Maintenance FAQs

If your heating isn’t working properly, here are a few quick checks you can try before reaching out for help: 

The heating isn’t coming on at all. 

1. Check your thermostat: 
   • If the screen is blank, the batteries probably need replacing. 
   • Make sure the settings are correct (eg. temperature and scheduled heating times).  
   • If you need help setting your thermostat, please get in touch.  
2. Check your boiler pressure: 
   • Look at the gauge on or under your boiler. If it’s below 1.5, your boiler might need repressuring. You will need to contact our maintenance team on 0191 925 0631 for support with this.  

A radiator isn’t heating fully or at all. 

1. Check the Thermostatic Radiator Valve (TRV): 
   • This is the valve on the pipe leading to the radiator. Make sure it’s turned to the right setting (usually increasing from 1 to 6). 
2. Radiators may need bleeding: 
   • If a radiator is only partially warm, it could be time to bleed them. Contact our maintenance team on 0191 925 0631 for support. 

We endeavour to respond to any maintenance requests as soon as we can – please familiarise yourself with our response guidelines:

Priority One: Any repairs required in order to avoid a danger to health, risk to the safety of residents or serious damage to buildings or residents belongings. Response within 24 hours of reporting the problem. Example – gas leak, fire, flood, only toilet not working.

Priority Two: Repairs or defects which materially affect the comfort or convenience of the residents. Within 5 working days of the report of the defect. Example – no hot water, no heating.

Priority three : Reactive repairs not falling within the above categories. Within 28 days of report of the defect. Example –broken cupboard doors, vacuum cleaner not working, painting.

Our office opening hours are Monday-Friday 9-5pm.

In most of our properties there should be an electronic thermostat (either mounted to the wall or loose somewhere in the property) this device allows you to control the heating in your property.

If you do not have a digital thermostat, you most likely have an older model. This is a simple turn dial with a temperature scale at the side. Further to these, you can also set timers and temperatures on your boiler manually.

I would suggest contacting your property manager if you require any further information, they may even be able to provide a manual for the thermostatic devices.

You will need to attempt to unblock the hose of your vacuum cleaner. To do this you need to disconnect the hose at both ends, the end that is attached to the vacuum itself and the end which may be attached to one of the utility attachments. Once this has been done, you will then be able to see if there is a blockage in the hose itself.

If so you will need to then take something that will be able to clear it, for example: A straightened wire coat hanger or the handle of a mop or brush. Using these items you will be able to carefully unclog the hose of your vacuum.

Once this has been completed you will then have to check if there is any blockages in the soil chamber. Look at the connection between your hose and chamber. Try to reach this connection spot and feel whether there is any form of clog. If you detect any blockage, clear as much as possible.

Please also empty the soil chamber. To empty this there should be a release button, normally at the top of the chamber, which you will be able to click down and release.

You can then empty the chamber into your house bin, but be careful as it can get a little bit messy, we would suggest you empty the chamber straight into your black wheelie bin outside your property. You can then connect the chamber back to the hoover, it should just sit into place and click back on.

If all blockages have been removed, you will then be able to start reassembling the vacuum the way you took it apart. Once this step is complete, turn the hoover on and you will be able to check again whether the suction is up to standard and your hoover is up to spec.

If your hoover is still not working and or the suction power is not strong enough, you can report it on the portal. This will then get forwarded to the maintenance team who will be able to assist further.

Usually, slow drainage or a total blockage in your bath or shower is caused by an accumulation of hair, soap and dirt in the pipe. You may be able to pick out whatever is causing the blockage, but make sure you wear protection on your hands, for example rubber gloves.

If you are unable to get to the blockage that way, the next step would be a plunger. You should always try using a plunger first before resorting to bleach or other chemicals. This is because the act of plunging often results in being splashed by the water and could result in chemicals getting on your skin or clothing.

To get the most out of your plunger you should run the rubber end under the hot tap for several minutes to soften the rubber. This will make the rubber more flexible and better able to generate the required suction to clear the pipe.

Once plunged we would suggest you put some drain unblocker down there and leave it for 30 mins. Any big brand drain unblocker will do the trick. Once you have left it to work in the drain we would suggest you pour some boiling water preferably from the kettle.

If, however, your drain is still blocked up, and you have attempted the steps above, you will need use our maintenance portal which is very easy to use. This will then get forwarded to the maintenance team who will be able to assist further.

If they need replacing, yes. Tenants must conduct themselves in a tenant-like manner. Acting in a tenant-like manner means doing the little jobs about the place which a reasonable tenant would do. Replacing lightbulbs, unblocking a sink, tightening the odd screw, and keeping the property clean and tidy would all be acts that would be considered tenant-like conduct.

For more information, please refer to:

• The Housing Act 1988
• Warren v Keen 1953

If you can smell gas: 

• Call the National Gas Emergency Service External link immediately on 0800 111 999 – make a note of the reference number they give you 
• Put out any naked flames, and don’t smoke or strike any matches 
• Turn off all your gas appliances and don’t use them until they’re checked by an engineer 
• Turn off your electrical appliances, and avoid turning any switches on or off 
• Open your doors and windows 
• Contact Wellbridge for additional support  

Common issues outside of our office hours often involve maintenance problems and lockouts.

Below, we provide guidance on how to address these common concerns.

Maintenance:

If you experience an urgent maintenance issue when our offices are closed, and the situation requires immediate attention, please call 0191 9250631 and our team will support. The team are equipped to handle various queries and can, if necessary, coordinate with contractors to resolve an issue promptly.

Lock out:

If you have locked yourself out of your bedroom or property, our Out-of-Hours team, can arrange a locksmith to attend your property on your behalf. A cost will be associated with this service and will be invoiced to you shortly after. Alternatively, stay with a friend or relative and we can arrange for you to be let into your property to retrieve your key at the next available time.

Smell gas:

If you can smell gas: 

Call the National Gas Emergency Service External link immediately on  0800 111 999 – make a note of the reference number they give you 

Fire:

In the event of a fire: 

Raise the alarm to warn other occupants – shout ‘FIRE, FIRE, FIRE’. 

Ensure that no one is in immediate danger. 

Call the Fire Brigade – 999 

Leak:

If there’s a leak, you might need to shut off your water at the stop tap. There could be multiple stop taps in your property, typically found in one of three places: the cellar, utility room, or kitchen.  

Additionally, many individual appliances have their own isolator valve, which can also be useful if you can identify the source of the leak.

Power cut:

If you have a power cut in your property you should complete the following steps to establish the cause of the tripped electrics.

Firstly, check to see if there has been a power outage in your using the live power cuts map provided by National Grid.

If you there has not been a power outage in your area you should:

1. Go to the fuse box and ensure that all switches are to the very bottom, including the mains switch and the RCD Switch (these are the bigger switches).

2. Put RCD switch to the top and mains switch to the top, these two should always stay up.

3. Working from left to right put all of the smaller switches up to the very top, waiting around 10 seconds between each switch. If the item that tripped the electrics in the first place is still plugged in, it will cause the smaller switch to not stay up. You must locate this item and unplug from the wall and complete the above steps again.

4. Each small switch should be labelled with an area/description – i.e. Ground Floor Sockets. This will show you which area the item is plugged into, to work out which appliance/plug in is that’s tripping the electrics you will need to turn off and unplug everything that is plugged in on that circuit.

5. Once you have managed to keep all the switches up on the fuse board you can then start to plug each item back in (one at a time), this will show you which item is causing the electrics to trip.

6. The item that has tripped the electrics will probably require the fuse changing. If it is an appliance that Wellbridge have supplied you, raise it in the portal and we will arrange an electrician to attend and take a look.

The combination of good ventilation and adequately heating is the best way to prevent issues with condensation and damp.

Heating

Aim to always keep your home no lower than 18C. Your thermostat can help you regulate your heating throughout the day. Do take the time to make sure all your radiators are working correctly, and if you have any concerns, please do contact us for support.

Ventilation

Properly ventilating your home may involve opening your windows when you can, making sure window and wall vents are open and unobstructed, and utilising electronic extraction fans commonly located in bathrooms and kitchens, where moisture levels are highest.

It is also important to consider airflow in the property. Making sure there is not too much furniture in a room and not overfilling wardrobes are common examples of how you can support good ventilation your home.

Do:

• Keep lids on pans when cooking
• Dry clothes outside or in your tumble dryer
• Always use the extractor fan
• Leave any window vents open
• Make sure air can circulate by leaving gaps between furniture and the wall
• When having a bath, put cold water in first to reduce the amount of steam when the hot water is added
• reduce excess steam by using a microwave instead of the hob when possible
• Consider purchasing houseplants such as English Ivy, Peace Lily, Snake Plants and Palms help remove moisture from the air

Do not:

• Dry your clothes on radiators
• Leave water standing when it is not in use
• Overfill wardrobes