Information for citizens

What is FixMyBim?

FixMyBim sends your reports directly to the relevant authority on your behalf.

We also publish them online, so that others in the community can see what’s already been reported and subscribe to any reports they’re interested in.

Then who are you? And why are you doing this?

FixMyBim is an independent website built by founder Akeem Pilgrim. FixMyBim aims to make it easier to report problems in your community, even if you don’t know who those reports should go to.

All you have to do is type in your address, area – or let the site locate you automatically – and describe your problem. Then we send your report to the people whose job it is to fix it.

How can I contact you?

You can use this form – but please see whether these FAQs answer your question first.

Using FixMyBim

How do I make a report?

Start at the homepage and type in a nearby street name and/or area. Not sure where you are? Pick ‘use my location’.
Put the pin in the map to show exactly where the problem is, and type in a description of the issue. Then send.
Check your email inbox for our confirmation mail, click on the link, and job done.

What can I report?

FixMyBim is primarily for reporting things which are broken, dirty, damaged or dumped, and need fixing, cleaning or clearing, such as:

Abandoned vehicles
Graffiti
Illegal Dumping
Damaged street lights
Potholes
Road traffic signs
Street nameplates
Trees
Burst Pipe
Blocked Drain
Leaning Pole

What shouldn’t I report?

Please see our Conditions of Use for things you shouldn’t report, or include in your report.

Urgent issues: For problems that might put people in immediate danger, like gas leaks or falling trees, please contact the appropriate utility company or emergency service directly – by phone if possible.

Non-physical things: For issues such as noise pollution, barking dogs, fires, missing wheelie bins or missed rubbish collections, proposals for speed bumps or pedestrian crossings, please contact the constituency representative directly.

Are reports public?

Yes they are: when you submit your report, we send it to the relevant authority, and we also publish it on the website. The institution will respond directly to you, and from that point on, your correspondence is one-to-one.

For that reason, we suggest that you don’t include personal details such as addresses and phone numbers until you are in direct communication.

Why are reports public?

Putting your reports online has several benefits. Others can quickly see what has already been reported, so it prevents institutions from having to deal with duplicates.

It also creates a snapshot for communities, so it’s easy to see what the common problems are in a given area, and how quickly they get fixed. Other residents can browse, read and comment on problems – and perhaps even offer a solution.

Why do I have to give my name and an email address?

For a few reasons: we need your email address so that the institution can get back to you.

We find that when users are asked to provide contact details, the tone of their correspondence tends to be more constructive and less abusive.

We don’t publish your email address, and you can opt to submit your report anonymously – just uncheck the ‘show my name publicly’ box on submission. This will mean that your name is not displayed on the FixMyBim website, although it is still sent to the relevant authority.

If you want to anonymise a report you made in the past, sign in to your account (see below for how to register) and you’ll see a ‘Hide your name?’ option on the report.

How are the problems solved?

They are reported to the relevant authority by email. The authority can then resolve the problem the way they normally would. Alternatively, you can discuss the problem on the website with others, and then together lobby the authority to fix it, or fix it directly yourselves.

Is it free?

Yes, FixMyBim is completely free to use. We kindly request that you consider supporting this project by sharing the website and following our social media channels @fixmybim.

Can I use FixMyBim on my mobile?

The FixMyBim website will already work on your mobile phone, adapting to the size of your screen automatically.

Accounts and alerts

Do I need to register with FixMyBim to use it?

No – you can send a report without registering. When you submit your report, we’ll send you an email with a confirmation link.

If you use FixMyBim a lot, you can avoid this step by creating an account. Once you’ve signed in, your reports will be sent as soon as you click ‘submit’.

You’ll also be able to see all previous reports you’ve made on one page.

How do I register?

Visit https://www.fixmybim.com/auth and choose ‘Email me a link to sign in’. You can choose a password at that point.

I’ve forgotten my password

Don’t worry! Visit https://www.fixmybim.com/auth/forgot and provide your email and a new password. You’ll receive an email to confirm the change.

I want to change my password or email address

You can do this from your account page.

What are alerts?

FixMyBim lets you sign up to receive an email every time someone reports a problem in your chosen area – visit https://www.fixmybim.com/alert to see what’s available. This is a free service.

I want to stop receiving alerts

There is an unsubscribe link at the end of every alert email – please click on this and you’ll be immediately unsubscribed.

When things don’t go as planned

The site isn’t working

First, check if your internet connection is ok. You may also like to check our social media pages, where we announce any known issues or downtime.

If there are no problems at your end or ours, please wait a few minutes, and then try again.

If you still can’t get things to work, drop us a line.

Please include the wording of any error message you see displayed, which browser you are using (e.g. Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari), whether you’re on a desktop or mobile computer, and anything else that might be relevant.

There are too many pins on the map; I can’t make a report

Use the ‘hide pins’ button at the top or bottom right of the screen to clear the map, or the state/category filters where available.

There’s no category for what I want to report

The categories on FixMyBim reflect the problems that the institutions are able to deal with.

There is an ‘other’ option, but if your problem doesn’t fit neatly into any of the given categories, please consider whether FixMyBim is the appropriate place to report it (see “What can I report?”, above).

I haven’t received a confirmation email

Please check your spam folder – this is the most common reason that confirmation emails cannot be found.

Unfortunately, it is hard for us to avoid from our end, but by adding us to your email whitelist, you will prevent this from happening in future.

You sent my report to the wrong place

Please check that you placed your pin correctly, and chose the right category for your report. Choosing the wrong category can mean that your report is sent to one institution when it should have gone to another.

I want to update my report

If you’ve already submitted your report, but now you need to send further information, you should wait until they reply to you, and then respond to their communication directly.

You can also leave an update on your FixMyBim report page, but note that updates are not forwarded to the institution. They are intended as a place for residents to discuss local problems and offer advice or support.

With this in mind, you may wish to both update your report on the site, and contact the relevant authority via email.

I want to edit my report

It’s not possible to edit a report once it has been sent to the relevant authority. However, if you have a good reason for editing the text on the website (for example, you have included your phone number by mistake, or you intended your report to be anonymous), contact us and we will edit it for you.

Please include the URL (web address) of your FixMyBim report when you contact us.

Note that edits on the site are not sent to the authority, so if your edit is vital to the problem being fixed, please respond to the institution when they reply to your initial report.

We cannot alter the position of a pin once it has been placed.

I do not wish to make a public report

All reports made through FixMyBim are published online. Reports can be submitted anonymously: just check the box when you fill in the form. Note that the body of your report will still appear on the FixMyBim website, but without your name attached to it, and that your name will still be sent to the institution.

If your report contains potentially sensitive material, such as names or addresses, we suggest that you do not include these until the institution has replied to you directly and you are in one-to-one contact.

I’ve seen an inappropriate report/comment

There’s a ‘report abuse’ button at the foot of every FixMyBim report. Please click on this and we’ll take a look as soon as we can.

If the report or comment is contravening our Conditions of Use, we’ll take it down.

My problem hasn’t been fixed

FixMyBim sends reports to the people who can fix them, but we have no control over how or whether they are responded to.

If you are unhappy with the way your report has been dealt with, please contact the authority who received your report (you can find this information in the report itself) to follow up with them directly.

Someone has marked my problem was fixed, but it isn’t

As the owner of your report on FixMyBim, you can change its status back to ‘not fixed’ at any time. Go to your report’s web page and check the box under ‘update’.

My report is old and my problem has been fixed. Can I now delete it?

We currently have a policy of retaining all FixMyBim reports: we believe they contribute a useful historic picture of communities across the country. They’ve even been used in academic research, to study, for example, what the common problems are in an area, or how potholes are distributed across the country.

As new reports are made, older ones drop off the first page for any given area, and are less likely to be discovered by those visiting the site.

Feedback and ideas

FixMyBim really works: If you’d like to show your appreciation, you can do so by spreading the word. Tell your friends, write to the newspaper. It all helps.
I want to suggest an improvement: Drop us a line. We value your suggestions and we do act on the most requested or sensible ones.