

Answer 40

From previous discusion with the finance team I knew there was money in the budget

Question 41

What repairs did you recommend be carried out?

Answer 41

That there were holes in the walls, internal doors to be replaced, full redecoration, replacement of damaged kitchen units, replacement of vinyl floors

Question 42

Talk me through the schedule of works you created.

Answer 42

That there were holes in the walls, internal doors to be replaced, full redecoration, replacement of damaged kitchen units, replacement of vinyl floors