Maintenance tips for tenants

If you are renting a property then big issues will be dealt with by your landlord. But there are a number of things you can be responsible for yourself.

Central heating

When it’s really cold and the temperature is likely to drop to freezing, it’s a good idea to leave your thermostat on about 15 degrees and leave the heating on all of the time. Many radiators have individual thermostats so you can leave them set in each room. Check your boiler works properly before the end of the summer months so you know it is in full working order for the winter.

Radiators

You can bleed the radiator if the top part of it is cold and the bottom is warm – air is trapped in the system and bleeding the radiator will release the air to let hot water fill it. If a number of the radiators are cold then you might need to get your property manager to arrange for a heating engineer to check the whole system.

Burst or leaking pipes

Pull away any carpet and use a towel or newspaper to absorb the water and put a dish under the leak to catch any more water. If it is a small leak then let your property manager know. If it is a burst pipe then turn the water off at the main stopcock. Turn on all the taps and this will empty the water from the system. Call your property manager.

Common problems

If your oven has stopped working - check the clock and reset the timer.
If your washing machine has stopped or won’t drain - check the pump filter, drain the machine and check to see if something has got stuck.
If your electricity trips – check to see if one appliance is the problem.

Reporting a repair

From time to time there will be a need to report a maintenance repair on your property.

There are a number of ways that you can do this depending on the arrangement that Goodfellows have with your landlord. This will be outlined in your tenant welcome pack. To make sure you get the right service, please choose from the following options below.

How do I report a maintenance issue?

Fully managed tenants can quickly report a maintenance issue through Fixflo

Whether it’s a leaky tap or a blocked drain, we appreciate that from time to time you may experience problems with your property and that you want the repair dealt with quickly and easily.

Please report your repair through Fixflo - our tenant maintenance portal.

Report a repair

Partly managed tenants

If you are in a tenancy agreement that is not fully managed by Goodfellows then you will need to refer to your Tenants Welcome Pack and report a repair in the way that has been outlined by your Landlord.

If you have misplaced your Tenants Welcome Pack you can contact the Property Management team to request a new one.

Property management

What if I have an out-of-hours emergency?

Out of hours emergency and charges

If the emergency arises outside usual office hours, please call our Out of Hours emergency number 0208 687 8345.

Please note, however, if an emergency call-out is instructed and it is determined that the problem is not an emergency after all and could have been dealt with during office hours, or if the problem has arisen because of tenant misuse, you may be charged the cost.

Emergency repairs mean those repairs which are necessary to alleviate, remove or reduce immediate risk to the safety, security and health of a tenant, the public or property.

Please see our guide on what to do in an emergency for more details.

Emergency guide