Compensation for heating and hot water breakdowns

1. Statement of Intent

1.1 Woking Borough Council provides heating and hot water for flats and the common parts of its schemes for elderly persons where there is a service by Home Support Officers. The Council aims to maintain heating charges at a level which is both affordable, and covers the cost of providing the service.

1.2 The Council recovers from the tenants the cost of the fuel used. This charge is calculated annually, separately from the rent.

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2. Detail

2.1 Where the cost of the fuel used is paid directly by the Council, a heating and hot water charge is added to the tenant's rent.

2.2 At present, about 1,200 tenants pay for their heating and hot water in this way.

2.3 Heating charges are not eligible for housing benefit.

2.4 Where there is a breakdown in the service lasting for more than 24 hours, the charges are credited to the rent account and calculated on a daily basis.

2.5 If a heating system fails for less than 24 hours, tenants will not receive compensation unless four or more mechanical faults have occurred within the previous four weeks.

2.6 Where an individual or communal boiler system fails for more than 24 hours, compensation will be based on £2 per day for the inconvenience and to cover the cost of any temporary heater used, in addition to any heating charge.

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3. Key targets / standards

3.1 The rent account will be credited within 14 days of the end of the breakdown.

3.2 Repairs to all communal systems are to be made within three working days between 1 May and 31 October and within 24 hours between 1 November and 30 April. 

3.3 Local target - the response time to any call out, breakdown or fault shall be no greater than four hours from the time of notification of the fault or breakdown to the operatives arrival on site.

Date Approved: 18 September 1995
                               02 September 1996
                               22 October 1996
                               09 February 1998
                               23 March 2005
                               03 April 2008

Latest Amendment: 31 January 2002
                                      09 February 2004
                                      14 March 2005
                                      08 January 2008