Tenant reporting protocol Out of Hours Lettings maintenance reporting protocol and emergencies: As a polite reminder we ask tenants refresh themselves with the following reporting protocols. Especially important over the holidays and any cold spells, thank you. In the first instance, ALL issues need to be reported via the FIXFLO fault and maintenance reporting service. This is available to all tenants all year round. If you have not had the link, please email rentals@shepherdsestates.co.uk and request your link to the portal. Regardless of the nature of your report, it MUST be logged onto the system. The out of hours emergency letting line is a monitored service, for extreme emergencies only. It is not a 999-reactive service. We aim to respond to priority emergencies as soon as practicable. If you have a 999 emergency, please do call the emergency services. If you report a maintenance issue during out of hours - between 6.00pm-8am, you are NOT likely to get an emergency callout and it is likely you will get a trade visit at their next available slot in normal working hours. It is a legal requirement for the landlord (not agent) to respond to property failure, within a reasonable timeframe. If your hot water or heating fail out of hours, it is reasonable to send a trade person the next working day, when they have access to trade-outlets for parts and can work in day light. It is unreasonable for a tenant to assume they will get a call-out regardless of the issue and time. FOR EXAMPLE: During peak periods and cold snaps, British Gas will offer appointments within 36-72 hours, and within 24-36 hours, if the household has any vulnerable or sick family members. ** British Gas current callout times as @ 16/12/2021 is early JAN! When calling the emergency letting line, you are likely to be reporting (for example). 1. The security of the tenant/property are at risk 2. There is serious fire, uncontainable water escape, or severe damage to the property, which the landlord needs to secure immediately.
Demanding immediate attendance and threatening staff is unreasonable and will not be tolerated by Shepherds employees. We work as the third party between landlord and tenant and will always act as reasonably and as swiftly as possible regarding trade visits and remedy. Out of normal working hours or late in the evening, it is unlikely a heating, hot water, or electrical failure can be fixed immediately, without parts. It is also risky working in the dark, as it can be a hazard. To reiterate: We will do our best endeavours to secure the earliest appointment possible, to limit your discomfort in all situations but within the scope detailed above. Examples for Emergency attendance.: Serious water escape, that the tenant cannot stop/or temper with a bucket (for example), storm damage to the fabric of the building or roof, serious fire, or severe damage caused by a break-in. CHRISTMAS OPERATING TIMES: CLOSED 24TH DECEMBER – REOPENING TUESDAY 4TH JANUARY 2022. Our letting line will be monitored, as is our 24hour maintenance reporting system – fixflo and rentals@shepherdsestates.co.uk
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Identifying an emergency: Please determine if the issue you are reporting is an emergency or not before reporting? If you have a real emergency – please call the out of hours letting line. If you have a standard fault or maintenance issue/breakdown, please report via Fixflo. All reports need to be reported via the Fixflo system, but for a real emergency, you will need to call. Late-night calls to the emergency letting line are pointless if a trades person attending needs parts, would be unable to work safely or, if it is something that is reasonably dealt with the following day. Examples of exceptions: if a lock fails, or you have lost your keys, you are likely to need a locksmith. For lost keys, or ‘locked-out’ – it is the tenant’s obligation to call their own locksmith. (If keys or a lock needs to be replaced due to tenant fault, you will need to supply the office with a set of keys ASAP). Blocked sinks and toilets are the responsibility of the tenants. Unless you have just moved into a property: you are likely responsible for the removal of wasp nests, vermin, and other hazards of nature. (See your contract for details) Utility loss – Gas/electric & water supplies – If you have no supply: Please check with your: a) neighbours b) utility provider. If you do not have cold running water in your kitchen, it is likely to be a supply issue. Your landlord is not responsible for your supply and a callout would be at the cost of the tenant if it relates to your provider. If the problem is not related to a supply, please report via the FIXFLO reporting system. If you are unsure whether you have an out-of-hours emergency, please refer to the maintenance reporting procedure via our website link or our FIXFLO tool, to determine what is the likely process and response times. FIXFLO is an industry recognised fault reporting system that follows best practice guidelines. This should avoid unnecessary and undue threats or demands towards the agent or trade person. It is not unreasonable to expect delays during peak times, holiday periods, or adverse weather. Anti-social behaviour affecting your tenancy If you have an anti-social complaint, noise complaint, substance use report, disturbance, or similar report, please call the police or Environmental Health. This is not something Shepherds has authority or control over. We do not have the power to act against other residents. If you live in a flat / apartment, you should report to the block management company, who manage the block. Their details should be displayed in the communal areas. They should have a process for reporting this to the owners of the offending property. You should also report the matter to the police or Environmental Health Department. If you think you need to report a matter to Shepherds, please call in working hours, email rentals@shepherdsestates.co.uk or make a report via our reporting tool. If a matter relates to a property we manage or tenants of a property we manage, if the police deem it necessary, they will contact Shepherds directly. QUICK REFERENCE for REPORTING. General faults, maintenance, repairs, or failings – report through FIXFLO reporting tool. Here is the link: https://shepherdsestateagents.fixflo.com/ If you do not have access to email, please call 01992 449501 / 01992 637351, and leave a message on the answerphone, email: rentals@shepherdsestates.co.uk
Your co-operation is appreciated, thank you. We wish you all a happy festive holiday and prosperous 2022.