2025

HBM615 - Out of Hours Repairs Service – 5280

This local authority is seeking information on good practice considerations relative to repairs service delivery. To gather insight, they would welcome feedback in regard to the following:

1. How is out of hours 'on call' timeframe applicable across the week?

2. Out of hours timescales and categories of work undertaken.

3. If this service is delivered in-house or out-sourced and the budget applicable?

4. The structure for handling and coordinating out of hours calls received?

The local authority also requests If you would be willing to share any standby and response repairs policy/procedures.

HBM614 - Credit Cards – 020425

A member authority is seeking information regarding credit cards. Specifically, they would like to know the following:-

Does your authority currently provide credit cards to its housing maintenance operatives for purchases in the field. If so:

• Roughly what percentage of the maintenance operatives have a credit card?
• How long from 1st starting as a maintenance operative is it until they receive a credit card?
• Are there any policies or restrictions in place to limit where they buy materials?
• Are there restrictions on how much can be spent in a given time frame?

Are there any check in place to monitor the spending of the operatives?

HBM613 - Transitioning to Paperless Electrical Certificates – 030425

This local authority is seeking to understand whether other authorities have transitioned to paperless electrical certificates. To gather insight, they would appreciate answers to the following questions:

1. Do you have Electricians in house or do you sub-contract?
2. Have you gone paperless with your electrical certificates?
3. If so, what supplier did you use to do this or did you do this internally?
4. Having gone paperless, have you encountered any issues/lessons learned that could be shared?

HBM612 - Rechargeable Repairs Policy – 030425

This local authority is currently reviewing our rechargeable repairs policy, and would like feedback from other Councils and social housing providers, about their approach to rechargeable repairs.

1. Do you currently charge your customers for repairs which fall outside of your Repairs and Maintenance policy?

2. Do you currently charge outgoing customers for repairs, when a customer moves from their home leaving behind damage, furniture/flooring/sheds/greenhouses?

3. Do you currently have a rechargeable repair policy?

4. Would you be able to share your rechargeable repair policy?

HBM611 - Salt barns with PVC covering membrane roofs - 280225

A local authority would be interested to know if any other member authorities have recently build or refurbished new salt barns with PVC covering membrane roofs? The would be keen to receive any recommendations regarding this type of work and information on any supplier/ contractor who have experience of this undertaking.

HBM610 - Proposed Housing Revenue Account Rent Rise 25/26

A member authority would be interested to know, for those authorities with Housing Stock, what is the Housing Revenue Account rent rise proposal for 25/26?

HBM0609 - Stock control processes for windows and doors - 160125

A local authority is looking to improve stock control with regards their windows and doors installation programme. They are particularly keen to identify ways to improve on the following:

1. How windows and doors are stored/tracked after delivery from contractor.
2. What actions are taken if the installation team cannot get access. Do other services support with rearranging installation? Does this have to happen within a set time period?
3. What do local authorities do with windows/doors (or other bespoke materials) if access is not granted.

HBM0608 - In-house asbestos teams

A member authority is seeking information from other authorities who have their own in-house asbestos teams. Specifically, they would like to know the following:-

How do you approach the use of vehicles, i.e. does the council provide them, do they get a car allowance, or do they ask the staff to use their own vehicles and then just claim mileage etc?