Section 5 – Repairs to flats and alteration works
REPAIRS TO FLATS
a) Lessees are responsible for general internal repairs within their flats. All sanitary fittings, washing machines and dishwashers, with the associated pipe work, must be maintained in good condition and kept free from obstruction. In addition, most flats have an isolation valve for the water supply and this should be maintained in working condition. (If you do not know where your stopcocks are situated please contact the In-house plumber to assist you. The in-house plumber has a book held at reception, please contact or visit reception and your details will be entered into his book to enable him to contact you. Please note that the in-house plumber works Monday to Friday)
Compliance with this will have three consequences. First, water escape will be prevented and thus there will be no damage, inconvenience or annoyance to neighbours living below. Secondly, the fabric of the building will not be damaged. Thirdly, the building insurance premium will be kept to a minimum through fewer claims and this will be reflected within the yearly service charge budget.
b) Simple maintenance work, such as defective washers, minor blockages in the plumbing system etc, can be dealt with by the on-site by the plumber or the handyman. Please inform the porters of any problems & see the guidelines attached item 26. For using the in-house plumber.
c) Should any lessee need to employ the services of a plumber for alterations or repairs and a shut down or draining down is required; the On-site plumber must be consulted. Please contact the Estate Office to make arrangements. All costs are the lessee’s responsibility. Please see item 26 procedures for using the in-house plumber and how to request this service.
d) Electric Meters and Main Fuses. Full schedules as to location of those for each flat are held on the main reception desk. Please speak to the porters.
Please be aware if undertaking any DIY works to your flat that in order to minimise the disturbance to other resident’s works must be carried out between 8am – 5pm Monday to Friday and Saturday 8.30 – 1pm on Saturday. Sunday & Bank Holiday work is not permitted. Contractor parking within the grounds closes at 5pm MondayFriday & 1pm on Saturday, so please ensure that they complete works within this time in order to leave site before the parking within this courtyard is closed.
e) Please ensure that if you are undertaking works of a noisy nature you notify your surrounding neighbours including above & below in advance of such works and approximate length of time these will take, this allows neighbours who are home or shift workers to be able to plan accordingly.
If you are undertaking refurbishment works please the Estate Office prior to undertaking works so we can advise you of the correct procedures to follow and in some instances in accordance with the lease you may require a Licence before undertaking the works. We also have a guidance leaflet for refurbishment works within flats that are not affecting the layout of the property but are to refurbish the bathroom and kitchen which contains important information and is available upon request.
f) It is important for leaseholders to be aware that access is available to the service duct/main stack within your property and ensure that you do not make this inaccessible by tiling over. This provides access to valves, all main services, rooding eye and in some flats you may find that you share these services with your neighbouring flats. If an emergency such as a leak were to occur and we needed to access the duct/main stack which may either be located in your kitchen or bathroom area then we would have to break away the tiling and put in an access hatch and you could be liable for the costs involved in this if you have covered over the access area.
g) If you are employing a contractor to undertake any works to your flat please in addition observe the conditions relating to the contractors guidelines on site – please see section 22. Please also ensure that you speak with Estate Office staff.
Du Cane Court Guide for Owners and Tenants
Download the full Du Cane Court Guide for owners and tenants October 2015