Repairs and maintenance FAQs
Explore our range of frequently asked questions about repairs.
General repairs FAQs
Yes, but it depends on what you are repairing. Check our responsibility for repairs guide to find out what you can fix, and if you’re planning significant repairs or works, make sure you get our permission first. If we’re responsible for a repair, it’s best to request a repair so we can fix it.
If you lose or break your key or key fob, please contact us.
If the key fob you’ve lost is for the communal door of your building, we may have to issue new key fobs to all the other residents. This can be a lengthy process and you may need to pay for this.
To request a repair on behalf of a family member or neighbour who is a Clarion resident, please phone our customer services team on 0300 500 8000.
During electrical testing checks, we test your electrical fixtures and wiring. This is to ensure they are safe and working properly. As your landlord, we have a duty to carry out these safety checks. Any problems left unchecked could cause electric shocks, power outages or fires. Electrical testing is usually carried out when you move in, then every 5 years after that.
Fire safety FAQs
We check all fire equipment regularly to make sure it’s working, like your building’s emergency lighting, automatic opening vents and its fire alarms.
- Emergency lighting – every three months.
- Fire alarms – every three months.
- Automatic opening vents – every six months.
- Firefighting equipment – every year.
Residential tower blocks with one main staircase and no fire escape are designed in this way so that if a fire breaks out in a flat, it will be contained by fire doors and not spread. This protects the communal staircase from fire, leaving it as a safe escape route.
Advice from the fire brigade and other authorities recommends that fire alarms should not be fitted in the communal areas of blocks which operates a stay put policy – where it is safer for you to stay in your own flat.
This is because it would be confusing and even dangerous for residents to hear a communal alarm when they have been advised to stay in their flat in the event of a fire.
Fire extinguishers aren’t normally provided, except where staff are employed on site, or where there are communal facilities including plant rooms and staff rooms.
In the event of a fire, don’t try to put it out: follow your evacuation plan and get to safety.
The fire brigade advises that it is not practical to have fire drills in residential blocks. Instead, you should make sure you’re up to date on fire safety advice and that you and your family know what to do in the event of a fire, including practicing your evacuation plan.
You’re not allowed to set off fireworks or light bonfires in the communal areas of any Clarion property.
Firework safety
If you plan to set off fireworks on your own property, only use fireworks bought from reputable suppliers that display a CE mark and the safety code BS 7114. Keep fireworks in a closed box, well away from open flames or cigarettes. Never keep them in your pocket.
When you light your fireworks point them away from people and follow the instructions on the packaging. Light them at arm’s length using a taper, then stand well back. If you’ve lit a firework, it could still explode, even if it looks like it hasn’t gone off, so keep away from it.
Wear gloves when using sparklers and keep a bucket of water nearby to dispose of used sparklers. Only light one sparkler at a time. Never give a sparkler to a child under five.
Bonfire safety
If you plan to have a bonfire on your own property, position it well away from buildings, sheds, fences, trees, or any telephone wiring or cables.
Never use paraffin or petrol to start a fire – this is very dangerous.
Only burn dry materials on a bonfire. Things that are wet, like damp wood or grass, can cause excessive smoke. Don’t burn aerosols, tyres, canisters, or anything containing foam or paint on a bonfire – these give off toxic fumes and can explode.
Make sure you keep a bucket of water or a garden hose nearby in case the bonfire gets out of control. Wet the embers afterwards to stop the fire from starting up again.
Keep children and pets away from fires.
Fire risk assessment FAQs
How regularly an FRA is done depends on the type of building and the level of risk associated with it.
An FRA is done at least once a year for supported housing; sheltered housing; converted street properties; and blocks of six storeys and higher. All other buildings get an FRA at least every three years. We also complete a new FRA whenever major work is done on a building.
For new buildings, we do internal safety checks before people move in. The first FRA takes place after residents have moved in. This allows the fire risk assessor to take into account how the building is being used and lived in.
An FRA is done on any building where we manage the internal shared communal areas. Two external firms carry out the assessments. Our internal team reviews their findings and any action required is then programmed and monitored until completion.
Yes – unless the fire brigade, fire risk assessor or our fire safety team tell you otherwise.
All urgent actions are completed as soon as possible. Other actions are completed based on priorities. Sometimes, these may be combined with other work taking place in a building to minimise disruption.
If you think actions haven’t been completed, please phone our customer services team on 0300 500 8000 or by contacting our fire inspection team online.
Fire equipment may include emergency lighting, automatic opening vents and fire alarms. We check all equipment regularly to make sure it’s working.
- Emergency lighting – every three months.
- Fire alarms – every three months.
- Automatic opening vents – every six months.
- Fire-fighting equipment – every year. list item
Planned improvement FAQs
Some works are essential for your safety, so you’re required to allow our contractors to carry out this work. Exceptions will be made only in the most mitigating circumstances.
However, you may choose to refuse other types of improvement work like a replacement kitchen or bathroom. If you decide not to allow us to do this work, we’ll ask you to confirm this on a refusal of works form.
Please note that if you change your mind at a later date and decide you do want the work done, it may not be possible for us to schedule it into the same year’s programme.
No, not necessarily. As works vary from property to property according to age and condition, you may not be offered the same work as a neighbour.
If something in your home needs fixing, please request a repair.
Yes, you’ll be given a choice of design and colours for some elements such as kitchens, bathrooms, doors and sometimes communal or external areas. Your resident liaison officer will let you know what you’re able to choose.
We may consider using your materials, such as tiles or taps – but this is at the discretion of our surveyor and contractor. You’ll have to talk to them about this before any work starts and you’ll be responsible for their maintenance afterwards.
A stock condition survey or property assessment is when a surveyor checks the condition of your home. It typically takes 10-15 minutes and we aim to carry them out about a year ahead of any planned work in the area.
The surveyor collects information and identifies what work may need doing in the future, but they won’t be able to tell you then and there what work, if any, is needed.
If we ask you for access to do a survey it’s important you let us in, otherwise we may not be able to schedule improvements to your home.