customer recharges
believe housing is committed to providing homes that are comfortable and safe for people to live in, which includes the delivery of a great, consistent and value-for-money repairs service.
Recharging costs
While most customers take pride in their homes, there are occasions where the deliberate actions or a lack of care from others cause additional work at properties.
In these cases, believe housing will seek to ‘recharge’ the person who caused the issue, which means recovering the costs for these works.
This ensures that our resources are utilised appropriately and effectively, protecting and maintaining properties for current and future customers.
As we are a not-for-profit housing association, any money recovered through recharges is reinvested back into services such as adaptions for the vulnerable, building new homes, and looking after properties.
Our aim is to avoid recharges by making customers aware of their responsibilities while occupying their home or when terminating their tenancy.
A repair is considered ‘rechargeable’ if it is needed due to damage beyond normal wear and tear, resulting from deliberate misuse, neglect, or improper changes to the property. This can include damage caused by a customer, their family member, or a visitor.
Examples would include internal doors being intentionally damaged or lost keys requiring a lock change. If you take care of your home, report regular wear and tear promptly, and maintain the property, you can avoid being recharged.
In the most recent year, believe housing billed customers for £237,000 of rechargeable repairs. Adding in the costs for property and garden clearances brings the figure to just over £750,000.
All money collected from rechargeable repairs is reinvested into customers’ homes. As an example, the money saved on clearances alone could pay for 60 new kitchens, 79 property rewires, 107 new bathrooms, 296 external doors, or 64 full heating systems.
Customers can choose to carry out repairs themselves or hire a qualified tradesperson. However, there are some repairs you cannot do yourself, especially if inadequate work could lead to legal issues or safety risks, such as with gas or electrical repairs.
All completed works will be inspected to make sure they meet legislation, health and safety standards, building regulations, and believe housing’s specifications.
This is a recharge where an appointment has been made with the customer for compliance works (for example, gas or electric checks) and we have been unable to gain access on the third attempt and/or subsequent visits, without a justified reason or notice given.
The removal of a customers’ own goods that have been left in the property or garden. This also includes carpets, flooring, curtains or blinds unless previously agreed with the neighbourhood officer that they can be left. The average cost to believe housing for property and garden clearances is £583 per property.
Customers can avoid being recharged by clearing properties themselves, or using the services offered by local councils, specialist companies, local charities, or skip hire companies.
It’s important that certain household items are disposed of in specific ways.
Sofas, sofa beds and futons, all types of chairs and stools, bean bags and cushions can all contain something known as Persistent Organic Pollutants.
These are natural but toxic, persist in the environment, accumulate in food chains and pose a risk to human health and the environment.
Regulations mean that any waste containing these pollutants must be incinerated and never reused, recycled, or landfilled.
If you fail to clear such items from your property, you could be charged £60 per item. As an example, a standard three-piece sofa set and a footstool would incur a recharge cost of £240, additional to any clearance fee.
The cost of reinstating a property to its original condition, or rectifying any defects or damage, resulting from alterations made by a customer without authorisation to do so.
Customers should always seek authorisation for any alterations to a property, no matter how big or small. You can do this by emailing customerhomeimprovements@believehousing.co.uk
You can download believe housing’s recharge policy.