Private landlords letting a home in Canning Town generally need a property licence from Newham Council, and keeping the property in good repair is part of what that involves. Voltify Contractors provides property maintenance in Canning Town as part of its documented E16 coverage. This page is written mainly for landlords and letting agents keeping a let property up to standard, with a short section for tenants and homeowners.
Newham property licensing in brief
Newham’s selective licensing scheme runs from 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2028 and covers 22 of the borough’s 24 wards, including Canning Town North and Canning Town South. The two wards outside it are Royal Victoria and Stratford Olympic Park. Houses in multiple occupation are licensed separately, under mandatory or additional licensing.
Newham Council’s guidance for landlords recommends inspecting a property at regular intervals — possibly three times a year for a family house — and having the electrics checked at least every five years by a properly qualified person. The council’s rented property licensing pages set out the current conditions for your licence, so check those rather than relying on a summary.
Turning an inspection into a repair list
An inspection is only useful if what it finds gets fixed. Here is how common findings in a let property map to Voltify Contractors’ services:
| Found during an inspection | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| Dripping taps, a slow leak under a sink, a toilet that keeps running | Plumbing repairs |
| A dead socket, cracked switch plate, flickering light or circuit that trips | Electrical services |
| A smoke alarm that is missing, faulty or past its replacement date | Smoke alarm installation |
| Scuffed, marked or tired walls between tenancies | Painting and decorating |
| Loose handles, sticking doors, damaged plaster, failed fixings | Handyman and property maintenance |
| A supplied washing machine, cooker or other appliance that needs replacing | Appliance installation |
Grouping everything from one inspection into a single visit is usually more efficient than booking each item on its own. If the property is occupied, include the tenant’s contact details and any notice they need when you get in touch.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
Since 1 October 2022, landlords in England must make sure there is at least one smoke alarm on each storey of a home that has a room used as living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any such room containing a fixed combustion appliance (gas cookers are excluded). Alarms must be repaired or replaced once the landlord is told they are faulty. Local councils enforce these rules, so alarms are worth checking at every inspection and at the start of each tenancy.
If you rent or own in Canning Town
If you rent privately, report repairs to your landlord or letting agent: arranging most repairs is their responsibility, and they can instruct Voltify Contractors to attend. If you rent from a housing association or the council, use your landlord’s repairs service first. Homeowners and leaseholders can book directly, although work affecting the shared parts of a block usually needs the freeholder or managing agent involved.
Urgent problems, hours and cost
Standard working hours are 7am–5pm, Monday to Friday. If water is escaping and cannot be stopped, or an electrical fault feels unsafe, out-of-hours emergency call-outs are available at different pricing. The documented standard minimum call-out is £80 for the first hour; the final price depends on the work, the materials and the time involved. To discuss a job, call 020 3411 1855 or email info@voltifycontractors.co.uk.
Canning Town is one part of Voltify Contractors’ E16 coverage, which also includes Custom House, Silvertown and the Royal Docks. For advice on newer buildings across E14 and E16, see property maintenance across the Docklands. The full list of locations is on the areas we cover page, and every service category is on our services page.
