Reporting a repair to Beacon

Emergency situations are likely to affect the structure or security of your home and need to be addressed straight away to eliminate the risk to you, others or your home.

If your repair is an emergency during office hours or out of hours, please call 01792 479200.

Some examples of emergencies are;

• Damage as a result of storm or severe weather (bear in mind that if severe weather is still present then it is likely to be too dangerous to do work)
• Flooding that is likely to cause severe damage or where you are unable to turn off the water supply
• Loss of complete electrical supply
• Loss of complete heating and/or hot water system (in Winter only)

In most cases an emergency will be attended within 4 hours.

You can report non-urgent repairs:
08:00 to 17:00 Monday to Thursday
08:00 to 16:30 on Friday’s.

• • By calling our repairs team on 01792 479200
  • By emailing [email protected]
  • Or by completing our non-emergency repairs form

We’ll arrange a convenient appointment with you for someone to carry out the repair. We normally offer morning or afternoon slots to minimise inconvenience to you.

Morning slots are between 9am-1pm and afternoon slots are 1pm-5pm.

Depending on the nature of the repair it could either be completed by Beacon Repairs Team or by an external contractor.

Take a look at the fact sheet by Community Housing Cymru with what to do if Beacon hasn’t fixed a problem in your home.

• All internal decorations unless your Occupation Contract states otherwise
• Filling minor internal cracks in walls
• Replacing light bulbs, fluorescent tubes/starters, fuses and batteries
• Replacing floor coverings unless they were fitted by us
• Replacing plugs and chains to baths, basins and sinks
• Adjusting or replacing letter box covers
• Altering kitchen units to fit new appliances (Beacon approval will be required)
• Repairing or replacing washing lines or posts
• Changing or replacing toilet seats and other bathroom fittings like loo roll holders
• Any plumbing and / or fitting of your own appliances
• Providing additional power sources and sockets (Beacon approval will be required)
• Cutting extra keys and replacing keys and locks if keys are lost or repairs are required due to forcing or gaining access
• Glazing, unless a criminal reference number is provided
• Dealing with pests like wasps, ants’ nests, vermin, fleas or beetle infestation inside the home unless due to a property defect and in all cases outside the home
• Meter cupboards and doors (contact your supplier)
• TV aerial repairs (unless you are part of a communal system)

Take a look at some of our leaflets below:

• Advice on condensation in the home
• Repair responsibilities

Every part of your home has components which are things like kitchen units, windows, bathroom suites, front and back doors, etc.

Every component has a estimated life expectancy and we will plan to replace such components at the end of their life, unless in good condition. The table below provides guidance on the estimated minimum life expectancy of certain types of components.

To find out the condition of the components, our surveyors aim to survey 20% of our homes and buildings every year. This survey is called a ‘Stock Condition survey”. We will get in touch with you to make an appointment when your survey is due.

Once the time comes to replace a particular type of component, you will be given a choice of colours and styles wherever possible.

If you want to find out more about the improvements planned for your home, please contact the repair team.

We operate an emergency key replacement service however, if you have lost or misplaced your keys you will be charged for this service.

Alternatively, you can arrange for a locksmith to gain access and renew your keys and cover the cost of this direct.

Of course. Just call our Repairs Team on 01792 479200 with details of the booked repair and we can re-arrange it for a more convenient day or time.

This depends what you want to do. Best to give us a call on 01792 479200 and discuss your plans so we can advise.

If permission is required you can complete our online home improvement form here.

Once we’ve received it and it’s been reviewed by the Maintenance Inspector for your area, we’ll let you know whether you can go ahead with it.

Firstly check if everything is plugged in correctly to the TV and contact your TV provider to see if there’s a problem with the connection.

It might also be useful to speak to your neighbours to see if they’re experiencing problems.

If there’s a problem with a communal aerial we can arrange a repair visit, but if the problem is caused by your own TV or provider, we will charge for the call-out.

An average family will produce approximately 20 pints of moisture every day. Activities such as bathing, cleaning, cooking, washing or drying clothes indoors can all introduce moisture into the air.

Condensation occurs when this moisture in the air meets cold surfaces and condenses into water droplets. It can be a sign that the room isn’t properly heated and/or ventilated. Condensation can cause mould to form on walls, ceilings, behind furniture, in cupboards and around windows.

You can view our dedicated damp, mould and condensation page for more information.

Take a look at the fact sheet by Community Housing Cymru with what to do if Beacon hasn’t fixed a problem in your home.

Blocked sinks and toilets are the responsibility of the resident. These can often be remedied with products available on the high street or at your local supermarket.

If the blockage is caused as a result of blocked external drains then you should report this to Beacon.

All smoke detectors in homes provided by Beacon are hard wired and we are responsible for repairing or replacing them.

If you hear a bleeping noise from the detector when no smoke or heat is present or if you think it is not working, you should report this to Beacon.

We recommend you test your smoke detector weekly to ensure it’s working correctly.

Unless you live in a home with a communal garden then you are responsible for maintaining your garden. However if your garden contains large trees, we may help maintain these if they cause any danger to the building.

If you have a communal garden, we maintain these.

Beacon insures the structure of the property including the main walls and roof and some internal fixtures.

You are responsible for insuring your own personal belongings within the property via home contents insurance. Policies are available that cover any internal decorations you have made and items you store in sheds, etc.

Beacon will not reimburse you for any personal items damaged or lost as a result of an accident or unforeseen incident such as a leak in your property. It is a good idea to check that lock changes are covered under your home insurance.

On some occasions, jobs may have to be done via an insurance company and these may take a little longer to arrange and complete.

View out home contents insurance page here.

• Roof, chimneys, gutters and down pipes
• External walls, doors and window frames
• Paths, steps, walls and fences
• Electrical wiring sockets, switches and  smoke alarms
• Kitchens, bathroom and sanitary appliances
• Fitted fires, gas central heating systems or fixed electrical heaters
• Internal walls and doors (except for minor cracks or damage you may cause)

Take a look at the fact sheet by Community Housing Cymru with what to do if Beacon hasn’t fixed a problem in your home.

Take a look at our repairs responsibility leaflet here. 

In some circumstances your personal items may have to be moved in order to complete a repair.

If these belong to, or have been fitted by you then they are your responsibility to remove. In certain cases Beacon staff or our contractors will need to move or take these items up but will not be held responsible for any damage caused in doing so.

If there is a gas fire or central heating boiler in your home, Beacon has a legal duty to carry out a service of it every 12 months. We carry these out on a 10 month rolling cycle to make sure we remain in compliance. We’ll then provide you with certification and peace of mind!

It’s really important we can get access to your home to complete the service. We’ll book the appointment with you and be as flexible as we can with times and dates to try and keep any inconvenience to a minimum.

To find out more about safety checks in your home here. 

In the event of a fire in your home you should leave your home by the safest route possible.

We suggest you plan for such an incident and have a Plan A along with a back up Plan B should one of the exits be blocked. You should also make sure other members of the household know what to do in the event of a fire.

Some general advice is to;

• Test your smoke alarm weekly
• Do not place candles near curtains or other materials and never leave them unattended
• Ensure ovens and cookers are turned off after use
• Do not smoke in bed and check all cigarettes are properly extinguished
• Switch off and unplug electrical appliances
• Never overload electrical sockets
• Do not store bottled gas or cylinders in your home
• Make sure that all stairs, landings and passages forming an escape route are kept clear

You should report any suspected gas leaks to the National Gas Emergency line on freephone 0800 111 999.

If you think you smell gas:

• Do not smoke or light a flame
• Open doors and windows to get rid of the gas
• Check if the gas has been left on unlit on any appliance
• Check if a pilot light has gone out
• Turn the gas off at the meter
• Do not use any electrical equipment including doorbells or lights

Call the National Gas Emergency from a phone outside your home on freephone 0800 111 999.

Electricity can cut out due to a number of problems including:

• Electrical storms
• Light bulbs blowing
• Faulty or misused appliances/leads
• Too many appliances being used at the same time
• An overloaded circuit
• Overfilled kettles
• Unclean toasters
• Worn out or cracked cooker rings
• Faulty immersion heaters

You can switch the power back on at your electricity consumer unit. This is usually next to the meter, and will either contain trip switches or fuses. Depending on which you have, you will need to either reset a trip switch or change a fuse to restore your electricity

If you have a pre-paid meter, please check this in credit.

Resetting a Trip Switch

Modern electric circuits are fitted with a circuit-breaker fuse system, so if a fault occurs, it causes a trip switch to be activated and the circuit to be broken.

To switch your electricity back on again:

• Open the cover of your unit. Check which switches have tripped to the off position and which rooms (circuits) have been affected. Flick these switches back on to restore the power.
• If the tripping keeps happening, identify which appliance is causing the problem by unplugging each one on the affected circuit. Switch the tripped switch to the ON position, and then plug in each appliance one-by-one until the trip goes again
• Leave this appliance unplugged and get it fixed by a qualified electrician or engineer.

If after following this process the electrics do not reset, report the repair to us at Beacon.