We're seeing a growing number of companies contacting tenants to offer a 'no win, no fee' service for housing disrepair. Many of these companies will cold call tenants about making a claim against us for disrepair. As with any industry, these companies try to exploit the system. There can be little interest for you as a tenant in the process.
We'll always defend any claim rigorously where we feel it is unjustified.
Please keep in mind:
- These organisations are rarely there to benefit you, as if the case is won, the fee percentage can be very high
- There may be hidden costs
- You may be charged a fee if you change your mind
- It'll be a lengthy and unnecessary process
- Defending disrepair cases is extremely costly for us. Money we spend on these claims takes away from funding and resources in other areas. This can have a detrimental impact on our neighbourhoods.
We always want to ensure that we work positively with our tenants to keep homes in good repair. We encourage you to report repairs to us. There are certain repairs that we're not responsible for but we'll advise should this be the case. If there's an occasion whereby we don't meet our obligations, we have a feedback process that can be followed to help resolve the matter.
I have been contacted by a company regarding housing disrepair – who are they and what should I do?
- We never work with such companies and they are not connected to Red Kite in any way
- These companies tend to operate on a 'no win, no fee' basis - but the fee they charge can be very high
- If you do have a repair issue with us, we urge you to go through our channels to try and resolve it
- We always aim to sort out complaints quickly, so please let us know about any problems
- By following this process, we expect to be able to swiftly resolve any concerns you may have.
Not sure who's at your door?
- All our employees and contractors carry ID badges which you should always ask to see
- If you're in any doubt, please do not give out personal details or allow access to your home
- Contact us to verify the person's identity.
It is also possible that the company may be contacting you with a view to phishing for information which could lead to fraud. If you believe this may be the case, you can forward your letter or email to report@phishing.gov.uk. You can also find out more about how to avoid online fraud by visiting the Take Five website which has some excellent advice.
We're here to help
It's really important to us that you're happy with the services we provide for you so that you don't end up feeling like you have to make a claim against us. But if you're unhappy with any part of our repairs service, Visit our feedback pages or get in touch.