Headlease Residences Welcome information for new residents 1 Managed Property Scheme (Head Lease Houses) Contents Page Introduction to the Managed Property Scheme Moving in checklist Tenancy agreements Money matters Prepayment – electricity or gas Living in the community Living in the house Cleaning Environmental awareness and energy saving Rubbish and recycling How do I connect to the Internet Health and safety within the house Property inspections Vacating the property Keys Reporting repairs Contact: Paul Nann, Housing Officer (Headlease / Homestay) University of Sussex The Housing Office Bramber House Room Bh-111 Brighton BN1 9QU UK T: +44 (0)1273 678220 F: +44 (0)1273 678696 E: housing@sussex.ac.uk FB: Headlease Property, 2012 - 2013 2 2 3 4 4 5 6 7 9 10 12 13 13 14 15 16 17 Introduction to the Managed Property Scheme The University operates a Managed Property Scheme for private sector landlords which involves them head leasing their properties, commonly known as Headlease Properties, to the University and then we in turn let them to our students. This means that we carry out the administration involved with the tenancy and also the day to day management of these properties. Head Lease Houses These properties are normally self contained 3-7 bedroom houses located in and around Brighton and are easily accessible by bus or train. They are usually allocated to post graduate or mature students on a single tenancies. These tenancies are between the university and the student. Due to the location, size and facilities of these residences the day to day running and maintenance of them differs slightly to that of larger halls of residence. These houses come furnished with the basics you will require i.e. the bedroom will have a bed, a wardrobe and drawers, a desk and a chair. The communal area will have either sofas or easy chairs and a dining table with chairs. The kitchen will be equipped with a washing machine, a fridge freezer, cooker and kettle. We do not provide microwaves and toasters as standard unless there are 5 or more tenants. You should complete and sign two up-to-date inventories of the contents of your house, one for you the tenant/s and one for us the landlord. In this handbook you will find general information about your tenancy, residence, maintenance and repairs.. There will be also be a house folder available in the property which provides you with additional information more specific to the house you will be living in. If this is missing or you cannot find it please contact the Housing Officer (Headlease / Homestay) on housing@sussex.ac.uk 3 Moving in checklist When you move into your residence you should check all the following points first so that you can report any problems straight away without any delay. It is best to do all this before you start unpacking. If there are any problems, please contact the Housing Officer (Headlease / Homestay) on housing@sussex.ac.uk 1. Check your front door and bedroom keys or codes work. You normally have a front door key/s and a key for the bedroom, some properties use a code entry system. 2. Check there is electricity in the house. If the property uses pre-payment meters, you need to check that they are in “Credit”. If the meter is in credit but the electricity does not work, check that the switches on the fuse box have not tripped. 3. Check there is gas in the house and that the boiler is working. All makes of boilers vary so read the instruction inside the control panel. Some boilers are combination boilers, which means that they will automatically heat the hot water when the tap is turned on, some boilers you will need to wait for the water tank to heat up. To check for operation: Switch “Electricity” to “On” at the mains for the boiler and timer to work. Switch the “Boiler” to “On” either inside the control panel or on timer. Switch to “On” for either “Water Only” or “Water with Heating”. The “Gas” should be turned on at the meter. The “Pilot Light” should be ignited. The “Heating Thermostat Dial” in the control panel should be turned on. The “Timer” should be in the “On” position or in timed on period. The “Room Thermostat” should be turned up above room temperature. 4. Check the electric shower is working. All showers differ, you have to get accustomed to how to use it, i.e. the water pressure in Brighton is very poor and it is best not to turn the shower on full. Always adjust the water to the right temperature before getting in to use it. 5. Test all the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. These are tested during July, but if they use batteries they may have run out. 6. Test the lighting. Make sure all the light bulbs work - do not wait until it is dark and the shops are closed. 7. Check the cooker and fridge freezer. Switch the fridge freezer on at the mains to test operation and prepare for food storage. Switch on the oven and cooker hob to test for operation. 8. Run the cold drinking water taps. These houses have sometimes been empty for a while so the water in the pipes may have been sitting there, please leave the taps running for a few minutes to empty the pipes for some fresh water. 9. Check the inventory. Check through and complete the house inventories at your earliest convenience to ensure that everything is recorded accurately. 4 Tenancy agreements You have already accepted the terms and conditions of your individual tenancy agreement, including the period of your stay and that you will pay rent for the duration of your tenancy. You can obtain a copy of your tenancy agreement from the Housing Office on housing@sussex.ac.uk Smoking Policy All of our accommodation is non-smoking. . Money matters Telephone/Internet connections Your internet service will be provided and the log-in details and password will be made available to you when you move in TV licence Each person needs a TV licence for any equipment capable of receiving TV signals. This includes and is not limited to TV’s, PC’s, Xbox’s and Smartphones etc. Gas and electricity bills The service of gas and electricity is normally included in your rent. Council Tax As full time registered students, you are exempt from paying council tax. You may need to let the council know you are student and help with this process is available from the housing office on housing@sussex.ac.uk Water Rates Are included in you rent. 5 Contents insurance Your certificate has been emailed to you with your housing offer and copies will be available be available in your house folder. Rent Details of how to pay are provided in your housing offer letter Charges Charges will be applied for any damages to the property, fixtures and fittings or the furniture. You may also be charged if the property is not kept in a clean and well maintained state. When you leave at the end of your tenancy you must make sure you dispose of all rubbish, remove all your belongings and leave the room clean otherwise a charge will be placed onto your student account. This applies to all tenants regardless of whether you have paid a damages deposit. Prepayment – electricity or gas In some of our properties there are prepayment meters installed where you pay for the gas or electricity and are responsible for crediting these meters. How does it work? STEP ONE First you need to charge your prepayment key or card at any PayPoint outlet. Every time you charge your key or card you can put on any amount from £1 to £250. STEP TWO Once you've charged your key, card or purchased a token you just slot it into your meter, and the amount you have paid will be immediately transferred to the meter. For added security, only your own key can be used in your prepayment meter. The meter will display all the information you need such as; how much money is left on your meter how much energy you have used since the meter was fitted what the current meter reading is 6 Charging your key or card or tokens Electricity (Powerkey) - The Powerkey meter is easy to use and you can charge your key at any PayPoint outlet, including newsagents, convenience stores and service stations, or wherever you see the distinctive yellow and purple sign. Gascard/Quantum meter - Cards for your gas prepayment meter can be charged at PayPoint outlets (as above), and at Post Offices. If you can't charge your key/card If you can't get to a charging outlet and you run out of electricity, you can use the emergency credit facility on your prepayment meter. When the credit on your meter is running low, you'll hear a warning bleep. Simply insert your key/card to release the emergency credit. The electricity meter normally has £5 of emergency credit. This will usually be enough to cover 3 days normal electricity use, giving you time to recharge your key. Gas meters normally have a £2 emergency credit facility. Living in the community Most of the areas where you will be living are residential streets accommodating mostly working families, professionals or retired people. Sometimes friction builds up between students and their neighbours. There are a number of things you can do to live in the community successfully and general good neighbourliness will increase your security and peace of mind. When you arrive, introduce yourselves to your immediate neighbours. Find out what they do and if they’ve got young children who may be disturbed by noise or if they are other students like you. Try to keep any garden or front of your house clean and tidy. It may not be your responsibility to do the garden but it is your responsibility to keep it clear of rubbish. Always put the rubbish in the bin and find out when the bins are emptied. Please look on www.brighton-hove.gov.uk to find out when the rubbish and recycling days are. Remember to be considerate when coming home late at night by not shouting or banging car or front doors. Noise complaints are the most common form of neighbourhood frictions. If the Environmental Health Noise Patrol is ever called out, they may prosecute you and there could be a fine of up to £5000. 7 If there are any complaints from your neighbours because of anti social behaviour, an investigation will be made and warning letters will be issued. Anti-social behaviour in any form will constitute a breach of tenancy which may lead to you being given a notice to quit. Anti-social behaviour may or may not constitute a criminal activity; the key determination in deciding is what the impact is on others. Types of antisocial behaviour can include harassment and intimidation hate crime, for example, racist or homophobic behaviour that creates alarm and fear noise and loud parties, etc drunk or rowdy behaviour vandalism, graffiti and other deliberate damage to property rubbish or litter lying around, etc The University of Sussex may be asked to act as referee for you to future landlords or employers. If there are any adverse comments against your name regarding complaints from neighbours or the state you left the house then we may be unable to supply references. Living in the house Heating systems All of the houses have a central heating system which heats the water and the radiators. There should be instructions in your house folder on how this system works. If you need help setting the boiler, pilot light, thermostat or timer then you can contact the housing office for help on housing@sussex.ac.uk. Furniture The head lease houses come fully furnished; do not remove any furniture from the house. You can bring furniture into the property as long as it conforms to the 1998 Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations i.e. soft furnishings (sofas, mattresses etc) must have a label to state that the furniture is fire safe. At the end of your tenancy you must remove all the furniture you brought to the property or you will be charged for its removal. All original furniture must be put back into its original positions. Posters You may put up posters or other wall coverings as long as it doesn’t cause a fire hazard or damage to the walls. When you leave, you must remove all traces of 8 adhesive or Blu tac without damaging the wall or you will be charged for redecoration. Painting and decorating Tenants are not be allowed to paint their rooms without permission. Other temporary or removable decorations may be put up as long as it does not cause damage or could cause a health and safety risk. Communal responsibilities There are some areas of the house, which are communal, i.e. kitchens and bathrooms. If vandalism or damage occurs (wherever possible) the University will try to ascertain who was involved in order to charge them directly, otherwise the cost will be split between the tenants. Communal living Cleaning, shopping and paying bills should be shared amongst the tenants in the house. It is a good idea to hold a house meeting to discuss the rotas and your responsibilities. Thereafter it is advisable to hold regular meetings to discuss any issues that may arise. Common complaints may be about the cleaning or about noise levels. If any of problems cannot be resolved by yourselves, you can get help from your Residential Adviser who may be able to mediate. You will be given information about your RA once you are in residence. Gardens The front and back gardens are maintained by the University’s approved contractor. 9 Cleaning As a tenant you are required and expected to behave in a tenant-like manner. You will need to clean and tidy your study bedroom. All houses include the service of a fortnightly cleaner who assists in maintaining the communal areas; however this does not release the tenants from their normal cleaning duties. Vacuuming – you will need to vacuum the house regularly and empty the vacuum cleaner and replace the dust bags from time to time to prevent damage to the machine. Please take note that the vacuum cleaners are not designed to suck up liquids. Cooker – you will need to clean the cooker top and oven regularly to prevent long term damage. Fridge or fridge freezer – You should clean the inside and outside of the fridge regularly for hygiene reasons. You should defrost the freezer or ice compartment occasionally to prevent damage to the compartment doors or baskets. Bathroom and kitchen – you will need to make sure that the bathroom and kitchen are kept clean. This includes the work surfaces, the floors and the tiled walls. Toilets – should be regularly cleaned using toilet cleaner. Carpets, upholstery and curtains – you will need to remove any stains before the end of your tenancy, preferably when accidents happen. Woodwork and frames – you will need to wipe all windows and skirting down, especially inside the windows to prevent mould from forming from the condensation. Bathrooms and showers – You will need to regularly clean the bath, shower and toilet to maintain it hygienically. NB: Please also note that the result of a bath or shower overflowing represents the most common cause of structural damage to our houses. If a bath or shower is allowed to overflow, or let water splash over, this could cause rotting of the floorboards and the ceiling below. The cost of repairing this type of damage is substantial. You can avoid the trouble and expense by making sure you never use a shower without a shower curtain and make sure you tuck it into the bath. If a shower is fitted with a shower door, keep it closed whilst taking a shower. Report any blown tiles or broken seals around the bath. If the shower or bath water starts leaking through the ceiling below, stop using the shower and report the matter to the Housing Office. 10 Environmental awareness and energy saving Heating Use your central heating timer to set the times you need the heating be switched on. You should not require heating through out the night whilst sleeping as you should use adequate bedding and bed clothes. Turn the house or room central heating thermostat down to conserve energy. Ideal room temperature is between 18 °C and 20 °C. Pull on a jumper or warmer layers rather than turning the heating up. Adjust the boiler thermostat according to the time of the year. This thermostat determines the temperature the water heated is heated to in the appliance. Higher gas power is used for autumn/winter and lower gas power for spring/summer is required. Adjust the heating by using thermostat on the end of your radiator if you have one. This can increase or decrease the heat in your room but does not affect the whole house. Do not open windows or doors to adjust the heating in your room. Do not dry clothes on a radiator. It stops heat reaching the room, creates damp and encourages mould. Putting heavy curtains or furniture in front of a radiator will also block the heat. Hot water Use your hot water timer to set the times you need the hot water to be switched on. Turn the thermostat on your hot-water tank or boiler down to 60 °C rather than adding lots of cold water to your bath. Put the plug in the basin or sink, especially when running hot water. An ordinary shower uses only two-fifths of the water needed for a bath. Power showers use as much as a bath, and sometimes even more. Electric shower equipment uses more energy than ones that runs off the hot water system. Try to keep showers short and on a lower setting. Appliances 11 Switch off appliances such as microwaves, TVs, stereos and computers. i.e. 85% of the energy used by a DVD player is wasted when it is on standby. Unplug equipment once fully charged otherwise they keep drawing electricity. Environmental awareness and energy saving Cooking Match the size of the ring to the size of the saucepan or you will be paying to heat air. Put a lid on saucepans so the contents heat quicker and you use less energy and cook several different foods on one ring with a pressure cooker or steamer. Microwaves save money because you don't waste energy heating containers or air. Only fill the kettle with as much water as you require for the purpose. Refrigeration Avoid leaving fridge doors open. Each minute the door is open takes three minutes of energy to cool down again. Avoid putting hot or warm food straight into the fridge. Allow it to cool first. Pack your fridge or freezer compartments with cardboard boxes if they are half empty. The appliances will not have to work as hard to cool the empty spaces. Defrost your fridge regularly to keep it running efficiently. If it seems to frost up quickly, check the door seal and see if the drainage duct in the back of the fridge isn’t blocked. Washing machine/ Tumble dryers Wash laundry loads on the low-temperature program. Wait till there are enough clothes to wash for a full load or use the half load option. In summer dry your clothes outside. If you have to use a tumble dryer, don’t put really wet clothes inside. Wring them out or spin-dry them first. Lighting 12 Mirrors and light coloured walls reflect daylight, making maximum use of natural light. De-clutter window ledges to get the most daylight in your home. Pull curtains back during the day and keep plants trimmed so they don’t block incoming light. Use energy saving light bulbs if available. Always switch lights off when they are not required. Rubbish and recycling Rubbish City Clean carry out the refuse disposal for domestic properties in Brighton. Find out when your rubbish collection day is from the Brighton and Hove Council Website www.brighton-hove.gov.uk . You need to bag up your rubbish in strong black bags otherwise the refuse collectors will not take it. You need to put the black bags out on the collection day each week. If you have a dust bin or wheelie bin you need to dispose of the rubbish in there. Certain areas now have large communal bins located on each street, if your area operates this way you should dispose of the rubbish in these communal bins. You must not leave rubbish lying around uncleared in the property or this will encourage vermin such as rats and mice. Recycling Use the recycling boxes supplied or take your recyclable items to a recycling point. Look on www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/recycling. You can order recycling boxes and also check the days that they collect in your area. The service provider is Cityclean, email: cityclean@brighton-hove.gov.uk or telephone: (01273) 292929. When you vacate your residence you can recycle your unwanted furniture by donating it to a charity i.e. local Brighton based cooperative, Magpie Recycling Cooperative Limited. They collect donated furniture free of charge and sell it on at cost to those on low incomes. Magpie is a workers Co-Op. All workers are members. Eco-Aware Operation Locally Based. www.magpie.coop 13 Saunders Park Depot Saunders Park Brighton East Sussex BN2 4AY info@magpie.coop Greenbox Services Garden Services 01273 684425 01273 684425 01273 680856 01273 680856 greenbox@ magpie.coop Shabitat gardening@ magpie.coop Furniture Department 01273 677577 01273 677577 01273 622415 01273 622415 shabitat@ magpie.coop furniture@ magpie.coop How do I connect to the Internet? Every property has a 30meg cable broadband connection and wireless equipment will pick it up in your home. You will be supplied with any passwords you need when you move in these will also be available in the house folder. Fire Safety equipment The fire safety equipment in these houses are inspected and serviced every year. If you have had to use any of this equipment you must report it to the Housing Office immediately so that the cause can be investigated and that the items can be replaced or refilled. The fire extinguishers should not be used as door stops, the body may get damaged and need to be replaced. If you have emptied the extinguishers without due cause, you will be charged for the refill. Smoke detectors and fire alarm systems All houses are fitted with an operational smoke detector or fire alarm system; it is the University’s responsibility to keep it working. However it is your responsibility to test them monthly and let us know if batteries need replacing. Please do not remove batteries or disable the detector in any way. Some houses have detectors wired into the house and do not require batteries. All houses have fire doors fitted to the kitchens, these are designed to close automatically, and these doors should stay closed in order to serve 14 their purpose. Some bedrooms have fire doors fitted too, these have the same aim. Do not prop open these fire doors. In the event of a fire, please do not tackle a fire unless it is totally safe to do so. Please evacuate the building as soon as possible making sure all the fire doors close behind you and call 999 for the fire brigade. Other Safety Issues All houses are fitted with carbon monoxide detectors, which are placed near the boiler system of all the houses. The gas system and appliances are serviced annually – a copy of the landlord’s gas safety certificate is in the house folder. The electrical servicing takes place every 5 years– a copy of the certificate is in the house folder. If there are any other health and safety issues within the house that may endanger a person’s health, you must report it to the Building Manager as soon as possible. These could include things like a trip hazard or unsafe electrics etc. Please note that any obstacles that are blocking an escape route in case of fire can be removed from the property and you may be charged, eg bicycles. This is to prevent such an incident that may cause serious injury or death in the event of a fire. Property inspections The University will inspect your property regularly and will advise you in advice, if there are problems with the house it may be inspected more frequently. If there is no one in at the time of inspection, the officer will still enter the property unless the students have made a specific appointment date. The inspections covers a range of checks and access will be required to all the rooms. The inspections are to assess risk in the houses, structural or superficial damage and also to check that the tenants are maintaining the property in a tenant like manner. If there are any issues you wish to raise about the house then this is an ideal opportunity to do so. Access to the property for repairs As with the larger residences there will be regular visits from either the University staff or approved contractors working for the university. For example: A cleaning contractor A garden contractor An end of term inspection visit from Housing Officer (Headlease / Homestay) An annual gas safety servicing engineer 15 Visits from the handyman or contracted repair men to see to problems as and when the tenants report them. Occasionally other work may be required to the property that might require a contractor to attend; you will be given appropriate notice of such visits. We will give you notice of all scheduled visits made to the property but in some cases it is not always possible due to time scale i.e. when an urgent repair is reported or if there is an emergency. Some of these contractors will be issued the keys for the property to carry out repairs; all of them will carry ID. In reporting a problem that needs repair we take it that you are giving your consent for a contractor to enter your property to do a necessary repair job. If you want to ensure you are home while they are there, you will need to be flexible about the time. Remember contractors have to undertake repairs between 8am – 5pm, Monday to Friday – they will only attend to emergencies in the evenings. All our contractors are asked to knock or ring the bell before they enter a property with a key, they will always try to make you aware that they have entered the house. If you are unhappy about the way in which a repair was carried out or if you have any complaints about the workmen or contractors please contact the Housing Office and complete a complaints form. Vacating the property Leaving the property at the end of term 1. You should ensure that all doors and windows are securely shut and locked. Remember your keys when you return. 2. Leaving lights on time switches give the impression that a house is occupied and will deter burglars. 3. You should consider taking valuables with you, put them into storage or at least making sure they cannot be seen through the windows. Burglars target student properties during the holidays as they know you are not likely to be there. Storage companies often offer a student discount and can cost less than £5 per week. 4. In winter you should leave the heating on but turn the thermostat down to around 10° Celsius. This will prevent the pipes from freezing and flooding the property. 5. You should always top up your electricity pre payment meter (if you have one) when you leave. If not, the electricity supply might run out and your food in the fridge and freezer will go off. 6. Throw away any stale or going off food and put the rubbish out for collection. 16 Leaving the property at the end of your tenancy Charges will also be made if you leave belongings, furniture or rubbish behind in the house. It will cost the following to remove and dispose of these example items: Black bin bag of rubbish 3 Piece Suite Bed and mattress Television Microwave £20 for each bag £200 (£60 for a sofa and £20 for an armchair) £100 (£30 for a mattress and £30 for a bed base) £100 £100 Although you may think you are being helpful for the future tenants by leaving furniture or equipment behind for their use, this is not the case. As we cannot guarantee the safety of such items, they will always be removed at your cost. You will be charged for the repair or replacement if you: Fail to return your keys (or all the keys if you are in a joint tenancy) at the end of the tenancy. Are responsible for damage to the property, either wilful or negligent. Have not cleaned the property adequately. Have left rubbish or your own furniture in or around the property. Have failed to move the furniture back to its original position or there is anything missing. Have misused any of the fire equipment. Keys If you have lost your keys you must report them as lost to the Housing Office. You will be supplied with a spare key and charged £45 per key. If we need to change the locks the cost will be an additional £50 as we need to issue each tenant with a new key. If your keys have been stolen, you must report this to the police and get a crime reference number and notify the Housing Office. You will then be issued with a replacement key for no charge. For security reasons, the locks may need to be changed. Non returned keys at the end of your tenancy will be charged for. If they are returned late you may be charged the minimum of a weeks rent and any subsequent rent until they are returned. If they are not returned within a given time period you will be charged for the keys and the changing of the locks as above for lost keys. If you have misplaced your keys you should follow these procedures: 17 Procedures for lock outs. 1. During office hours you should contact the Housing Office on 01273 678220 or York House 24hr reception 01273 678723 to arrange to pick up a spare key. This is only on loan and should be returned the following day. If it’s not possible for you to pick up the key then someone will attend the lockout and a fee may be charged. 2. If out of office hours, you can contact the York House 24hr reception 01273 678723 from 9.00 pm onwards for the Duty Porter to attend the lockout. 3. If it is urgent and cannot wait until 9.00 pm, you can contact the 24-hour Reception at York House on 01273 678323 for the Duty Porter to attend the lockout. 4. If it is a Christmas or Easter closure period, you can contact the University’s Security Office on 01273 678234 for a Security Officer to attend the lockout if it is an emergency. You will need to show ID to prove that you are a tenant when someone attends to unlock your door. If you have forgotten your keys or misplaced them you may be charged a fee and a call out fee for a representative to attend. Reporting repairs Repairs should be reported to the Housing Officer (Headlease / Homestay) and/or the housing office as soon as possible: Telephone – The housing office on 01273 678220 , you can call between 9.00 am and 5.30 pm Monday to Friday. Non-urgent repairs can be left on the answer phone. For urgent repairs you should not leave a message but make sure you get through to speak to someone i.e. York House 24hr reception 01273 678723 or the Housing Office on 01273 678220. In person – Come to the Housing Office during normal office hours: 9.30 am to 4.30 pm Monday to Friday (closed 1.00 pm to 2.00 pm for lunch, except Weds) Email – Send an email to giving your name, address, phone number and an accurate description and location of the problem. This method should not be used for emergency repairs. Mail to housing@sussex.ac.uk Whichever method you choose you must describe the problem as fully as you can to help us make the repair as effectively as possible. Please give your name, address and room number when reporting problems. If you report a problem inaccurately or if a repair is unnecessary you may be charged the call out fee 18 for the contractors. This rate can be double on Saturday and triple on Sunday. Emergency repairs 1. For gas escapes the tenant should contact Transco on 0800 111 999. 2. For power cuts the tenant should contact EDF on 0800 783 8866. 3. For water shortages the tenant should contact Southern Water on 01273 606766. 4. For problems with the gas and electricity meters the student should either contact the Housing Office if you are on a single tenancy or contact your supplier directly if you are paying the bills. 5. For emergency repairs during office hours contact the Housing Office on 01273 678701/678220 or Kings Road on 01273 321470/323549. 6. For any emergency repairs out of office hours York House 24hr reception 01273 678723 or the University’s Security Office on 01273 678234. Emergency repairs are those that are required to be attended to within 24 hours to avoid a danger to health or safety of the residents or serious damage to the building or the resident’s belongings. 19