Recharge policy

At GCHA, we are responsible for maintaining your home and carrying out repairs that are our responsibility as your landlord.

However, there are some situations where you may be asked to pay towards the cost of a repair, replacement or service. This is known as a recharge.

A recharge is a cost that GCHA may pass on to a resident when work or a service is required because of something that is the resident’s responsibility, rather than GCHA’s.

For example, this could include damage caused through carelessness, neglect or deliberate actions.

Recharges are not intended to generate income for GCHA. They help us make sure our resources are used fairly and that residents take responsibility for looking after their homes.

Every situation will be considered individually, but examples where a recharge may apply include:

• Lost key fobs or barrier fobs – you may need to pay for a replacement if your fob is lost.
• Pest infestations – where an infestation originates from inside a resident’s home and treatment is needed to prevent it spreading or returning to communal areas.
• Repeated missed appointments – where appointments are repeatedly missed and a contractor’s time is being wasted.
• Misleading emergency call-outs – where incorrect or misleading information results in a contractor attending when they otherwise would not have needed to.
• Damage to your home – deliberate or wilful damage, or damage caused through carelessness, may be recharged.
• Fly-tipping – residents may be charged for the removal of waste that has been illegally dumped on GCHA property.

We will consider the individual circumstances of each case, including whether there are any mitigating circumstances, before deciding whether a recharge is appropriate.

When you move into a GCHA home, we record the condition of the property, including photographic evidence.

When your tenancy ends, we will inspect the property again.

If repairs are needed because of damage that is not GCHA’s responsibility, you may be charged for the cost of putting this right.

Where a deposit is held, any outstanding costs may be recovered from the deposit before the remaining balance is returned.

Residents are responsible for arranging insurance for the contents of their homes.

If accidental damage caused by a resident or their belongings results in GCHA needing to carry out work to keep the property safe, the cost of that work may be recharged following an assessment of the circumstances.

Where criminal damage has taken place, this may also be reported to the police and GCHA may seek to recover the cost through an insurance claim.

During some planned maintenance work, you may be offered a choice of standard kitchen or bathroom fittings.

If you request an upgrade from the standard option, you may be asked to pay the difference between the standard cost and your chosen upgrade.

The cost will be confirmed with you in writing and payment will need to be received before the upgraded item is ordered. If payment is not received within 28 days, the order will return to the standard fitting.

A recharge is not automatic.

Our Housing Team will consider the circumstances of each individual case and decide whether it is appropriate to pass the cost on to the resident.

Our aim is to make sure our approach is fair, that GCHA meets its responsibilities as a landlord and that the money available to maintain our homes is used effectively.