There is good news for Liverpool residents looking for odd jobs to be carried out at their homes.
The city’s popular handyperson’s service will now be free– and it is being extended to those aged 50 and over
The scheme started in July 2013 when the City Council teamed up with Riverside Housing and Housing Maintenance Solutions (HMS) -a wholly owned subsidiary of Liverpool Mutual Homes- to provide a citywide Handyperson Service. It was originally available for people aged 65 and above or people with a disability.
Up to now the service has been for those aged 65 and for people with a disability. It cost £15 per hour for labour plus the cost of materials used but from now on householders will only have to pay for the cost of any materials used with the labour being free of charge.
“We’ve listened to our residents and found that while they appreciate the service sometimes the cost can put them off using it,” said Councillor Ann O’Byrne, cabinet member for housing.
“Small jobs around the house can make a real difference to the quality of people’s lives. They can help older and vulnerable people live safely and independently in their homes for as long as possible so we are making the service free and extending the age range.”
The service helps residents with small repairs and odd jobs which they may struggle to manage such as:
- Fitting locks, spyholes and door chains
- Replacing light bulbs, electric fuses and plugs
- Installing grab rails
- Fitting doorbells and smoke alarms
- Assembling flat pack furniture
- Unblocking sinks
- One-off garden clean-ups
All the handyperson operatives are Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checked and additional security measures can be agreed such as the use of passwords to enable the customer to know that the operative calling at their house is an official employee of the Handyperson Service.
Residents can call 0151 295 6102 for a chat about their needs and to book an appointment. They will normally receive a visit from a handyperson within 7-10 working days so it should be noted that the service is neither designed nor suitable for emergency work with a typical job being expected to take up to an hour or so.
The scheme is not means tested and is offered to all residents aged 50 and over and /or disabled in the city regardless of tenure (owner occupiers, social housing tenants or private sector tenants).