From time to time Bassetlaw District Council finds it necessary to recharge tenants for repairs carried out on their property. Examples of when we may recharge you are;
- If you are leaving your home to move elsewhere and have left the property and/or garden in a poor condition or have left damage to the property
- If Bassetlaw District Council has to carry out work because of neglect or misuse
Moving house
When you tell us you are leaving your home a Neighbourhood Housing Officer will inspect the property and its garden. If they find any damage to the property, eg, internal doors or if you have made any alterations without permission, undertaken work, which is not of the required standard, is unsafe or contravenes safety legislation or if your garden is in an untidy or overgrown condition then this will be clearly pointed out to you at the end of the inspection. At this time you will be given the opportunity to repair, replace or clear the items before you leave the property.
Once you leave the property and hand in the keys a further inspection will be made. If it is found that the identified works have not been completed or work carried out does not meet the required standard you will be advised of this and we will arrange to carry out the work ourselves and recharge you for the cost.
Please note: If further items of misuse or a full clearance of the property and garden has not taken place when you have vacated the property we will recharge you the cost of putting this right as well as any works identified at the earlier inspection. In addition to this you will be recharged for any damage that was not identified whilst the property was occupied.
What will I be charged if I leave my property in a poor condition?
Bassetlaw District Council employs a contractor to carry out works on empty properties and they will charge us for all of the works they carry out. Therefore, if we are charged for works that are as a direct result of tenant damage or neglect we will re-charge you with the relevant costs.
Examples of current costs are listed below:
- To clean and clear a property: £23.37 - £175.31
- Cost of a skip used for property clearance: £111.03 - £187.00
- Garden hedge/bush cut: £33.55
- Garden strim: £107.35
- Garden clearance: £61.45 - 275.16
- Replace a kitchen draw and drawer runners: £56.10
- Renew an internal door: £52.59
Routine maintenance
Certain repairs are not the responsibility of Bassetlaw District Council. Further explanations of these are found in the Housing Repairs Handbook and Tenants Handbook. In other cases a repair may be required because of your actions or neglect. This can also be damage caused by a member of your household or a visitor. In such instances we will where an item is rechargeable:
- Clearly point this out to you at the time you report the repair;
- Advise you of the estimated cost of carrying out the repair;
- Ask you to sign a recharge form agreeing that you are responsible for the work and agreeing to the amount you will be invoiced for.
Please note: VAT is charged to the full value of the invoice.
How do I pay for the work done?
Once work has been completed you will be sent an invoice and payments can be made by card or cheque (payable to Bassetlaw District Council) at:
Worksop
Queen’s Buildings, Potter Street, Worksop
Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm
Retford
17B The Square, Retford
Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm
Direct Debit
Contact Revenue Services 01909 533412 for further information.
Credit / Debit Card Payments
If you wish to pay using your debit or credit card, simply contact the Council’s auto-payment line 01777 713 684
Note: Payment must be made within 30 days of the date of invoice.
If you feel you cannot pay the whole bill at once then you may be able to pay the bill in instalments. If you wish to pay the bill in instalments, then you should contact the Debt Recovery Team at Bassetlaw District Council, Queen’s Building to make payment arrangements.
What if I disagree with the bill?
- Any aspect of the invoice you dispute or disagree with should be put in writing to the Voids Manager if it relates to moving house, tenancy conditions or the Repairs Manager if relating to general recharges
- Upon receipt of the letter the matter will be investigated within 5 working days and you will receive a formal reply to your enquiry
- If you are still dissatisfied with the reply you should contact to our Complaints Officer via the Free phone number 0800 590 542
What happens if I don’t pay my bill?
Any failure to pay your bill may be determined as a breach of your tenancy agreement and if you don’t pay your bill then Bassetlaw District Council or your Landlord Bassetlaw District Council will take action, which can include:
- Court Action against you
- Use of a Debt Collection Agency
Note: Owing money in connection with a tenancy will affect your Right to Buy, Right to Transfer and you will not normally be considered for rehousing until all debts to Bassetlaw District Council are cleared in full.
Last Updated on Wednesday, May 8, 2024