Property & Furnishing Standards

Property & Furnishing Standards

Property & Furnishing Standards This booklet sets out the minimum property and furnishing standards required for Orchard & Shipman s Local Authority backed leasing schemes. Presented in a handy checklist format it helps guide you as you undertake the required work on your property. These standards may be subject to alterations dependent on the Local Authority contract for which your property is used. The Acquisitions Negotiator who visited your property will have outlined the work required and will confirm this in writing to you, please read these standards in conjunction with this letter. We are committed to making your experience of leasing with us hassle-free, and we look forward to working with you. If there is any further information you require you can contact us direct; For leasing schemes in England: 01895 208 888 For leasing schemes in Scotland: 0131 553 0053 2 www.orchard-shipman.com

External Structure The property must be structurally sound, completely wind and water tight, in good repair and condition. External decoration including brickwork, stonework and rendering must be good condition with no flaking paintwork to walls or windows. Roofs and rainwater goods - all loose slates or tiles, copings, render aerials, or down pipes, which either represent a possible hazard or that may cause defects to the property, should be made safe. Access To be safe, well lit and easily accessible with no obstructions. Sound paving and footpaths to front and rear doors. Any access stairways to be secure, not unreasonably steep and have a fixed handrail. Communal Areas To be clean, tidy, well lit and well maintained. Responsible landlord, factor or managing agent for common areas to be identified. Garden To be clear of rubbish with vegetation, shrubs and trees to be cut back. Any broken up patio, pathway or other concrete areas must be level and in good repair. They should be at the same level as the surrounding area, minimum 150mm below damp proofing course (DPC) and with a fall away from the building. Walls and fences to external areas of the property msut be continuous, secure and safe. Gates to operate freely and gate posts/pillars to be secure. Sheds and/or ancillary buildings to be in good repair otherwise to be removed. Garden ponds must be emptied and filled in to make them safe. Greenhouses must be dismantled and removed. Throughout the term of the lease the landlord will remain responsible for maintaining the garden. If a gardener is arranged please provide their contact details. Garage If the garage is attached or close to the property it must form part of the letting. Four sets of keys should be provided. The landlord must not use the space for personal storage. If the garage is some distance away from the property and can be seperated from it with a permanent wall/fence, without undue loss of garden amenity the landlord could possibly retain it. Rubbish Bins to be provided where appropriate. Single refuse bins must be left empty and clearly marked with the property/flat number. External Doors and Locks External doors to have at least a 5 levered mortice dead lock with an additional Yale type latch. Front entrance door to open freely and have a letterbox and a doorbell fitted. Four sets of main door and front door keys must be provided, 4 sets for rear doors/windows/ garages/sheds etc. Flats within a stair must have the flat number clearly marked on the flat door. Entry systems must be in full working order with the property buzzer clearly marked. www.orchard-shipman.com 3

Property & Furnishing Standards Internal General Decoration The property must be free from damp, mould, and peeling paper. All surfaces to be painted or papered and free from obvious marking, dirt etc. Condensation may occur at some time in all homes. Condensation problems due to structural features should not be so pervasive as to constitute a health hazard or be a statutory nuisance. If a property has been accepted on to the scheme and is subsequently found to suffer from significant condensation problems, Orchard & Shipman reserves the right to require the landlord to provide and fit suitable heat recovery ventilation and/or moisture extraction systems. Woodwork to be free from rot and painted to a good standard with gloss paint. If the property is being redecorated prior to leasing, decoration should be to the following standard: Living room, bedroom and hall walls to be painted magnolia with vinyl emulsion. Ceilings to be painted in white emulsion. Woodwork to be painted in gloss white. Any holes must be sealed so as not to allow ingress of vermin. Kitchen and bathroom walls to be painted in eggshell magnolia. All plasterwork must be sound and not show movement when examined. Polystyrene tiles are not acceptable anywhere in the property and must be removed from all rooms. Room Sizes Floor Coverings Living Room to be large enough to comfortably contain a sofa, 2 armchairs and a television. Minimum Room Size = 100 square feet upwards. Double bedrooms to be at least 90 square feet in area. Single bedrooms to be at least 50 square feet in area. Rooms of less than 50 square feet cannot be used as living rooms or bedrooms. There must be at least one double bedroom in the property. Staircases Gaps between spindles and gaps between balustrades to be no more than 100mm. Two way light switch to be provided in stairwell. Preferred floor covering for bedrooms, hallways and living rooms is carpet which must be clean, of good quality and free from defects such as stains, rips or excessive wear. Kitchen and bathroom floor coverings must be non slip, water resistant and washable, i.e vinyl, lino or tiles. Window Coverings All windows, except for the kitchen, must have curtain tracks and curtains, unless fitted with blinds. If curtains are provided, curtain rails to be securely fitted above all windows. Curtains and blinds to be clean and free from defects. Staircases must be free from obstruction and not unneccessarily steep. Staircases must have a suitable handrail. 4 www.orchard-shipman.com

Windows and Glazing Any windows above ground level which open wide and could present a danger to a child, should be fitted with a restrictor mechanism. This mechanism should limit the window s opening to no more than 150mm. Windows in bathrooms and toilets must be glazed with obscure glass or be treated with plastic film to provide some level of privacy. New or replacement glazing installed after April 2002 should be energy saving sealed double glazing and comply with building regulations. To prove compliance, it shoud have a certificate from the Local Authority confirming that the installation has approval under the current building regulations. All glazing which is under 800mm/2.8m feet from the floor and greater than 25cm in any direction to be re-glazed with toughened glass or have safety film properly applied to prevent shattering if it breaks. Windows must be undamaged, free from decay and draught-proof. All windows on ground or lower ground floor levels must be fitted with a lock. Ventilation The general requirement for ventilation is that all main habitable rooms (living rooms and bedrooms) should have at least one twentieth of the floor area available as windows that can open. This also applies to kitchens, bathrooms and WC cubicles if they rely on natural ventilation. Bathrooms, kitchens and WCs with no window must have an electric ventilator providing a minimum of four air changes per hour, be wired to the lighting circuit and stay on for 15 minutes once the light has been turned off. Insulation All accessible loft spaces should have a minimum of 100mm Rock Wool insulation (or equivalent) properly laid. All hot water tanks should be foam lagged or have a good quality cylinder jacket which has been properly fitted. All water pipes considered to be liable to damage by frost should be adequately protected with lagging. Heating Heating must be provided and should be either: a) Gas Central Heating (preferred); or b) Electric Economy 7 Night Storage Heating The heating must be sufficient to maintain an internal temperature of 21 degrees Celsius in all rooms when the outside temperature is minus 1 degree Celsius. Boilers to be in full and proper working order, all improvement works must satisfy the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994. Heating systems to have a timer / thermostat. Hot water system able to operate independently from the heating. Details for location for Off switch to be identified and noted. Boilers must comply with location and ventilation regulations in order to meet gas safety regulations. Economy 7 Night Storage Heaters must be connected to off peak electricity and the heaters wall mounted with a fused spur. Smoke Alarms Hard-wired, electrically operated interlinked smoke alarms, complying with the Smoke Detectors Act 1991 in England and Wales and the 1993 Regulations in Scotland, compliant with Building Standard 5839, Part 6, conforming to Grade 2, Type LD2 - must be fitted on all floors of the property. www.orchard-shipman.com 5

Property & Furnishing Standards Carbon Monoxide Alarms All properties with a gas supply and meter must be equipped with a hard wired carbon monoxide detector. Electrical Sockets Living room - 2 double sockets as minimum. Double bedrooms - 2 double sockets. Single bedroom - 1 double socket. Landing - 1 socket. Kitchen - 13amp sockets. Two double sockets at worktop height. Two low level sockets (for fridge and washing machine). Boiler electricity feed to be on spur. Kitchen Cooker Gas or Electric Cooker with oven and hob. If free standing, cooker to be chained to the wall. Oven to be clean and with all shelves included. All units to be fit for purpose and free from defects. Adequate work surface space for the size of the accommodation. SCOTLAND ONLY - Work surface space must in total be a minimum of 2m in length. Refrigeration Fridge and freezer or combined Fridge/Freezer Unit. Capacity to be at least 131 litres for fridge and 61 litres for freezer. Fridge and freezer to be clean and with all shelves included. Washing Machine Fitted washing machine. If a washing machine is not required there must be appropriate fittings to allow installation of a washing machine and a non return valve fitted to the waste pipe. Vinyl type floor covering, free from defects. Sinks Bathroom Sinks and worktops to be sealed around edges with silicone sealant. Tiled splashback at sink to a minimum of 300mm (two tiles high). Waste pipes and taps to be defect free, no leaks or drips. Stopcock location to be identified and must operate freely. Units and Worksurfaces Minimum of two fitted floor units (excluding the sink unit). Minimum of two drawers. Minimum of two fitted wall units. Bath and/or shower Bath must be fitted securely with tiles to a height of 300mm around the bath, sealed at the joints. Bath panels to be free of defects. If shower fitted above bath, tiling should be of a sufficient height to protect the decoration of the wall (1.8m+). Shower door or curtain to be supplied and should be of a quality standard to prevent water damage to the floor. Wall brackets to be provided for shower attachments. Drain plugs to be functional in both showers and baths. 6 www.orchard-shipman.com

Washbasin To be sealed around the edges with silicone sealant. Tiling of splash backs to a minimum of 300mm (two tiles high). Waste pipes and taps to be defect free, no leaks or drips. Taps must be easy to operate. Drain plug must be functional. Mirror and towel rail to be provided. Hard-wired, electrically operated interlinked smoke alarms, complying with the Smoke Detectors Act 1991 in England and Wales and the 1993 Regulations in Scotland, compliant with Building Standard 5839, Part 6, conforming to Grade 2, Type LD2 - must be fitted on all floors of the property. Flats in converted houses or above commercial premises must have electrically operated interlinked smoke alarms. Fire blankets conforming to BS6575 1985 must be sited in each kitchen. Light fitting to be of a sealed type appropriate for bathrooms. Toilet* Toilet to be clean, secure, free of defects, secure seat and the cistern to fill at a reasonable rate. Mechanical waste (WC) systems like Saniflow will not be accepted if it is the only WC. Floor covering to be free of defects, vinyl preferred with edges sealed with silicone. Bathroom cabinet to be provided. *please note that in large properties with 4 or more bedrooms, there is a requirement for 2 toilets Hallway A vacuum cleaner (Scotland only). Furniture General All upholstered furniture must be fire resistant and comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended) 1993. This includes beds, headboards, mattresses, sofas, armchairs, loose and stretch covers for furniture and seat pads. Living Room A sofa and arm chair. Dining Table (not glass) and Chairs, with a chair required for each occupant. A mop and bucket (Scotland only). Bedrooms A step ladder (Scotland only). Fire Safety Internal Doors leading off communal hallway must be half hour fire doors to meet Building Standard 476 Part 22 (England only). All kitchens must have a door. If the kitchen adjoins a fire escape route, a half hour fire door comlying with Building Standard 476 Part 22 will be required. Where this is impractical, a mains electricity powered heat rise detector must be installed (England only). A bed frame and mattress. (size dependant on overall room size, negotiator will confirm double, single or twin). All mattresses and fabric bed bases must be new at the start of the lease and left in their original plastic wrapping. A wardrobe suitable for the size of the room. A set of drawers suitable for the size of the room. www.orchard-shipman.com 7

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