If you are a home owner and you need information, advice, or help with organising home repairs, some home improvement agencies may be able to assist.

Some (but not all) local home improvement agencies offer advice and assistance with finding the money to pay for repair work, contracting a reliable builder, and/or supervising the building work.

Some offer other practical home repairs help which may enable you to live independently and safely in your own home for longer e.g. run their own ‘odd job’ or ‘handyperson’ service for smaller building jobs, offer home safety/security checks and installations etc.

To find out if there is a Home Improvement Agency in your area you can use this searching system  www.findmyhia.org.uk

Who else may offer information, advice or help?

Age UK                 www.ageuk.org.uk            Advice Line: 0800 169 6565

If there is no home improvement agency service in your area a local Age UK may be able to help with small odd jobs.

Age UK national can tell you if there is a local Age UK in your area.

Age UK national also offer a range of Guides and Factsheets about housing matters. Factsheet 67 covers Funding repairs, improvements and adaptations.

Age UK offer information about finding a trusted trader.

Local Authority

Some local councils offer home owners advice and information about finding the money to pay for home repairs or hold a list of reputable builders. Where offered this is most commonly part of the Environmental Health Department or Trading Standards.

The Consumer Organisation Which? offers a Trusted Trader scheme www.trustedtraders.which.co.uk/popular/builders

TrustMark is a government endorsed Trusted Trader scheme www.trustmark.org.uk

Repair Grants from the local council

Note that there are no longer any national mandatory grants to help home-owners to pay for repairs. Each local housing authority makes its own decision about whether to offer such assistance.

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Advice for tenants facing repair problems

If you are looking for help to get your landlord to carry out repairs these organisations may help:

Local Housing Authority

Your local council should offer advice and assistance either through a Housing Advice Centre or Environmental Health Department.

Shelter

Provide information on a wide range of housing problems via their on-line guide and link people to local housing advice providers Get help from Shelter - Shelter England

Citizens Advice

Provide free advice on a wide range of subjects via their website on-line advice guide: www.adviceguide.org.uk  and through the local bureau (search for your area here: www.citizensadvice.org.uk)