Leicester's council house tenants will be told to carry out DIY repairs to their homes as part of a cost cutting drive.
The city council is looking to save £160,000 a year by reducing the number of jobs its repairs service is responsible for.
The council has 22,000 homes covered by a repairs service that has seen workmen sent out to deal with issues such as replacing bath plugs, light bulbs and toilet seats.
However under a new regime - to begin on December 15 - repairs described as "minor" by the council will become the responsibility of tenants.
Tenants will also be responsible for buying the materials themselves.
The move has concerned some residents who are worried they may not be able to manage the tasks or afford to replace broken items themselves.
There are also fears that some people simply will not carry out repairs leading to long term deterioration of council properties.
The council's assistant mayor for housing councillor Andy Connelly said: "We've got a situation at the moment where we are sending a trained plumber round to people's homes to replace a bath plug and it costs £11 but the cost of the plug will be about 50p.
"A lot of the things we will be asking of tenants are things they do already, like changing light bulbs.
"They are minor repairs and replacements."
Chairman of the St Andrew's Residents and Tenants Association Angie Beales said: "I agree it is a bit daft to be getting electricians out to do change light bulbs but I know some of my tenants will not be very impressed.
"They might think they will end up paying for the same thing twice because their rent covers repairs already - and rents have been going up every year."
The 61-year-old added: "I can already do a lot of the things they are talking about but there will be elderly and disabled people who will struggle with even stuff that seems simple.
"I don't think I would, for example, be able to replace a spy hole in a door.
"I would have difficulty changing a doorbell but I would have a go.
Council tenant Nancy Bennett, who lives in the Tudor Road area, area said: "I understand why the council is doing it but I do have some worries about it.
"I think some people just won't do the repairs and you will end up with the housing stock deteriorating."
She has suggested setting up skill share self help groups where tenants unable to do certain repairs could find someone else to do the work.
Council bosses have said they will look at the idea.
Coun Connelly said: "If someone has genuinely not got the skills we will do the work for them but they are straight forward jobs."
He said the council had dropped an idea to make tenants buy and replace their own double glazing because it was too difficult a job.
The council will also refer some elderly and disabled tenants to handyman services if the need help.
