South Tyneside Council is set to bring in a new repairs and maintenance policy to make sure homes are safe and up to standard.
The policy goes to cabinet this week and will line up with new consumer standards from the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH).
These standards say landlords must keep homes safe, respond to repairs quickly and make sure tenants know who is responsible for what.
The policy comes after talks with tenants and brings in a tenants repairs guide to make responsibilities clear and improve how the council talks to tenants.
Emergency repairs will still be first priority, with a make-safe visit within four hours and urgent jobs sorted within 24 hours.
The healthy homes team has supported work on damp, mould and condensation, after surveying thousands of homes last year to spot risks early.
Figures from the Tenants’ Annual Report show 91,051 repair requests were handled in 2024/25, with 86% fixed at the first visit.
There were 14,498 emergency repairs, including more than 6,000 heating emergencies, with 99.98% completed on time.
The council put £27m into homes, installing 1,264 heating systems and boilers, 275 kitchens and 188 bathrooms.
There were also 12,390 safety inspections and 4,000 fire door checks.
Gas safety stayed at 100% for the 14th year in a row.
Councillor Jane Carter, Lead Member for Housing and Community Safety, said: “This policy is about giving tenants confidence that their homes are safe and repairs are carried out promptly and professionally.
“The new regulatory standards rightly raise expectations, and we are determined to meet and exceed them.
“By strengthening our approach to repairs and maintenance, we are ensuring homes are safe, healthy and well maintained, while giving tenants clear information and confidence in the service they receive.”
If agreed, the new policy comes into force in April 2026.
There will be a communication plan to make sure tenants know their rights and responsibilities.
