Our handyperson service, managed by the Homelink team, is available to help those who are elderly, disabled or vulnerable. The service carries out minor adaptations and repairs to make you feel safer and more secure at home.
To benefit from the service, you must be the owner occupier or live with a relative. For tenants, we can only help if the work would normally be your responsibility, rather than your landlord’s.
The Homelink handyperson can provide:
- minor aids and adaptations, such as grab and bannister rails, to help you get around
- fitting of half steps and galvanised rails by your front or back doors, to help you access your home more easily
- home security work, including key safes, door chains and spy holes
- home safety work to help prevent the risk of falls, such as securing rugs, trailing wires or carpets
- fitting of smoke detectors
- plumbing work such as replacing taps or washers
- small DIY jobs including changing light bulbs, hanging curtains or blinds, putting up shelves, changing toilet seats, assembling small items of furniture and draught proofing. (In these cases, you would normally provide the materials and we would charge for the labour. If the handyperson provides the materials, you will be charged for these as well as for labour.)
Appointments can be made for a morning or afternoon on an agreed date. We do not provide an out of hours, emergency service or specific appointment times.
Charges
Our handyperson service does not make a profit but it does need to cover its operational costs. As a result, some of its work is subject to a charge.
To enquire about individual charges please contact us.
Email: home.independence@woking.gov.uk
Phone: 01483 743 668
Safety and security work
Work such as installation of grab rails, bannister rails and half steps is usually carried out free of charge if we are using the materials that we supply. If you wish to have an alternative, for example a different type of bannister rail, then you may need to pay for the difference in cost.
Work to the primary access of your home is usually free of charge. If you require additional access to another part of the property you may be asked to pay for materials and labour.
Free of charge works
Any works recommended by a palliative care nurse, via Woking Hospice or via a health professional in order to get you home from hospital will be free of charge.
Work carried out through the dementia friendly service will also be undertaken free of charge.
If you are one of our careline or community meals service clients and require a key safe to be fitted, this will also be provided free of charge.
General DIY
DIY work is charged per hour or part hour. You will need to provide the required items and/or materials for the works. If these are not provided, there will be an additional charge for the purchase of the required items.
Jobs must not take more than three hours to complete and we do not undertake works which require working at heights (for example, gutters or roof work).
We are unable to carry out decorating (either internal or external), or gardening.
Plumbing work
Plumbing work is charged per hour or part hour. There will be an additional charge for items and/or materials required to complete the works.
Jobs must take no more than three hours work. We are not able to carry out emergency or investigative work. If you require work to your heating system you must contact a Gas Safe registered contractor.