Purpose

 

To ensure all properties are maintained at appropriate levels by ensuring required repairs are identified and completed in a reasonable time.  Furthermore, we are committed to protecting the value of the properties we manage.

 

Policy

 

• All repairs and maintenance requests are reported to Maintenance contractor within 24 hours of the manager being notified.

• Repairs that are not completed by Maintenance contractor in the required timeframe are followed up by the manager within 24 hours of being notified by the tenant.

• To keep records of all repair requests in an orderly manner so follow up can be handled in a smooth manner.

 

Required maintenance Procedure

 

A tenant may request a repair to the manager, either verbally or in writing.  The manager may also identify a required repair.

 

The Manager will enter a requested repair in an email proforma including

• The Location of the required repair

• The nature of the required repair

• The date (and time for urgent or emergency repairs)

• The category of the repair (emergency, urgent or routine)

• Contact details of the person to be contacted by the contractor for access when repairs are inside a tenant’s room. (Where the repair is inside a tenant’s room and the tenant is not able to be home while repairs are carried out, the manager will provide entry to the room for the contractor, once gaining the tenant’s permission).

 

Responsive Repairs Categories

 

Emergency (24 hour repair time) – Burst water services, blocked or broken sewerage systems, serious roof leaks, gas leaks, dangerous electrical faults, flooding, storm or fire damage, failure of electricity, gas or water supply, failure of breakdown of any essential service or appliance, serious damage or fault in a lift of staircase.

 

Urgent (48 hour repair time) – Any required repair that does not fall into the above, but is causing a significant inconvenience to staff or tenants.

 

Routine Maintenance (14 day repair time) – any other repair required, that does not fall into the above.

 

Property Inspections

 

The manager will perform an inspection of each room across it’s long-term housing properties on an annual basis.  This inspection will be performed in the first 2 weeks of May each year.

 

The inspection will consider any hygiene issues and make sure all tenants are residing in conditions in accordance with the terms of their lease and the residential tenancies act.

 

Each year as part of each property’s annual inspection the manager will consider any maintenance issues that arise from the inspections for repair or improvement.  The manager will consult with tenants on their ideas for improvements.  This excludes immediate repairs (see above) and focuses on:

• Preventative maintenance that reduces the need for immediate repairs

• Improvements that will reduce energy and water use

• Long term maintenance such as painting/ bathroom upgrades

 

Tenant Damage

 

Where damage is caused by tenant the process will be as follows:

• The manager will inform the tenant that they will have to pay for the damage

• IESHG will arrange for a contractor to complete the repair and pay for the repair.

• Such repairs will not be submitted as a maintenance request to the

maintenance contractor

• The tenant will be given a statement showing the cost of the repair

• Where the tenant cannot make payment immediately, payments may be made with the rent payment over a period of up to six months.

 

Vacated Maintenance

 

The CEO will inspect all vacated rooms, using the following checklist

• State of Paint

• Power points and TV aerial point

• Operation of Door Lock

• Operation of Window winders

• Fly wire

• Window Blinds

• Light fitting

Where any of these items require repair, the procedure for immediate repairs followed.  The room will be cleaned, and the mattress replaced with a new one.

 

Request for Modifications

 

When a disabled or elderly resident, or those with other special needs, requests a modification to their room, the manager will arrange for an occupational therapist to visit the resident and access their needs.  The occupational therapist will then provide a recommendation to IESHG if modifications are required.  The manager will offer this service to new tenants with special needs, or those who develop special needs.

 

Restricted Security System Policy

Policy Statement

IESHG provide accommodation to tenants across a number of different sites in various types of housing.  IESHG understands the need for a keying system that meets it needs.

The Restricted Security System policy and procedures have been developed to meet tenant needs in relation to physical security, as well as uniform access for IESHG personnel to minimise opportunities for theft and damage to its property or harm to its tenants.

IESHG management is responsible for Restricted security system procedures.

Maintenance of locking systems is an aspect of maintenance that crosses the categories of responsive and cyclical maintenance.

Policy

All properties managed by IESHG are to be secured on a Restricted Security Systems.  Under this system keys cannot be duplicated without authority from IESHG.  This is a major asset for tenant safety and a cost-saving for the IESHG in terms of not having to change locks at the end of a tenancy.  Lock on all individual tenant’s units must remain on the IESHG Master Key system.  All locks on the Master key system will be BiLocks.  BiLock systems enable IESHG to recombinate or change lock access within seconds. It is no longer necessary to remove the entire cylinder housing for a compromised area to be secured.

Procedure

​

• Master systems

All tenants will be issued with a restricted BiLock key that will be restricted to operate the front door to their unit, all external doors of the property as well as security screen doors if applicable.  Tenants will only be issued with their restricted BiLock key once they have signed a residential tenancy agreement.  At the end of each tenancy, the tenant is required to return their restricted BiLock key to IESHG.  If their restricted BiLock key is not returned upon the ceasing of their tenancy, the lock cylinder of their unit will be changed so that their restricted BiLock key will no longer provide access to the vacated unit.

​

• System Management

IESHG takes responsibility for changing of locks and key replacement within Master Systems.  IESHG will maintain a register for all keys on master systems and this should be updated each time a lock is changed and/or key replaced.

​

• Lost keys

Tenants are held personally responsible for the security of their restricted BiLock key.  If a restricted BiLock key is lost by a tenant, they will need to contact IESHG for a replacement restricted BiLock key.  The tenant is responsible for the cost of purchasing a replacement restricted BiLock key.

​

• On-site Key safe

IESHG provides independent living social housing to tenants from a wide variety of backgrounds with various personal issues.  IESHG properties are not managed on a 24 hour 7 days a week basis.  IESHG operates only during business hours and as such are not always able to be present on site when an emergency arises.  Due to the nature of social housing, IESHG is aware that a number of its tenants do suffer from multiple health and personal issues and from time to time these issues can present serious personal risks to the health, safety and wellbeing of the tenant concerned.

As a result of this understanding, IESHG has decided to place a key safe on site at each of its properties which contains a master key.

This key safe is secured onto a brick wall with a code that is only accessible by IESHG staff.  The code to this key safe is changed on a 3 monthly basis as well on each occasion after the key safe is accessed to ensure greater security.

Access to the key safe is only made available to emergency services i.e. Melbourne Fire Brigade, Police, Ambulance and Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team.  This key is to be accessed and used only in extreme circumstances when IESHG staff are not able to attend the property outside of business hours.

​

• Fire Safety

IESHG Rooming house properties are fitted with direct automatic alarm detectors that activate under certain conditions. On activation of these detectors a signal is sent to Emergency Communications Victoria (despatch centre) via the monitoring provider, and fire appliances will be turned out to the site according to prearranged turnout requirements.  The local MFB branch in the area of a property under IESHG management may also require access to individual units in the case of emergency.  In the case of an emergency the local MFB unit will have access to a master key that can be used to gain access to a unit.

​

Review

This policy was reviewed in April 2021. It is scheduled for review by April 2024.