Statement of Charges and Compensation

Charges will be applied in a fair, consistent and transparent manner. Customers will be told of their obligations to pay these charges and kept informed about the amount they are required to pay.

Depending on specific circumstances, Thrive may decide to reduce or waive the charge where the customer is deemed vulnerable or there are specific mitigating circumstances beyond the control of the customer - if the customer is elderly, registered disabled, or is not able to manage works themselves and lacks support from family, friends or voluntary groups.

Where a customer asks us to undertake work for which they are responsible, we will expect payment in advance (or agreement to a schedule of repayment) before we undertake the work. Repairs will be charged at cost and we will notify you of the cost ahead of commencing works. Examples of chargeable works are listed below:

• call-out charges for repairs that are not Thrives responsibility
• cost of any repairs that are due to deliberate damage, abuse, neglect and non-reported repairs
• cost of rectifying unauthorised alterations
• replacement and fitting of light bulbs
• replacement plugs and chains on sinks, baths and basins
• replacement of toilet seats, pulls and chains
• fitting of blinds, curtain tracks, coat rails and shelving
• decoration of inside of the home including the filling of small cracks in walls and ceilings
• installation of extra security locks
• replacement of lost keys
• cost of gaining access, changing locks and repairing associated damage after a person has locked themselves out or has refused access
• glazing broken windows (unless you are a victim of crime and can provide a crime reference number)
• adjusting internal doors so they open and close over fitted carpets
• lifting and relaying of wooden or laminate floors or carpets in order to carry out repairs
• unblocking sinks, basins and baths
• replacing door handles, latches, boxes and knockers
• cost of removing rubbish or clearance, including lofts.

External/communal area

• Garden clearance
• Arboriculture work (inspecting, pruning and felling)
• Cost of clearing rubbish chutes and extensive cleaning including both inside and outside of the property as a result of misuse and a perpetrator identified
• Removing graffiti and rectifying wilful/careless damage.

This list is not definitive.

Whenever we discover careless damage (beyond acceptable wear and tear) we expect the customer to rectify the damage within an agreed timescale and to the original condition (or to an agreed condition), or we will charge to rectify the damage to reinstate the home to its original condition. This will be paid for in advance. This covers damage caused by a tenant, family member or guest and could be picked-up through:

• an annual inspection
• health and safety checks
• the course of undertaking a repair
• the course of a home visit
• at a check-out inspection.

Charges will also be made where additional cost is incurred in delivering services, over and above that covered by the rent or service charge:

• appointments are not kept or access is refused, including no credit on gas and electricity meters
• excessive or incorrect use of the emergency service
• recovery of legal and court costs
• provision of additional copies of documents
• failed direct debit payment administration
• the terms of vacant possession are not met and the property is not returned in the same condition it was given (reinstatement of alterations, clean, and clear of possessions and rubbish)
• the health and safety of other customers or the local community is at risk
• alterations, additions or improvements to the home that are unauthorised
• fixtures and fittings in a property have been changed or modified by the tenant and costs are incurred to rectify or reinstate to the original condition
• where a repair is necessary to avoid further damage to the home or other properties
• police gaining entry whilst executing a warrant (entries on the grounds of medical emergencies will be excluded)
• any other cost or responsible items, as defined under the terms of your Tenancy Agreement.

This list is not exhaustive, all charges will be charged at cost.

When we get things wrong, we will always consider how this has impacted you and any offers of compensation we make will be in line with the Housing Ombudsman guidance.

To find out more about compensation that may be payable, please read our Schedule of Compensation.

• Where we haven’t done what we say we will as laid out in the Thrive Deal or policies.
• When we haven’t attended an appointment that we said we would.
• If our action or inaction has caused damage to the property or decorations in the property.
• When there is a contractual reason to pay compensation in line with a customer’s tenancy agreement (e.g., right to compensation or right to repair).

Visit our Schedule of Compensation for our latest list of compensation examples.

If you are making a claim for compensation through a solicitor or an insurance company, we will contact our insurance company and the claim will be dealt with through them. Any claims from solicitors and insurance companies are dealt with outside of our complaint policy.

• If a tenant, visitor or member of the household has caused the damage or loss.
• If we have tried to carry out a repair but have been denied access to the property.
• Where we haven’t been able to deliver a service because of extreme weather conditions.
• When we have told you that we will be unable to make the appointment with 12 hours notice or where there are exceptional circumstances beyond our control.
• When your belongings have been damaged through no fault of Thrive – don’t forget to take out home contents insurance to cover you for loss and damage.
• When improvement works will inevitably cause low levels of damage to a property, e.g. holes in carpets for radiator pipes.

Any compensation that we pay will be made without prejudice which means that the offer of compensation cannot be relied on to prove liability. Compensation payment will be made in accordance with the compensation examples in our Schedule of Compensation and will not include payment for lost earnings.

We will assess each case on its own merits and take into account the impact on you which may include distress and inconvenience, time and trouble, disappointment, loss of confidence, and delays in getting matters resolved.

If you are awarded compensation in Stage 1 or Stage 2 of Thrive’s complaints process, we will use the compensation towards paying off any money that you owe us.