Our services
What follows is an explanation of the services that we currently charge leaseholders and freeholders for in their service charges, with a brief description of each type of service. (We may identify other services that we provide that are chargeable under the conditions of the lease.)
Caretaking
Although there are no residential caretakers in the borough at the moment, all leaseholders and freeholders on estates benefit from a service provided by a Neighbourhood or Tenants' Management Organisation. The service provided falls into the following three parts:
- The First Call Service manages the 'out-of-hours' repairs service and provides emergency caretaking services. They will take limited action to make a property safe. They deal with floods, power failures, and people trapped in lifts when they break down, and are also responsible for repairing faulty equipment. This includes district boilers, lifts, shared TV aerials, door-entry systems and concierge access-control systems.
The service operates from 4pm to 9am, Monday to Friday, and 24 hours a day at all other times including public holidays. This service is not available to freeholders. The service does not cover repairs needed in leasehold properties that are your responsibility. To contact First Call, 'Other useful addresses and phone numbers'.
- Local housing offices deal with emergencies inside working hours.
- Our caretakers carry out programmed work on housing estates during normal working hours. Properties that are not on our estates will not receive this part of the service. Their charges will be less than properties on estates. Also, as the service provided to freeholders on estates is restricted, their charges will be less than a leasehold property with the same rateable value.
Concierge service
Where we provide a concierge service in a block that a leasehold flat is in, the service is a staffed reception area that prevents people who have no business in the block from getting in, and allows the concierge operator to keep an eye on the block.
Cleaning - block
Where we employ a contractor to clean the shared areas inside the building (where appropriate) which a leasehold flat is in, the contractor cleans rubbish chutes and areas where shared bins are kept. The cleaning contract does not include cleaning windows. In some areas, housing-office staff carry out these duties.
Cleaning - estate
Where we employ a contractor to clean the shared areas of the estate, the contractor cleans footpaths, walkways, estate roads, rubbish-collection areas and car-parking spaces. The cleaning contract does not include cleaning public roads as these are cleaned and maintained through your Council Tax. In some areas, housing-office staff carry out these duties.
Cleaning shared windows
Where we employ a window-cleaning contractor, this includes cleaning the outside of shared windows up to the third floor of your block, and the inside of all shared windows in the block. Shared windows are windows on landings and balconies, stairways, entrances and front-entrance doors to the building. The contractor will not clean any windows in your flat.
Grounds maintenance
Where we employ a grounds maintenance contractor, this includes cutting the grass in the shared areas of an estate or block, including grass verges on private roads. Part of the contract includes looking after trees, shrubs and flowerbeds. In some areas, housing-office staff carry out these duties.
Lifts
Where we employ a company to maintain lifts, the contractor carries out regular inspections and tests on the lifts. This cost does not cover lift breakdown as this is charged under general maintenance.
Shared electricity - block
Where we pay for an electricity supply for the shared facilities in a block, this includes the cost of the supply needed for lifts, lighting in shared areas, replacing light bulbs and renting meters from the electricity supplier.
Shared electricity - estate
We pay for the electricity supply for the shared areas on the estate. This includes the cost of the supply needed for lighting estate footways, paths, roads and other shared areas. It also includes the cost of replacing lamps and light bulbs.
Heating
Some buildings have one central-heating system. The heating is normally supplied for eight months of the year from October to May. The Executive Director of Housing may decide that the heating can be switched back on, particularly during bad weather in the summer.
We pay for fuel for heating the central boiler. We currently work out the cost to homeowners in the same way as we work out the cost for a council tenant (that is, using a points system). The points reflect the number of rooms that have direct heating and those that do not have direct heating but that benefit from the heating from other rooms. The list below shows how we work out how many points to give a property.
Hall = 1
Main Living Room = 4
Bathroom = 1
Kitchen = 1
Other Rooms e.g. bedroom = 1.5
Rooms with no direct heat = 0.5
For example, in a three-bedroom flat with one living room, one hallway, a kitchen and bathroom where only two of the bedrooms are heated, we would work out the points as follows:
Bedroom 1 = 1.5
Bedroom 2 = 1.5
Bedroom 3 = 1.5
Living Room: 4
Hallway = 1
Kitchen = 1
Bathroom = 1
Total Points for this flat = 10.5
We set the cost of each point at the beginning of the financial year.
In the example above, if the cost for each point is £40, to get the total heating charge for the year for this property you would multiply £40 by 10.5. The total heating charge for this property would be £420.
For properties with under-floor heating, the heating points are reduced by 50%. So, using the example above, and assuming the property has under-floor heating, the total heating charge would be £210.
Hot water
Some buildings have a central hot-water system. We provide the hot water from a central boiler all year round. We currently work out the costs to homeowners in the same way as we work out the costs for a council tenant (that is, using a points system). The list below shows how we work out how many points to give a property.
Property = 1 point
Bedroom = 1 point
For example in a three-bedroom flat with one living room, one hallway, a kitchen and bathroom, we would work out the points as follows:
Property = 1 point
Bedroom 1 = 1 point
Bedroom 2 = 1 point
Bedroom 3 = 1 point
Total Points = 4 points
We set the cost of each point at the beginning of the financial year.
In the example above, if the cost for each point is £40, to get the total hot-water charge for the year for this property you would multiply £40 by 4. The total hot-water charge for this property would be £160.
We may introduce a new method of working out your heating and hot-water charges where we use rateable value calculations. We will consult the Leasehold Council and advise you before we make any changes.
Shared TV aerials
Where we have a contract with a TV aerial company, the contract provides and maintains shared TV aerials for some blocks.
We are currently working with cable companies to put cable facilities in our residential blocks. When this programme reaches your building, you will be able to choose whether you want cable in your flat. If you decide to have cable, your contract will be between you and the cable company.
Pest control
You are responsible for controlling and removing any pests in your own home. However, sometimes the pests may affect more than one property and when this happens we will arrange for a contractor to remove them. The contractor will contact you and if your property is affected they will treat your property.
If we carry out pest control in the whole block, the cost for the treatment will be shared between all the properties in the block even if your flat has not been treated.
If we have to carry out pest control in your property where this is not part of a block treatment, the contractor will charge you for these costs separately.
General maintenance - block
It is our responsibility to maintain and repair the structure of and shared parts in the block. This includes repairing lifts (if this applies) as the cost is not included in the maintenance contract funded by the lift service charge. If the cost of any repair work is more than the limit under section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (as amended), we will give you notice about this (except in an emergency) and invoice you for it separately. The limit is currently £1000 or £50 multiplied by the number of leaseholders in the building (whichever is greater).
General maintenance - estate
Where we carry out work to maintain and repair the shared areas of the estate, this includes estate roads, lighting, footpaths and so on. If the cost of any repair work is more than the prescribed limit under section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (as amended), we will give you notice about this (except in an emergency) and invoice you for it separately. The limit is currently £1000 or £50 multiplied by the number of leaseholders on the estate (whichever is greater).
Insurance
For leasehold properties, we must insure against damage to your building and any shared areas. The buildings insurance premium is based on the insurance valuation for the individual property.