Right to Repair
Your council has to fix urgent problems in your home which could affect your health, safety or security within a certain period.
The second contractor has the same amount of time to complete the work as the original contractor.
In the event that the second contractor also fails to complete the work on time you may be entitled to compensation under the "Statutory Right to Repair Scheme" - only certain repairs qualify under this scheme and a full list is shown at the end of the section.
The compensation entitlement is £10, plus for every day that the repair remains outstanding a further payment of £2 per day up is paid, to a maximum of £50 for any one job.
The Council is entitled to offset this compensation against any debt you may owe to the Council.
Qualifying repairs for statutory right to repair scheme are as follows:-
| Defect | Prescribed period in working days |
| Total loss of electric power | 24 hours |
| Partial loss of electric power | 3 working days |
| Unsafe power or lighting socket or electrical fitting | 24 hours |
| Total loss of water supply | 24 hours |
| Partial loss of water supply | 3 working days |
| Total or partial loss of gas supply | 24 hours |
| Blocked flue to open fire or boiler | 24 hours |
| Total or partial loss of space or water heating between 31 October and 1 May | 24 hours |
| Total or partial loss of space or water heating Between 30 April and 1 November | 3 working days |
| Blocked or leaking foul drain, soil stack or toilet pan (when no other working toilet in the house) | 24 hours |
| Toilet not flushing (when no other working WC in the house) | 24 hours |
| Blocked sink, bath or basin | 3 working days |
| Tap which cannot be turned | 3 working days |
| Leaking from water or heating pipe, tank or cistern | 24 hours |
| Insecure external window, door or lock | 24 hours |
| Loose or detached banister or hand rail | 3 working days |
| Rotten timber flooring or stair tread | 3 working days |
| Leaking roof | 7 working days |
| Door entryphone not working | 7 working days |
| Extractor fan in internal kitchen or bathroom not working | 7 |
(Above details taken from Contract for the Maintenance of Council Owned Properties 2011-2020)
If you have any queries, please contact the Housing Repairs Team on housing.repairs@arun.gov.uk or telephone them on 01903 737827