This work boils down to fixing “health hardware” which is a term first used by Dr Fred Hollows to describe the physical equipment needed to give people access to the health giving services of housing. For example, to wash a young child the “health hardware” needed may include a water supply, pumps, tanks, pipes, valves, taps, hot water system, tub and drainage pipes.
Local worker fixing a seal on a toilet cistern. A routine task to ensure house function continues.
Licensed trades considered these jobs were required because of the absence of normal routine maintenance. Whilst all houses require ongoing, routine maintenance – better quality materials with careful specification and design will reduce, but never eliminate, maintenance. This has remained the largest area of work for Housing for Health projects over 30+ years.
A powerpoint and water pipe installed dangerously close together.
These jobs have repaired work built badly or work that was never completed by the original trades. For example, pipes not attached to drain water from sinks or baths, toilet waste pipes running uphill, light switches not connected to light fittings, smoke detectors not connected. This category of work has grown significantly in the last 5 years.
Attempted fix of broken light switch by tenants.
These are jobs required to repair damage or misuse by tenants. As many Indigenous households involved in this program are overcrowded, with 10-12 people in a two-bedroom house not unusual, this obviously places greater pressure on all parts of the house. Frustration over lack of maintenance being done may lead to tenants unsuccessfully attempting to fix parts of the house and this may be recorded in this category as tenant damage.
