The United Welsh Group will apply charges for the cost of some services. This is known as a recharge.
What constitutes a recharge?
A recharge will be applied in any instance where the association has to pay for something for which you, as the tenant, have liability. This includes, but is not limited to, charges for:
• Call-outs where you did not provide access to your property during the agreed time-frame
• The removal of any unauthorised alterations or improvements to your property and any necessary re-instatement work
• Repairs, clearance and / or cleaning of a vacated property that is not attributable to normal wear and tear
• Cleaning and clearing of tenanted properties where this is required due to the condition of the property
• Repairs to a property required as a result of wilful damage, or neglect caused by you, or anyone living with you, or visiting you. This includes things like blocked sinks and toilets where you are found to be at fault
• Alleged criminal damage where you have not reported the incident to the police and obtained a crime reference number
• Insurance claim excess where you are found to be at fault
• Legal fees (including, but not limited to, solicitors costs incurred as a result of legal action)
• Theft of fixtures / fittings or furniture / goods that have been supplied by the association
• Lock changes and replacement / additional keys and / or fobs
• Use of guest bedrooms in Thrive schemes
• Abuse of the emergency service. Costs of the call-out will be recharged where it is clear that the repair could have waited until the following working day.
Typical Recharge Costs
(Costs are approximate)
• Lock change: £100
• Board up a broken window: £25
• Blocked toilet: £30
• Blocked sink: £30
• Double-glazed unit under 1m2: £105
• Doubled-glazed unit over 1m2: Dependent on size
• New front door: £570
• New back door: £480
• New internal door: Up to approximately £155 dependent on type
• Broken toilet: Up to approximately £200 dependent on type
• Broken smoke alarms: £70
• Replacement key fobs: £12
• Light bulb replacement: £20
• Damage to kitchen worktops or kitchen units: Minimum of £100
• Reset trip switch: Up to £65 dependent on type
Please note that these figures are a guideline and do not include VAT or processing charges.
In most situations, tenants will be asked for payment in full or to set up a payment plan before the works are carried out.
Costs may vary based on the situation and may end up costing considerably more depending on the circumstances.
For more information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Advice on how to prevent recharges
Take out Home Contents Insurance
The My Home contents insurance scheme has been specifically designed for housing association tenants and offers a cheap and easy way of protecting yourself from the costs of accidental damage to your home. This scheme will also cover you for lost keys. You can be insured from as little as £1.91 per week. The My Home 10 Reasons Why leaflet provides more information about the scheme.
There are other home contents insurance schemes available and you can compare prices on price comparison sites.
Carry out the work yourself
If a repair is required that is your responsibility, then why not carry out the repair yourself or ask a family member to help (unless it relates to gas or electrical installations or poses some form of health and safety risk). This can be a much cheaper way of dealing with small, routine repairs. Our ‘How to’ videos give some useful advice on how to carry out some typical repairs.
Be vigilant
Try to prevent problems occurring by being vigilant. For example, ensure that things like nappies are disposed correctly rather than put down the toilet. This is a very common problem and is very expensive to sort out!
