It is important for both you and us, that your home is kept in good condition. As your home gets older, it may be necessary for us to replace or refurbish items such as kitchens, bathrooms, boilers, windows and doors. We will aim to visit your home every three years to carry out a stock condition survey, during which an assessment is made of the condition of key components.  You can find out more information below.

  • Kitchens

    Lifecycle: 20 years

    Our contractors and kitchen designers will work with you to design your new kitchen. Once you are happy with the plans, we will ask you to sign them and you’ll be provided with a copy. You’ll be given a choice of colour of the kitchen units, worktop, wall tiles, vinyl flooring and wall-paint from the samples we offer. Once you’ve made your choices, the kitchen will be made, and we’ll agree a date with you and our contractor for work to begin.

    Before we arrive to start work, you will need to have emptied cupboards, cleared work surfaces and moved your white goods out of the way/ into another room.

    Having a kitchen replaced can be quite disruptive. You don’t realise how much you use your kitchen until it’s not there! We can help with temporary measures and we’ll make sure your sink and cooker are reconnected at the end of each day.

    The work should take around 10 working days

  • Bathrooms

    Lifecycle: 30

    You’ll be given a choice of colour of the wall tiles, vinyl flooring and wall-paint from the samples we offer. Once you’ve made your choices, we will agree a date with you and our contractors for work to begin.

    Before work begins, you could help us by clearing the bathroom of all toiletries.

    The works should take around 5 working days

  • Boiler

    Lifecycle: 15 years

    Replacing the boiler could also include installing radiator thermostats or heating controls, if these are needed. We may need to attend in the evening or the day after your boiler is installed to complete any boxing in that might be necessary.

    The work should only take 1-2 days and we will try to offer a time that works best for you.

  • Windows

    Lifecycle: 30 years

    Windows will all be white UPVC, and you will be given a key for every lockable handle.

    Once an install date has been agreed, please make sure the area is clear of personal belongings so that the work can be carried out with as little disturbance as possible.

    The work should take 2-5 working days depending on the type of property you live in.

  • Doors

    Lifecycle: 30 years

    In most cases the back door will be white UPVC, but you will get a choice of colours and styles from our range for your front door. Once you have made your choice, we’ll agree an install date with you and our contractors.

    You will receive 2 or 3 keys for each lockable door.

    Under health and safety regulations, if you live in a flat and your front door opens into a communal space, we may have to install a timber fire rated door (we are currently unable to install composite doors).

  • Roofs

    Lifecycle: 60 years

    To make sure nothing gets damaged, and to help us start the work on time you’ll need to clear your loft before we start work.

    We will need to put scaffolding up in order to complete the re-roofing works, so we’ll ask you to move parked vehicles at the front of the property and also any garden furniture or equipment at the back, that may be in the way. These can be returned once we have removed the scaffolding. The scaffolding may mean you won’t be able to open your windows until it’s fully removed again.

    Although we will try to disturb you as little as possible, sometimes the work may affect TV reception as we might have to move aerials/dishes (these will be put back as soon as we can). It would help if children and pets can be kept inside when we are working on your property.

    Roofing works can run into delays due to inclement weather so it is difficult to say how long the job might take but, once the scaffold has been erected, we will always aim to be finished in 10 days.

  • Communal Decorations

    Lifecycle: 7 years

    Internal (Communal areas only)

    This includes painting internal walls, ceilings, woodwork and any previously painted metals, as well as repairs to walls and flooring.

    Please keep the communal area clear while we are decorating, to avoid any damage to personal belongings. We will give you plenty of notice if we are painting your front door, as you will need to leave it open until it is fully dry.

    External

    Well look at the area where the work is being done to see if it just needs a wash down or full redecoration which will help us to decide if we need scaffolding or not. If a wash down is needed, we’ll clear the guttering, wash down all plastic on the outside of the building, and put in new gutter guards, if they’re needed.

    If we do need to put scaffolding up, we’ll ask you to move any parked vehicles outside the property, and to keep the sides of the building clear of any bikes. The scaffolding may mean you won’t be able to open your windows until it’s fully removed again. Although we will try to disturb you as little as possible, sometimes the work may affect TV reception.

    The timescales for these works will vary upon the type of building you live in and will be communicated to you before the works commence. 

  • FAQs

    When will I find out if my fittings are being replaced/upgraded?

    If we believe you may be due for an upgrade or replacement we will organise with you to have your property inspected at a convenient time. These surveys should only take 30 mins and we will take photographs of the property for us to review. If we decide that a fitting needs replacing we will contact you to give you more details of the upgrade.

    My fitting is older than the life cycle stated above, why has it not been replaced?

    The life cycle is just one of the variables that we consider when replacing any fixtures in your home. We must also look at the condition and repair history of the item before it will be considered for an upgrade. If it is in poor condition and/or beyond economical repair then we may add it to the planned programme.

    My neighbours have had a replacement fitting recently, why haven’t I?

    Although we would aim to carry out improvements by street/estate, all of our customers are different and have different needs. There may be circumstances under which your neighbour might receive an upgrade earlier than expected, and there will be instances when their fittings are seen to be in good condition and they would not receive an upgrade as soon as we would have expected. Maintenance is scheduled based on condition and estimated lifecycle and this might not necessarily be the same time as your neighbour.

    When will work begin?

    Once you have received a letter from us informing you that you are on a planned programme for the year, our contractor will contact you directly. They will want to discuss the best time for them to access your property and start the works, but also any style/colour/design choices that you need to make before they can order your items.

    Do I need an asbestos survey?

    Asbestos can be found in any property built before the year 2000 so these homes will need an asbestos survey before we can carry out any replacement works. This is a precaution to keep you, our tradesmen and our contractor’s safe during the course of any works. If asbestos materials are in good condition, and are left undisturbed, then they should not pose any risk. It is rare that we would need to remove any asbestos items, but if that is necessary we will appoint a specialist licensed contractor to undertake this work on our behalf. If you have any questions or concerns about asbestos, please contact us on 0800 816 6060. You can find more information about asbestos here.

    What if I don’t want my fittings to be renewed?

    We will always encourage you to have works completed in your home when they come up on a programme. However, we understand there could sometimes be reasons why it might not be convenient or appropriate to have these works done and so will discuss this with you at the time.

    You do have the right to refuse the proposed upgrades if you would rather keep your original fitting and fixtures. If, and when, you refuse we will make a note of this, however we may still contact you in the future about other upgrades you may be eligible for.

Please remember that an adult (over 18 years old) must be present while we are working in your home.

We will arrange and oversee any projects but we use external contractors to carry out most major work. These contractors will always carry photo ID and they’ll always tell you before they visit your home, unless it is an emergency.

Stay safe: don’t let anyone into your home that you aren’t expecting and who can’t prove they are representing us.  Contact us to check their identification.

When works are completed, we will arrange a time to inspect and sign off the new fittings, and to get your opinions and experiences, as feedback helps us to continue improving our services.