Your guide to routine and emergency repairs
When you need a home repair, Melin will categorise it as either an emergency or routine. This guide gives you more information about the differences between the two and the time it takes to carry out a repair.
Written by Will
—11 Jan, 2023
Melin is responsible for the maintenance and repair of your home and any shared areas if you live in a flat, apartment or sheltered scheme. Melin residents can report repairs to us which we then place into one of two categories: routine and emergency.
We aim to complete routine repairs within 28 days of them being reported, whilst we aim to resolve emergencies within 24 hours. Delays can be caused by waiting for parts and the availability of our repairs teams. We will always prioritise emergency repairs over other routine repairs. Sometimes an emergency repair, which will make your home safe, will need to be followed up by a more permanent routine repair.
Please bear in mind that during the winter months, our repair teams are very busy. As such, the 28 day timeframe for routine repairs may be extended as our staff work through a backlog of winter repairs. We appreciate the patience and understanding of our residents when this happens.
Sometimes residents try to report emergency repairs after midnight or in the very early hours of the morning. We will respond to emergency repairs as soon as we are able, but this will normally be done during daytime or evening hours. If you experience an emergency that involves a danger to life, then you should contact the emergency services or other relevant agencies. (E.g. gas leak; fire.)
The table below highlights some routine and emergency repairs so you can tell the difference between them. These lists are not exhaustive and we know that repairs are not always black and white, so if you are unsure, please get in contact with us.
Routine repairs:
- Blocked gutters and drains
- Broken electrical fitting (e.g. light)
- Dripping tap
- Broken kitchen fitting
- Broken extractor fan
- Broken garden fence (posing no safety risk)
- Broken window handle (posing no security risk)
Emergency repairs:
- Total loss of hot water in your home
- Total loss of electricity in your home
- Leaks and severe water damage
- Ceiling collapse
- Exposed electrical wiring
- Damage from security break/break-in
- Storm damage putting safety at risk
There are some emergency repairs where you will need to contact other organisations first, these are:
Gas Leak – if you can smell gas you should contact Wales & West Utilities on 0800 111 999. You should turn off all gas appliances, open windows and doors and then contact us.
Power Cut – if your neighbourhood is affected by a power cut, you should visit the National Grid website for more information. If only your house is affect, then contact us.
Water Leak – if there is a mains water leak (burst pipe) on your street or your neighbourhood is not getting water, you should contact Welsh Water on 08000 520 130, then contact us.
