2022

HBM0562 - Forward plan for private domestic retrofit   

A member authority is looking to better forward plan their private domestic retrofit activities, resulting from funding such as the HUGS and LADS, through developing a regional retrofit strategy and action plan. It is intended that this work would be underpinned by a good understanding of the private housing stock through a new stock condition survey, with no surveys conducted in the area for over 15 years.

The member authority is seeking experience and advice of other councils who have undertaken these activities, especially but not limited to:

• What they have found to be the most useful aspect of a strategy/action plan during implementation
• What level of detail they have found sufficient in any strategy/action plan
• The cost and procurement process for private domestic stock surveys
• How to best get take up of stock surveys from residents
• How closely publicly available EPC data reflects the real state of housing in the area following more recent surveys

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HBM0561 - Recruitment and retention for Building Maintenance roles

A local authority is currently experiencing unprecedented high levels of craft and manual staff vacancies that are proving hard to fill. They would be grateful if other local authorities could provide any information relating to recruitment and retention for Building Maintenance roles. The specific details the authority are seeking relate to the following:-

1. What are your current pay rates for the following roles:

• Joiner
• Plumber
• Gas Engineer
• Bricklayer/Mason
• Roofer/Slater
• Electrician
• Painter
• Tiler
• Labourer (semi-skilled)

 

2. Are you experiencing any recruitment difficulties with any of these trades, if so, which ones?
3. Are you currently considering or have implemented any local strategies, such as enhanced terms and conditions to recruit and retain staff.
4. What current level of craft and manual vacancies do you have and is this higher than normal?
5. Any other relevant information, that would assist the recruitment and retention issues we have?

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HBM0557 - In-house gas servicing

This local authority would like to know the following in relation to in-house gas servicing:

1. Does your local authority carry out their own gas servicing works in-house?
2. What rates do you pay your gas servicing engineers and team leaders looking after these works?
3. If possible, can you share some job descriptions for these jobs?
4. What rates are charged for all servicing works internally?

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HBM0553 - Electrical safety inspections of housing stock             

This local authority would like to know how others are tackling electrical safety inspections of their housing stock.

 

1. 1. Do you have a programme in place and if so what is the frequency of your electrical inspection programme?

 

1. 2. Do you undertake electrical safety inspections in house using your own direct labour electricians?

 

1. 3. Do you outsource electrical safety inspections to external contractors?

 

1. 4. How much are you paying for each electrical safety inspection?

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HBM0553 – Digital / electronic method for asset managing cleaning equipment – 090222

A Member Authority are looking to introduce some kind of digital / electronic method to record the location and status of equipment such as Scrubber driers, Vacuums, Carpet cleaners etc. The Member Authority would like to know, the following:-

1. What type of methods does your authority use for asset managing cleaning equipment?
2. If you use an electronic system was it developed “in-house” or is it an “off the peg” systems?
3. What was the indicative costs of implementing the system and for the ongoing usage / maintenance?

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HBM0552 – Requests for the removal of ‘level access showers’ – 090222

A member authority are currently reviewing their process/ policy in regard to requests for the removal of ‘level access showers’. The member authority are interested to know how other councils deal with the request, specifically:-

• If the wet room floor is faulted and the tenant expresses an interest to have a bath installed instead of having the floor repaired/renewed, is this normally accepted?
• Is there anything written in their Moving In Standards policy or Repairs handbook.
• What would happen if the decision was to be made during a planned works programme. If the original bathroom was a wet room, would this be what it is replaced with even though the tenant has requested a bath.

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HBM0551 – Rechargeable Repairs Policy

A member authority is reviewing their Rechargeable Repairs Policy and are seeking information regarding what other authorities have in place. Specifically the member authority would like to know the following:-

• Does your council have a current rechargeable repairs policy? Can you share this?
• What procedure is adopted when registering a rechargeable repair- do you advise of the cost immediately /do you request the payment up front ? If so is this proving successful.
• Any enforcements if recharge costs not paid- i.e. unable to move to another property or do they visit them to challenge outstanding costs ?
• What % of rechargeable costs are recovered?
• What are the top 5/10 most common rechargeable repairs?
• Are regular comms pushed out regarding the policy, if so does this have a positive impact?

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HBM0550 – Information and process for when ‘damp or condensation’ is reported – 280122

A Member Authority are currently reviewing their information and process for when ‘damp or condensation’ is reported in their properties.

The Member Authority are interested to know how other councils promote their information around this topic and how they deal with a report of condensation/damp in a property.

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HBM0548 – Voids Lettable Standards – 040122

A Member Authority are currently reviewing their Voids lettable standards and would be grateful if other councils would be willing to share the standards that they have in place. Especially where net zero considerations are included in the standards.