What communal repairs can you handle in a block of flats?
Most of the day-to-day jobs in the common parts. That means corridor and stair lighting, emergency lights, communal sockets and the landlord's supply, plus leaks, locks, doors and gutters. Electrical, plumbing and handyman work can all go on one request and one visit.
For door entry systems we carry out basic repairs, such as a faulty release, a loose handset or a power supply problem. Where the system needs specialist parts or programming, we tell you and you can pass it to a door entry specialist.
Gutter work is limited to minor repairs and clearing where safe ladder access allows. We do not work from scaffolding, so taller blocks may need a specialist with access equipment.
Where stair and corridor lights are old fluorescent or bulkhead fittings left on all day, converting to LED with presence sensors usually cuts the landlord's electricity bill and the number of failed-light reports from residents. We can price the change block by block.
- Lighting
- Stair and corridor lights, sensors, timers and LED upgrades.
- Emergency lighting
- Testing, logbook entries and failed fittings replaced.
- Leaks
- Communal pipework, bin store taps and overflowing cisterns.
- Locks and doors
- Communal locks, closers and sticking doors.
- Door entry
- Basic repairs; specialist systems referred on.
Who is responsible for fire safety in the common parts?
The responsible person for the building, which is often the freeholder or the managing agent acting for them. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, that person must make sure escape routes are lit and fire safety measures are maintained. Newer rules add further duties for some residential blocks, so check current guidance for each building.
Those duties stay with you. What we do is the electrical side: testing emergency lighting to BS 5266, recording results in the logbook, repairing failed fittings and fixing faults in the communal electrics.
Fire alarm systems and fire risk assessments go to specialists. If we spot something that looks like a fire safety issue while on site, such as a damaged fitting on an escape route, we photograph it and include it in our report.
Can you take reactive repairs reported by leaseholders?
Yes. When a leaseholder or tenant reports a problem in the common parts, you pass the job to us with the address and any photos. We price it, agree it with you, and arrange access in the way you prefer, either through you or directly with the resident if you allow it.
When the diary allows we come out the same day.
Sometimes a report turns out to be inside a flat rather than in the common parts, such as a leak from a leaseholder's own pipework. We tell you what we found so you can decide who is responsible. We can quote the leaseholder separately if you want us to.
If a resident's problem needs someone else, such as a gas engineer for a boiler or a roofer for a leak from above, we say so straight away rather than leaving the job open.
How do you report back on each job?
With a short photo report you can file against the block. It shows the problem before we started, the finished repair, and anything else we noticed that needs attention.
If something unexpected turns up during a job, we stop, photograph it and send you a separate price. Nothing extra is done until you approve it. That keeps your approval limits intact and gives you evidence for the service charge file and any questions from leaseholders.
- Before and after photos
- Clear pictures of the fault and the finished repair.
- What we found
- The cause in plain English, not just what was replaced.
- Recommendations
- Anything else that needs doing, each with its own price.
Can you work to our procedures and invoice each block?
Yes. Tell us how you work and we follow it: purchase order numbers, approval limits, who to call for access, key collection, and any rules about noise or working hours in the building.
Each invoice names the block, the job and your reference, so it goes straight into the right service charge account.
Certificates for electrical work and EICRs for the landlord's supply are sent with the invoice, so the paperwork for each building stays together.
Can you carry out regular checks on blocks?
Yes, job by job. You can book regular checks of the communal lighting, emergency lights, doors, locks and gutters, so small problems are fixed before residents report them.
We cover blocks across Leicester and about 20 miles around, including Oadby, Wigston and Loughborough. If you manage several buildings, visits can be grouped by area to keep things efficient, with a separate report and invoice for each block.
Emergency lighting tests can go on the same visits, so the monthly and yearly tests are recorded in each block's logbook. Over time the visit reports also give you a simple record of what has been repaired in each building, which helps when planning the next year's service charge budget.