The council is responsible for:
If you are a tenant of Dartford Borough Council then the Council is responsible for:
- The structure of your home: chimney, roof, walls, floors and stairs, windows and window frames
- The plumbing system which includes: water tanks, pipe work, stopcocks, bathroom and kitchen units, blocked sinks and toilets (repair staff may offer you advice on how to unblock toilets and sinks in the first instance but if it is discovered that the blockage has been caused by your actions then any subsequent repair needed will be chargeable to the tenant)
- Heating and hot water systems
- Surrounds and skirting boards
- Fire surrounds (if specified by a gas fitter to be in poor condition which is likely to be a hazard to the tenant or household, or the old back boiler has been removed)
- Gas pipes, electrical wiring, plug sockets, light fittings and switches
- External doors, windows, guttering and down pipes
- Fences, walls and paths giving access to front or back doors as detailed in the Council's policy
- Estate roads - tenants should ring in and we will confirm who is responsible for the road and take the appropriate action
- Drains - tenants should contact us first to clarify who is responsible for the repairs
- Gas Servicing
Exclusion: Please note that wooden sheds will no longer be repaired but either gifted to the tenant or removed.
Other repair obligations of the Council if you live in a block of flats or in a supported housing scheme:
- Door entry systems
- Hallways and communal areas (including laundries where provided by the Council)
- Lifts and staircases, stairwells
- Bin areas
- Clothes lines, provided at letting
- Paths, fences and grassed areas around the scheme
- Communal TV aerials
- Communal lighting
Deliberate damage:
You will have to pay for repairs to damage done deliberately or through your neglect and for any heavy cleaning that has to be done if it is your fault.
Tenants are responsible for:
Council tenants are responsible for the internal decoration of their home, for any minor fixtures and fittings such as curtain rails, light bulbs and plugs and for small repairs like attempting to unblock sinks, battery smoke alarms and for the replacement of keys, new door locks and additional locks. They are also responsible for repairs due to misuse, neglect or damage by you, your family or visitors.
Other tenant responsibilities include:
- Splashbacks
- WC seats
- Fluorescent tube fitment and starters
- Fitment of roller blind
- Fitment of spyholes and additional security
- Cylinder jackets
- Shaving internal doors for fitment of carpets
- Fitment of curtain tracks and backboards
- Sink/bath plugs
- Pest control
Tenants are responsible for the eradication of rodents and other pests:
Environmental Health provide a chargeable pest control service in domestic properties for the eradication of infestations of:
- rats
- mice
- wasps*
- plus advice on the eradication of other pests(ie: fleas, squirrels or pigeons )
*Please note that we spray wasp nests from the outside of the property and for this reason can only treat properties that are no more than two stories high at gutter level.
The costs involved can be viewed on the Environmental Health page.
Please note however that Environmental Health do not provide a treatment service for bees. The Kent Bee Keeping Association is able to provide extensive information relating to bees, which includes a list of registered beekeepers.
Environmental Health are also unable to help you with problems of foxes. If you are having a problem with foxes in your garden or you have found a sick or injured fox, you can contact a charity specifically dedicated to foxes as they operate a specialist fox deterrence and advice service which is effective and humane. They also provide care for sick and injured foxes.
Environmental Health do not provide a prevention service for squirrels or pigeons.
Whilst the Council does not offer a service for dealing with Squirrels a number of professional pest control companies do, many of which can be found in the Yellow Pages or Thomson Directory. Although many persons may classify the grey squirrel as a pest, others will see it as a part of the natural environment. To try to eradicate squirrels from an area is probably not an effective method of control. If an area is suitable for supporting squirrels it is likely to be recolonized if an original colony is removed. Proofing of vulnerable areas such as loft spaces of buildings may be ultimately a more cost effective means of preventing the damage squirrels cause.
If you require further advice of assistance or advice on pest control please contact Dartford Borough Council, Environmental Health Services, Pest Control Section, Civic Centre, Home Gardens, Dartford, Kent DA1 1DR or call 01322 343373 or 343374.
Handy man scheme and decoration scheme:
If you are over 65 or disabled then the Council may be able to help you with small jobs and may be able to decorate a room for you. Details of the scheme can be found on the Handyman Scheme and Decoration scheme webpage.