Our Ready to Relet Standard

These are the minimum standards you can expect when you move into one of our homes. 

Asbestos

We will give you health and safety advice on any materials containing asbestos in or around your home.

If it is damaged, we will either remove it or make it safe and monitor its condition.

If it is in good condition, we will ensure it is safe and monitor its condition.

For more information please select this link to our leaflet on asbestos safety.| 

Outside your home

In communal areas

• all windows will be in good condition
• any intercom systems e.g. at entrances to blocks of flats, will be in full working order
• lighting will be bright enough to light the required area
• all steps, paths, walls etc. will be in good condition
• there will be no grafftit. We will remove non - offensive graffiti within 5 working days and offensive graffiti within 24 hours
• all walls and doors will be reasonably decorated. We normally paint them about every 5 years but we may do them more often if we think it's needed
• all car hard standings, parking areas and car park barriers will be safe to use.

Gardens and sheds

We will:

• clear any rubbish from gardens
• trim grass and hedges to a manageable height
• clear all contents from sheds and outhouses
• normally remove any ponds and other garden improvements the previous tenant left, unless you want to take responsibility for them.  This includes things like raised planters, BBQ areas etc.
• ensure boundary fences, walls ets clearly show the boundary and are in good condition.

Outside walls

We will ensure:

• outside walls are structurally sound and in good condition
• painted walls are reasonably decorated. We normally paint these around every 5 years (nore often if we think it's needed). We will tell you when we will do the work and agree the colour with you.

Outside doors

We will ensure:

• all outside doors
  
  • close and secure properly
  • are well decorated
  • comply with the Police recommended 'Secure by Design' specification
  • have a 5 lever mortice insurance lock
  • have a night latch if required
• the front door has a letterbox, and
• you have at least 2 sets of keys for each outside door.

Roofs

We will ensure:

• roofs are watertight and in good condition
• gutters and drain pipes work properly, are free flowing and take rainwater to drains and/or a water butt, if there is one.
• all wood and plastic to which gutters are fixed are secure and in good condition
• chimneys and flashings are in good condition.

 

Inside your home

Electrical safety

We will:

• test all the electrics to ensure they meet the latest electrical regulations
• give you a copy of the electrical safety certificate
• normally switch the electricity supply off when a home is empty
• tell you how to switch the mains electricity off, read the meters and reset any tripped switches
• replace any cracked or broken sockets, switched or light fittings.
  

Please select this link to download a copy of our Electrical safety leaflet |

Fire safety

We will:

• fit mains operated smoke alarms to every level of the property
• test them to ensure they work properly.
  

Please select this link to download a copy of our Fire safety leaflet
|

Gas safety

We will:

• test all gas supply connections and appliances to ensure they meet the latest gas regulations
• show you how to turn the gas supply off in an emergency
• give you a copy of the gas safety certificate.

Please select this link to download a copy of our Home safety service leaflet which includes gas safety advice|.

Water safety

We will:

• test the mains water stop tap and other water pipes to make sure they work properly and don't leak
• show you how to switch the mains water off in an emergency
• provide water immersion heaters that safely stop the water from overheating
• tell you what to do if water becomes too hot
• check large water tanks serving more than one home for Legionella
• tell you what to do to reduce the risk of Legionella in your home.

Please select this link to download our  Water safety at home leaflet. |

Energy efficiency and heating

We will:

• explain how your heating system works
• provide loft insulationthat meets the latest building regulations
• give you an Energy Performance Certificate and energy saving advice
• supply and fit energy efficient bulbs in at least 4 rooms
• provide all rooms with efficient and effective space heating
• ensure all new windows are double-glazed
• ensure all new outside doors are insulated
• tell you if we are going to replace your central heating, when we will do the work and agree the design of it with you.

Floors

We will ensure floors:

• have no damp
• have no carpet gripper or loose tiles
• are in good condition, safe and level
• have suitable floor coverings in the kitchen and bathroom.

Walls

We will ensure walls have:

• a flat smooth finish without major cracks or loose plaster. (You are responsible for minor indentations, scratches and hairline cracks)
• no damp and mould
• curtain battens above all windows
• securely fixed architrave around doors and skirting along floors with no exposed screws or nails.

Ceilings

We will ensure ceilings have:

• a flat smooth finish without major cracks or loose plaster. (You are responsible for minor indentations, scratches and hairline cracks)
• no damp and mould
• no polystyrene tiles.

Doors

We will ensure doors will:

• be in good working order, open and close easily and secure properly
• be in good repair
• have enough space under them to fit carpets
• have a privacy lock on the inside in toilets and bathrooms.

Woodwork and stairs

We will ensure:

• woodwork is in good repair
• all parts of the staircase are in good repair.

Windows

We will:

• replace all broken and cracked panes of glass
• lubricate windows to ensure they open and close easily
• ensure all ground floor windows have security catches
• ensure all first floor windows have child locks
• give you at least 1 key for each window
• show you how to release windoe catches/locks if there's a fire.

Kitchens

We will:

• ensure all work surfaces are clean and safe for preparing food
• ensure all work top joints are sealed
• ensure the cooker point has worktops on either side, making it easier to move cooking equipment to and from the cooker
• ensure the cooker space has a safety bracket to fix your cooker to the wall. Please make sure your cooker is connected to it when it is installed
• provide connections for both gas and electric cookers if there is a gas supply
• design the layout of your kitchen to reduce the chance of accidents
• leave a space for a washing machine if possible and provide a water supply to connect it
• provide enough kitchen units to suit the size of your home. As a minimum, in the smallest homes, the kitchen will have at least 1 base unit, 1 sink unit and 1 wall unit.
• provide an automatic extractor fan to cut condensation
• provide enough electrical sockets to suit the kitchen size. As a minimum, in the smallest homes, the kitchen will have at least 2 sets of double sockets
• ensure all wall tiling and grouting is in good condition
• normally provide a single piece of non-slip vinyl floor covering. If there is more than 1 piece we will seal all joints
• tell you if we intend to replace the kitchen and if so agree with you the design and when we will do the work.

Bathrooms

We will:

• ensure the toilet and seat, bath and wash hand basin work properly and are in good condition
• supply plugs and chains for baths and wash hand basins
• ensure all wall tiling and grouting is in good condition and sealed to bathroom fittings
• provide at least 2 rows of splash back tiles around the bath and wash basin
• where there is a shower, provide wall tiling from the top of the shower tray to the ceiling,a shower rail and curtain provide and automatic extractor fan to reduce condensation
• normally provide a single piece of non-slip vinyl floor covering. If there is more than 1 piece, we will seal all joints
• tell you if we plan to replace the bathroom and if so, agree with you the design and when we will do the work.

Cleaning

• We will ensure your new home is:
• clean and fresh smelling throughout
• clear of any stains, limescale, dust, mould, pests, infestations and previous tenants belongings
• provided with a courtesy welcome bucket with cleaning materials to help you keep your new home clean.

Decoration

The bathroom, kitchen and living room will be well decorated. If not we will decorate them using magnolia emulsion on the walls. If required we will use blown vinyl wallpaper and emulsion. If skirting boards are painted in a dark colour e.g black, we will repaint them with white gloss.

If the rest of the home is poorly decorated we will either:

• offer you a voucher towards the cost of buying decorating materials of your choice.(This is not intended to cover the whole cost) or
• do the decorating for you

if you are vulnerable and have no one to help you do it if the home is so poorly decorated it would be unreasonable to expect you to move in.

The Ready to Re-let Standard always applies. However, if we plan to do more extensive improvements to your new home we may, if you agree, let it to you at a lower standard. We will add your home to the list of those being improved and agree with you when we will do the work.