Property Support and Repairs

If there is something wrong with your property please contact the Property Team via the following email address: property.repairs@southwell.anglican.org or by telephone on 07712 835267 or 01636 817214.

Please include the following in your message:

• Who you are and your contact details,
• Where your property is (address/post code) and where the problem is,
• What the problem is to do with (e.g., boiler, windows, taps, etc.),
• When you first noticed the problem (and if it has previously been reported, and to whom).
• Describe the problem and how long it has been happening. If possible, how did it happen?
• A Photo of the problem

Out of Hours Emergencies:

For any emergencies with your property, during evenings or weekends and when the office is closed, please follow the guidance below.

The following is considered an emergency: Repairs which maintain safety/security/major utility services and heating, or which prevent further damage to the building, and which are likely to cost less than £350 in total, excluding the call out fee.

Please see below for support in identifying if the repair is an emergency:

• Emergency maintenance is when a material defect, an asset or piece of equipment suffers an unexpected breakdown or change in condition that results in an immediate threat to health and safety to occupants or the public (e.g. electrical fault, gas leak, overflowing foul drains) or will cause significant damage to the property if not resolved (e.g. burst or leaking pipes), or finally leaves the property no longer secure (e.g. broken window or lock). 
• The aim of ‘Emergency Works’ is to remove or isolate the risk. The contractor may not always be able to rectify the fault but will make safe. The works may require further investigation or parts which will be undertaken during normal working hours.
• When an emergency occurs, please use the emergency contractors list.  Before contacting a contractor out of office hours, please bear in mind that they will charge higher rates for this service. Please consider whether the matter is an emergency and in need of urgent attention or a matter which could wait until the normal office hours. 
• Any works undertaken out of hours which are deemed not to be urgent, or an emergency may be charged to the occupant. 

Gas Leaks 

If you think you have a gas leak or are worried that fumes containing carbon monoxide are escaping from a gas appliance, please call the free Gas Emergency Services emergency line immediately on 0800 111 999. This is a 24-hour emergency line.

Also: 

• Turn off your gas supply – the meter tap should be located beside your gas meter. Move the handle a quarter turn until it is 90 degrees from the pipe.
• Open all doors and windows to ventilate the property and vacate the property until emergency services attend site. 
• Do not turn any electrical switches on or off. 
• Extinguish all naked flames, do not smoke, strike matches, or do anything which could cause ignition.
• Let your neighbours know especially if adjoined to the property.

Electrical defects in the property and surrounding buildings

If you can smell burning, or you notice smoke coming from your fuse box, lights or sockets call 999 immediately, then contact your electrical supplier and our ‘out of hours’ electrical contractors.

Electrical failure

If the circuit breaker (RCD) trips on the consumer unit and fails to re-set on the power circuits to the household plug sockets the following action should be taken:

• Unplug all domestic appliances / items. The plugs must be removed and not simply turned off on the socket switch. Re-set the switches in the consumer unit. 
• If it fails to re-set it is considered an emergency, contact one of the electrical contractors listed on the emergency list. 
• If it re-sets, plug in each appliance / item one by one checking the circuit breaker as this is undertaken. 
• Continue this process until the circuit fails noting the appliance / item was last to be plugged in, this will indicate the faulty appliance.

Note: It is worth noting which appliance(s) was running when the electrics failed. Appliances can fail and trip the electrics when turned on or during a cycle and not just when plugged in e.g. kettles coming to boil, toasters toasting, washing machines changing to spin cycles etc. If any electrical call outs are found to be a result of failed appliances the cost will be charged to the occupant. 

Power cuts 

Contact UK Power Networks on 105 to report or to obtain information about power cuts in your area and speak to your local electricity network operator. 

Electrical emergencies to mains cables 

Contact UK Power Networks 24 hours a day on 0800 31 63 105 or 105. Always treat damaged electricity cables as live and therefore stay away. If you think that the cables are down and cause significant risk to the public call 999.

Boilers/Central heating not working 

Please contact the relevant contractor from the emergency list of contractors. Before calling a contractor, please check the following: 

• Check you have oil in the tank (oil boilers only). If the tank is empty the boiler will not work and may be faulty even when the oil is replenished due to air being dragged into the system. The boiler will require an engineer to attend. If this occurs, the cost of the engineer will be the responsibility of the occupant as it is not a fault of the appliance but user error. Regular checks of oil levels are required in particular during winter months when greater volumes are consumed. 

• Check your room thermostats are the correct temperature setting and if battery operated check the battery. 

• Check time clock is correctly programmed e.g. time, date, settings etc.

Leak / burst pipes/plumbing

If you have a leaking pipe inside the property, isolate the water by turning off the internal or external stop tap or isolate the leak using the appropriate isolating valve to limit damage. 

Contact a plumbing contractor from the emergency list immediately.

If you have a burst water main outside the property, contact your Water Provider.  Non-emergency works listed below should wait until the office is open:

• Dripping tap into bath, sink or basin or external tap. 

• Cold radiator(s) if this is limited to a few radiators only. If the majority are not functioning, then call a contractor out from the list. 

• Toilet not flushing – if another toilet is available on site this is not an emergency.

• Shower not working and can be isolated, so water is not pouring out of appliance. This is an inconvenience and not an emergency.

IMPORTANT: 

• To reduce the risk of frozen pipes during the colder months please do not turn off your heating especially when going away. 
• Keep the heating on as normal as the damage caused to personal possessions and the property is not worth the pennies saved. 
• Isolate outside taps internally during October – May and leave the outside tap slightly open to drain any residual water. 

Building/Garden Emergencies 

Most building repairs will wait until the office is open. If, however, you have one of the following issues ‘out of hours’ please contact a contractor from the emergency list. 

• Serious Damage to a Roof 

• Leaking oil tank or oil line 

• Blocked/overflowing foul drainage and septic tanks. 

• Storm damaged tree(s) which endangers the occupier, visitors, passing traffic, pedestrians or neighbours. Notify the police if damaged tree(s) are lying on or overhanging public highways, footpaths or public areas e.g. school or park. Contact the Property Team on next available day to have obstacle removed. 

• Collapsed boundary wall onto public footpath or highway – Notify the police if risk to the public. Contact the Property Team on next available day to arrange wall to be rectified and obstacle removed.

Emergency Out of Hours – Contractor Contact List

Plumbing – Boiler/Heating	Plumbing -Boiler/Heating
Company Name: Profile Design & Construction Ltd	Company Name: J Daws Plumbers
Tel: 07970 149880	Tel: 07971 164970
Email: david@plumbheatbuild.co.uk	Email: j.daws@sky.com
Electrical Repairs	Electrical Repairs
Company Name: NG Charged	Company Name: Mellor Electrical
Tel: 07543 006858	Tel: 07805 035306
Email: enquiries@ngcharged.co.uk	Email: contact@mellorelectrical.co.uk
Fallen Trees	Locks
Company Name: Groveside Tree Specialists	Company Name: A1 Locksmiths
Tel: 07747 654 917 or 07792 511 137	Tel: 07977 432089 (24 hours)
Email: groveside@talk21.com	Email: a1locksmithsltd@yahoo.co.uk
General Repairs	General Repairs
Company Name: Winslow Property Services Ltd	Company Name: Julian Hogg
Tel: 07852 431186	Tel: 07854 501161
Email: Darren.mangold@ntlworld.com	Email: julianhogg@hotmail.co.uk
Roof Repairs	Blocked Drains
Company Name: On Top Roofing Solutions	Company Name: Turbo Drain
Tel: 07549 017558/07989 530174	Tel: 07831 616197.
Email: info@ontoproofingsolutions.co.uk	Email: turbodrain@gmail.com
Burglar Alarms
Company Name: WEC Alarms Ltd
Tel: 0115 9312656
Email: info@wecalarms.com