Home › Community and games rooms in social housing: pool tables, bingo nights and who maintains them
Many social housing developments include a games room, a community hall, or a designated space where tenants gather for bingo nights, pool tournaments, and other social activities. These shared spaces offer valuable opportunities for resident cohesion and activity, but they also carry maintenance and safety responsibilities that can be unclear. Understanding who is responsible for upkeep, repair, and compliance can prevent disputes between tenants, housing associations, and contractors.
Types of games and community spaces in social housing
Social housing developments commonly include:
- Games rooms: spaces with pool tables, table tennis, darts boards, or casual seating
- Community halls or lounges: multipurpose rooms rented by residents for groups or events, often including tables and chairs suitable for bingo
- Outdoor recreational areas: spaces marked out for bowls, croquet, or garden games, maintained as part of the grounds
These facilities are typically provided either as a free tenant service (where they come with the rent) or as a paid-access facility (where a resident’s group or the housing association charges a modest booking fee). In either case, the housing provider usually retains responsibility for the fabric of the building, structural elements, and utilities (heating, lighting, electrics).
Who maintains what: dividing responsibility
Housing association (landlord) typically maintains:
- Structure, walls, roof, and external envelope of the games room building
- Fixed installations: electrical wiring, lighting circuits, heating systems, water and drainage
- Flooring (unless it is damaged by misuse beyond normal wear)
- Windows, doors, and locks
- Fire safety equipment (smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, emergency exits)
- Any fixed furniture or built-in features
Tenant group or resident committee typically maintains (if a resident group manages the space):
- Portable furniture and equipment provided for resident use (chairs, tables)
- Cleaning, tidiness, and light daily maintenance (vacuuming, wiping down)
- Pool table cloth condition and minor adjustments
- Return of equipment to storage after use
- Notifying the landlord of damage or defects needing repair
Specialist contractors (hired by the landlord):
- Pool table felt and slate repairs
- Electrical testing and safety certification (undertaken annually or as required)
- Deep cleaning or professional carpet cleaning
- Repairs to built-in equipment or fixtures
Maintenance of pool tables and play equipment
Pool tables in social housing are often purchased and initially installed by the housing association. Responsibility for ongoing maintenance depends on the tenancy agreement and any managing agreement for the space.
Minor maintenance (felt wear, cue damage, chalk supplies) is often the responsibility of the resident group if they manage the room. Most groups will set up a small fund from the room’s use fees or voluntary contributions to cover these consumables.
Major repairs (ripped or worn felt requiring professional replacement, slate damage, structural damage to the table) should be notified to the housing association, which will either cover the cost or discuss cost-sharing with the resident group. A housing association cannot pass the cost of a worn pool table felt to residents unless the damage was caused by deliberate misuse or negligence; normal wear is part of providing the facility.
Darts boards and other equipment follow the same logic: minor wear is expected; major damage or malfunction is the landlord’s responsibility unless caused by tenant negligence.
Bingo nights and event liability
When a resident group or the housing association organises a bingo night in a community room, several practical and safety considerations apply:
Space preparation: The room must be clean, safe, and fit for purpose. If the flooring is uneven, wet, or damaged, or if lighting is inadequate, the event organiser or housing association should postpone or rectify the issue. Falls in a dimly lit or hazardous community room could lead to personal injury claims.
Fire safety: The housing association must ensure the room’s fire safety infrastructure is up to date—alarms working, emergency exits clear, and evacuation routes accessible. If the resident group organises the event, they are not responsible for the building’s fire safety certification, but they should not block exits or allow the room to become overcrowded.
Seating and tables: Chairs and tables should be in good repair. A broken or unstable chair that causes someone to fall could expose the housing association to liability, especially if the defect was already known.
Insurance: The housing association’s buildings insurance typically covers the fabric and fixtures of the room. If a resident group runs the bingo night or manages the room, they may need public liability insurance. This is rare for small resident-run events, but it is worth checking the tenancy agreement or asking the housing association.
Repair requests and timescales
If a tenant or resident group identifies damage to the games room—a leaking roof, broken lights, damaged pool table, malfunctioning door—the housing association should be notified in writing. Depending on the severity:
- Emergency repairs (water ingress, electrical hazard, broken heating in winter): should be addressed within 24 hours
- Urgent repairs (unusable facilities affecting resident use): within 10 working days
- Routine repairs: within a reasonable timescale (typically 15–28 days)
For social housing in England, Awaab’s Law may apply if the defect creates a significant risk of harm (for example, excess damp in the games room, electrical hazards, or a structural collapse risk). In such cases, specific timescales apply: investigation within 10 working days, and safety work within 5 working days of the investigation concluding.
Costs and budgeting for shared facilities
Maintaining a games room costs the housing association money: insurance, repairs, equipment replacement, and utilities. Some housing associations charge a games room access fee; others include it in the service charge or rent. Resident groups may also contribute towards maintenance through fundraising or modest booking fees.
If major equipment (a pool table worth £2,000–5,000, or a new games console) needs replacement, the housing association and the resident group should discuss cost-sharing and budgeting. A resident group cannot compel the landlord to replace equipment, but the landlord should not neglect a facility to the point that it becomes unusable.
Key points
- Games and community rooms are shared facilities in social housing with divided maintenance responsibilities: the housing association maintains the building fabric and structural elements; resident groups typically manage day-to-day tidiness and minor upkeep.
- Pool tables and play equipment repairs depend on the severity: normal wear is the landlord’s responsibility; deliberate damage is not.
- Bingo nights and resident-run events must take place in a safe, lit, and accessible space; the housing association is responsible for fire safety and building safety infrastructure.
- Repair requests should be made in writing; emergency and urgent repairs have specific response timescales under housing law and Awaab’s Law.
- Cost-sharing for major equipment replacement should be discussed between the resident group and the housing association to ensure the facility remains viable.