Healthy Homes. A Share Responsibility.
Keeping homes in good condition is a shared responsibility of Neskonlith Indian Band and our tenants. NESKONLITH INDIAN BAND is committed to working closely with tenants to ensure healthy and safe accommodation for member families. This brochure outlines how the Band and tenants will work together to maintain homes in good condition.
Download full brochure: Housing Trifold Neskonlith Brochure
If work is being requested from Maintenance Department. Fill out the Work Order Form and drop off with Executive Assistant @ Main Office or email either contact below.
Emergency: 250 320 9024
The core roles and responsibilities of both the Neskonlith Indian Band and the tenant are clearly laid out in the Rental Agreement.
Neskonlith Housing’s Role
The role of the tenant is to support Neskonlith Housing in caring for your home
Tenant calls Housing Department to report an issue.
Housing Department visits the home to inspect and assess the problem and determine who is responsible for paying for the repair.
Repair Completed, verified, and archived.
✔ Cracks in walls and ceilings
✔ Sticking doors (when reported immediately and not associated with other damage)
✔ Damaged siding
✔ Load-bearing walls and foundation
✔ Roof/trusses
✔ Flooring
✔ Water leaks (plumbing/roof/ walls)
✔ Dripping taps Broken or rusted pipes and drains
✔ Plumbing Veneer coming off doors (when reported immediately)
✔ Burnt out light switches on stove
✔ Furnace
✔ Hot Water Tanks (drained annually)
✔ Clean gutters
✔ Clean chimney
EXTERIOR AND GROUNDS
✔ Keep home and yard clean and free of garbage and derelict vehicles
✔ Keep grass cut short to keep rodents away from house and to help prevent wildfires
✔ Maintain landings and stairs
✔ Repair damage to lawns from use or cars
MAINTAIN (CLEAN, TREAT, KEEP IN WORKING ORDER) THE INTERIOR OF THE HOME, INCLUDING:
✔ Doors and locks
✔ Walls
✔ Tiles
✔ Kitchen drawers and cupboard doors / hinges
✔ Windows and window locks
✔ Handrails & Stairs
✔ Exhaust fans in kitchen and bathroom
✔ Test smoke detectors and change batteries annually
ELECTRICAL
✔ Switch and plug plates
✔ Light fixtures
✔ Porcelain lamp holders
✔ Pull chain light switches
APPLIANCES
✔ Interior of fridges
✔ Range elements
✔ Ice trays
✔ Porcelain on stove and fridge
PLUMBING
✔ Plugged toilets, sink, or sewer line and filters
✔ Water taps, stems, and handles
✔ Porcelain on sink, bathtub, or toilet
✔ Toilet, including trip lever and seat
HEATING
✔ Clean/change air filter on furnaces
✔ Clean HRV and filter
✔ Thermostats/ oil tanks
A: If you own your own home and land through Certificate of Possession (CP), you are responsible for all repairs and upkeep. These costs may be covered if the homeowner qualifies for a shelter allowance.
Q: What is the Band’s role in caring for my rental home?
A: The Band’s core responsibilities in caring for rental homes are to maintain homes in a reasonable state of repair to be suitable for occupation, carrying out annual inspections on homes to identify maintenance needs, carrying out preventative maintenance, investigating the cause of a fire, making insurance claims in the case of an accidental fire, ensuring the condition of the home complies with health and safety standards, making structural repairs, and making repairs to house systems.
Q: What is my role in maintaining my rental home?
A: Your core maintenance responsibilities as a tenant are to be familiar with the contents of the Rental Agreement and to fulfill the tenant’s responsibilities, to report necessary repairs to the Housing Department, to call 911 in the case of an emergency (i.e. fire), to report emergencies to the Housing Department, and to generally care for the lawn, landing, stairs, screens, floors, walls, fixtures, systems, and appliances.
Q: What happens if I do not fulfill my responsibilities?
A: In the case of negligence, willful damage, or improper use, residents will be asked to cover the cost of repairs. If efforts are not made to amend the breach of the Rental Agreement regarding general upkeep or payment for major repairs, tenant counselling will be attempted. If tenant counselling fails, an eviction notice will be issued.
Q: How can I assess the state of my home?
A: Tenants should also check on the overall state of their home once or twice a year to ensure that issues such as leaks, mold, pests, home structure or problems with heating and plumbing systems are not missed. Tenants may choose to use a template such as that used for formal inspections by the Housing Department which may be picked up at the Band Office and is Appendix 6 in the Housing Policy.
Q: What kinds of issues should I report to the Housing Department?
A: Tenants should report any issues that are the responsibility of the Housing Department. This includes any accidents or problems with the water, heating, or electrical systems, cracks in walls and ceilings due to construction, sticking doors (when reported immediately), sagging or shifting door frames, siding replacement, load bearing walls and foundation repairs, roof/truss repairs, and flooring repairs.
Q: What do I do when there is a problem with my home?
A: Small repairs and general maintenance that are the responsibility of the tenant should be carried out by the tenant as the need arises. Issues which are the responsibility of the Housing Department, such as a door not closing properly or an appliance not working, should be reported as they arise so they can be dealt with before they become significant concerns.
Q: What do I do if I believe my home has mold?
A: Problems with mold should be reported immediately to the Housing Department in order for a staff member to make an assessment of the repairs needed. A small repair will be prioritized and paid for by the Band, while more significant repairs may require an application be made under the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP).
Q: What is the process for the Band to make a repair to my home?
A: Once a report has been made to the Housing Department, a staff member will visit the residence to assess the repairs needed, the responsibility for the repair, and the cost. The repair will be prioritized and completed, pending availability of funds.
Q: Who is responsible for seasonal maintenance to my home?
A: The tenant is responsible for all seasonal maintenance on the home, including yard clean-up and any applicable winterizing.
Q: Who pays for home repairs?
A: If a repair is the responsibility of the Band, i.e. is related to structural or housing systems and has not been the result of negligence or improper use on the part of the tenant, the Band will pay for it. If a repair is the responsibility of the tenant, i.e. general maintenance, light bulb replacement, filter replacement, this should be carried out and paid for by the tenant. Major repairs should be carried out by a contractor and paid for by the tenant.