• The information on this page is for tenants. If you’re a leaseholder, please click on the button here for helpful information and support with repairs.
For leaseholders
Photograph showing a repairs operative standing outside a doorway holding up an identification badge, wearing a dark jacket and carrying a backpack. A second person is partially visible inside, with a suburban neighbourhood and parked car in the background.

We aim to complete as many of our repairs the first time and in the first visit. You’ll be able to choose an appointment time and we’ll only close down a repair when you’re happy with the outcome.

Sometimes, we might need to carry out complicated repairs that take longer to complete. In these cases, we’ll agree a time to carry out the work and keep you updated on progress. In some cases, this might be to carry out an initial inspection before we complete the work.

Frequently asked questions

You can find more information about our repairs service by taking a look at these frequently asked questions or our repairs handbook.

If you would like to request a printed copy of the handbook, please get in touch.

Get in touch

We expect you to keep your home in a safe and clean condition, and make sure that gardens are kept neat and tidy. You are also responsible for fixing any damage that has not been caused by fair wear and tear over a long period of time. Here is a broad guide of the repairs that you are responsible for:

  • Replacing plug fuses, light bulbs and fluorescent tubes
  • Replacing toilet seats, tap washers, chains and plugs
  • Decorating the inside of your home
  • Replacing television aerials or satellite dishes, unless attached to communal areas
  • Fixing appliances installed by you
  • Fixing damage caused by a visitor or a member of your household
  • Replacing keys or locks (unless caused by fair wear and tear over a long period)

If you spot damp and mould in your home, please get in touch with us as soon as possible. The damp and mould section of our website has helpful information on how to spot the signs and report it to us.

The easiest way to report a repair is through the My Onward Portal. Here you can tell us about the repair in just a few clicks.

You can also report a repair by:

When you contact us to report a repair, please give us:

  • Your tenancy reference number, or name and address if you’re unsure what this is
  • Details of what needs to be repaired and as much detail as possible regarding what the issue is and the location of the repair
  • Times when you will be available to let us into your home
  • Details of any support you might need from us, for example special requirements
  • Your current telephone number and email address

If you can, it also helps if you can take a photo of what needs to be fixed. Photos should be well lit and taken from different angles.

If you live in a communal scheme and notice something that needs to be fixed in a communal area, for example issues with lighting or fly tipping, please let us know in the same way as you would report a repair in your home.

If your repair is an emergency please let us know straight away by calling 0300 555 0600. You can do this 24 hours a day, seven days a week. An emergency could be a complete loss of power, no heating or hot water during the winter, faulty boilers, or a flood or leak that can’t be controlled.

Emergency repairs will be attended to on the same day. For other repairs that can be completed in one visit, we will offer you an appointment and carry this out within twenty days. For bigger and more complicated jobs, we will agree a date with you, which may be for an initial inspection. We will then stay in touch with you until the work is completed and do this within 90 days.

When you report a repair to us, you will be offered a time for us to carry out the work. For non-emergency repairs, you will receive a text or a call to confirm your appointment. You’ll also receive a reminder the day before.

On the day of the appointment, you’ll receive a call when we’re on our way. Please make sure that someone over the age of 18 is at home whilst the work is being carried out.

If we need to change the time for any reason, we’ll let you know at least 24 hours in advance and agree a new time that works for you.

If for any reason you can’t make an appointment, please let us know by calling us on 0300 555 0600 or by visiting the My Onward Portal.

Anyone carrying out a repair to your home will have branded ID badges which should be shown to you before going into your home. Before starting a job, they will:

  • Tell you what they are going to do
  • Tell you roughly how long it will take
  • Let you know about any disruption there will be

Before leaving your home, the repairs operative will confirm that the repair has been completed. If the work cannot be carried out or completed, they will explain to you the reason why and will book another appointment to complete the work.

If you have requirements that mean you need extra support whilst we’re in your home, please let us know when you report your repair. We can offer:

  • Joint visits with the repairs contractors and Onward colleagues, if you would like us to be there.
  • To work with agreed care providers, advocates or Onward staff where additional support is needed.

Let us know if you need someone else to be home to let us in so that we can carry out the repair.

Related topics

If something else needs to be fixed where you live, it may fall under one of the following categories.