We have created our Contractor Guide, not only as a reference guide for contractors engaged by Alliance Housing, but also as an introduction and explanation of the minimum service standards that will be expected of those engaged by our organisation.

This guide has been broken down into a number of easy to understand sections for quick reference and to give a clear understanding of our expectations.

WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Contractor License, Certifications, Insurance& Work Safety Requirements

We are committed to providing quality service to our tenants as part of our agreement with the Department of Communities. A part of that commitment is to ensure that we only engage contractors who are fully licensed for their trade, fully insured and who comply with all relevant Work Safety Regulations.

Before you are appointed by us you will need to provide the following:

a)   Your License -A copy of the current licenses applicable to the trade for which we are engaging your services. The copy is to detail your name, the type of license held and the expiry date of the license;

b)   Public Liability – An amount not less than $20,000,000 in respect of any one claim or any other reasonable amount as required by Alliance Housing;

c)    Contract Works Insurance – Against accidental loss or damage to any major

maintenance and such insurance must name Alliance Housing as an additional insured;

d)   Professional Indemnity Insurance - An amount not less than $5,000,000 in respect of anyone claim or any other reasonable amount as required by Alliance Housing;

e)   Workers Compensation – Adequate workers compensation and common law liability insurance;

f)    Comprehensive Vehicle Insurance – We require vehicles at our properties to have comprehensive vehicle insurance;

g)   Any other insurances reasonable required as determined by Alliance Housing from time to time;

h)   PoliceClearance Certificate - As you will be entering our tenanted properties, at times without the tenant present (with their prior consent) we require you and each of your team to provide a recognised, current Police Certificate;

i)     Work Safety - We expect you to abide by all relevant Work Safety requirements pertaining to your skill and trade. We will require copies of Work Safety Certifications you have received.

Whilst engaged by Alliance Housing we do expect you to wear appropriate trade clothing and foot wear, to display relevant warning signs/flags where required, and to create and operate in a safe work environment whilst performing duties in and around the living space of the tenant, their occupants and visitors.

In order for you to renew your appointment to be engaged by ourselves, you will be required to provide us with a copy of the above annually or upon renewal.

You will also need to provide us with:

a)   Your ABN ;

b)   Your Bank Account Name/BSB and Account Number- so we can electronically transfer invoice payments to you;

c)   Your full contact details - we will need to contact you, so we need your mobile, office and your email address

FOR THE DURATION OF YOUR APPOINTMENT WITH US

How We Refer Jobs to You

The work order: our work order is our authority for you to commence work at a property.

The work order will outline:

a)     The date the work order was initiated;

b)    Our name and contact details;

c)    The property address;

d)    The work order number;

e)    The nature of the repair;

f)      The tenant's name, contact numbers and email address and specific instruction. The tenant must be contacted to make arrangements for the work to be done prior to attending the property.

PLEASE NOTE:

Only complete the work requested on the work order. If the tenant requests that additional work be done, approval from our office must be obtained first.

There may be an occasion where we will contact you by phone (for example, in the case of an urgent repair) to give you verbal authority to proceed. Following this conversation, we will email you a work order to confirm our instructions to you.

We also provide our tenants an out of hours urgent call out service. If you are registered with us as an out of hours urgent contractor you will receive the details via phone from the call centre. A work order will be issues to yourselves from Alliance Housing WA during business hours the next day.

When you should contact us:

a)         When the tenant is not returning calls or confirming access

b)   If the tenant asks you to do something that does not appear on the work order

c)    If you observe any drug related or suspicious activity at the property or note any misuse or abuse of the property

d)   If you see anything that may raise your concerns at the property

e)  If you note any future preventative maintenance works whilst on-site

Keys and Access

We are required by Tenancy Legislation to ensure the tenant's peaceful enjoyment of the property. This extends to not gaining access to the property without the tenant's consent which obviously includes the undertaking of maintenance work.

Should you need to access keys from our office, you will need to collect and return the keys between 9:00am to 4:00pmMonday to Friday. You will need to sign them out and sign them back in when returned which must be within 12 hours of the job completion.

Contacting Tenants

When making initial contact with tenants please confirm that you are a contractor for Alliance Housing and that we have appointed you to arrange the repair or quote request.

Urgent repairs require action within24 hours. Urgent calls are described as essential services (electricity, gas, sewerage, water –including supply of hot water), safety risks to the occupant/sand damage risks to the property.

For all other repair and quote requests, the tenant is to be contacted within 48 hours to arrange access.

If the tenant cannot be contacted by telephone use a “visit note” arrangement to organise an appointment.  The “visit note” must contain information of the Contractors details, the actual time of calling and nature of the work that needs to be done.

TAX INVOICING REQUIREMENTS

• Only submit your Tax Invoice once the work that you have been contracted for is fully completed, unless agreed to prior;
• Tax Invoices are to be emailed to our office within 7 days of completing the work.

Your Tax Invoice is to include the following details:

a)     The property address;

b)    Your ABN;

c)     Our work order number;

d)    Full detail of the work completed;

e)    Total cost GST inclusive, including labour content, cost of materials;

f)      If you do not charge GST, please make this clear on the invoice.

CODE OF CONDUCT

The Code of Conduct for contractors toAlliance Housing WA must be observed at all times. The Code of Conduct is Alliance Housing’s commitment to providing quality customer service and applies to the conduct of the contractor’s employees, agents and assigns.

This document relates to all Alliance Housing dwellings and operations under property management.

Alliance Housing has a duty to the Contractors, Sub Contractors and all their respective staff to: 

a)   Act fairly;

b)   Maintain high ethical standards in their dealings;

c)    Honour agreements and undertakings and act in good faith;

d)   Establish a fair and equal basis for relationships;

e)   Be courteous at all times.

 Contractors / Sub-Contractors have a duty to: 

a)   Act fairly and in good faith;

b)   Adopt high ethical standards in their dealings with Alliance Housing and its customers & tenants;

c)    Honour agreements and undertakings;

d)   Be courteous to Alliance Housing employees and its clients at all times;

e)   Perform all work in accordance with this Code of Conduct.

AT THE PROPERTY – OUR EXPECTATIONS

a)     At all times remember that you are are presentative of Alliance Housing;

b)    Work closely with the assigned AllianceHousing Property Officer

c)     Arrive on time. If for any reason you are delayed, please SMS/phone the tenant to advise of an expected/revised time of arrival;

d)    Park in the street or designated parking area;

e)    Make contact with the tenant, provide identification and explain the reason for calling;

f)      Seek the tenant’s permission to enter the property;

g)     Take adequate health and safety precautions before entering any premises belonging to Alliance Housing;

h)    Take reasonable precautions to ensure that their employees or sub-contractors make adequate assessment of the premises and tenant(s) with regard to their health and safety before entering the premises;

i)      Take all necessary steps and reasonable precautions to prevent any damage or loss to the occupants’ possessions, property or personal effects.  Any damage or loss should be reported to Alliance Housing immediately.  Any reimbursement by the contractor to the tenant for any damage or loss caused will be by the mutual agreement of the two parties concerned;

j)      Comply with reasonable requests made by tenant with special needs or disabilities;

k)     Ensure that you clean up your work area including dust, debris and packaging and that all work materials are removed from the site once the work is completed;

l)      Advise the tenant if additional work needs to be carried out or if you need to seek additional instructions from our office;

m)   Do not use offensive language when conducting business with Alliance Housing and its tenants, including action or words that could be interpreted as intimidating or discriminatory;

n)    Do not discuss or divulge information with the tenants in relation to Alliance Housing’s business or activities, including financial details concerning the contract or works being carried out;

o)    Do not discuss or divulge with any other person any private details concerning the occupants of the properties.

p)    Do not smoke within Alliance Housing’s property;

q)    Do not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol when entering the property or while performing work for AllianceHousing;

r)     Do not accept or provide drugs or alcohol from the occupants of the property or induce any occupants of the house to partake in any such activity;

s)     Do not make any public comments concerning the policies of Alliance Housing or the tendering system.

Right of Entry

The Contractor may enter the premises without consent in a genuine emergency (e.g. to carry out urgent repairs or to protect the premises from damage).

The Code of Conduct will be included in any Contractor agreements for ongoing contractors.

Contractors Performance

Material used in the work and standards of work must be in conformity with the provisions of the contract/arrangements.

Any materials not otherwise specified shall be new and, where applicable, materials and standard of work shall be in accordance with the relevant Australian Standards.

Occupational Health and Safety regulations and any other relevant requirements must be adhered to.

Review of Contractor’s Performance

It is a good practice to regularly review contractors’ work to ensure quality of service and provide feedback.

To measure a Contractors work performance Alliance Housing will;

·     Collect feedback from tenants following introduction of new Contractors.

·     Review the reliability/timeliness of theContractors’ quality of work for the cost paid.

·     Make regular inspections of the works completed and actively identify any builder’s warranty issues.

·     And provide feedback of performance to the contractor

Where Alliance Housing receives complaints of performance these will be recorded on Alliance Housing’s formal complaints system. The complaints form can be located here

Defaulting Contractors will be dealt with under the terms and conditions of the contract agreement, specifically the need to rectify faulty workmanship within the building warranty period.