PHONE, INTERNET AND TV SUPPLIERS
You will need a TV licence for the property.
If you want to reconnect a phone or have one installed you should contact your chosen telephone company. With BT it is only possible to have one person’s name on the bill and they will hold that person –and no-one else in the house – responsible for the bill.
If you require cable or satellite installing at your property, you must get written permission from us before hand. A lot of our properties are listed buildings so it is very important that you check with us at the office first. We will require a site survey and a schedule of any works that would be done on the property (e.g. removing floorboards, etc). It is your responsibility to have it removed if necessary at the end of your tenancy and you will be liable for any costs incurred as a result.
ELECTRICS
Most properties will have a modern fuse box which will cut out every time a light bulb blows or the circuit is overloaded. . If this happens, you just need to locate the fuse box (usually a white box with a clear grey plastic lid). There will be a row of switches inside, one of which will be pointing the opposite direction. All you need to do to restore power is flick the switch back up to the ‘on’ position. If you have an older black plastic fuse box with removable fuses, please do not try and replace it – contact the office and we will send and electrician to replace it for you.
If you are not sure where your fuse box is located, we will show you in our visit in the first week
It is also your responsibility to replace light bulbs when they blow, and ensure that they are replaced at the end of your tenancy.
HOOVERS
You should have been provided with a red ‘Henry’ vacuum cleaner (if not please contact me immediately to avoid being billed for the replacement). Please make sure that it is used WITH a Hoover bag at all times. There should also be a set of attachments to go with it. If it stops working, please first check the bag and the fuse in the plug socket before ringing the office.
GARDEN MAINTENANCE
Many of our properties have individual or shared gardens for you to enjoy responsibly. We have someone to maintain all the gardens of our properties throughout the year. Please call the office if it starts to get a bit overgrown so we can send him out! It is your responsibility to keep the garden or yard litter free, especially any take away boxes, cans etc. As well as being unsightly, these can attract vermin. You are welcome to use the space for BBQ’s but do not leave any of the internal furniture outside as it can get weather damaged and you will be charge to replace it.
CELLARS
If there is a cellar at your property you are free to use it, be sure to remove everything from it at the end of your tenancy. Please tell us, on the report form if the previous tenants have left any items in the cellar and we will arrange for it to be cleared. Do not store any of the landlord’s furniture in the cellar.
STAIRWAYS AND CORRIDOR
Do not block or obstruct stairways, corridors, landings or hallways with furniture, stored items or bike. In the case of fire the staircase enclosure is your route of exit from the property and it is essential to keep it clear in order to allow safe and speedy escape.
RUBBISH COLLECTION
In order to find out which day your rubbish is collected, you can call Leeds City Council Cleansing Department. If you find that the previous tenants have left bulky items and extra bin bags at the property that won’t fit into the bins provided, you need to call them to arrange for a special collection. They will collect up to 6 extra black bags in one go; and 3 bulky items per household. You must be very specific about describing the items, and leave them in an easily accessible place. All smaller items must be bagged as they will not clear up scattered rubbish. You should check that the previous tenants haven’t already arranged a collection. The bin men will not collect anything left outside the bins on a normal collection so please ensure all your household waste is bagged in strong black bin liners and placed in the bins provided.
Leeds City Council Switchboard: 0845 124 0113
DRAINS, TOILETS AND SINKS
It is your responsibility to ensure that the drains are kept free from rubbish so that they don’t get blocked up. In autumn, when there are a lot of leaves, please check the drains outside the house to ensure they are not getting blocked up and remove any debris that may cause a problem. You must make sure that all hair is removed from the bath / shower plug-hole on a regular basis, and that you use a sink saver in the kitchen plug-hole to stop bits of food blocking it up. Please do not place any sanitary waste in the toilet as this will also back up the drains – use a separate bin. If your drains get blocked up and we have to call a firm out to clear them as a result of tenant’s negligence, we will charge you for it. If your sink or bath is blocked, you can try clearing it first using either a plunger, or soda crystals (about £1 a packet from a hardware store) and a full kettle of boiling water. Sometimes you will have to repeat this several times until it is fully clear.
BROKEN WINDOWS
If a window is broken in the property, it is your responsibility to pay to have it repaired, we may make an exception if you can provide us with a crime reference number.
BOILER MAINTENANCE
You should have a user guide for your central heating and hot water boiler. If not, we will provide you with one, when we do the schedule of condition. You must ensure that the water pressure is kept between 1 and 1.5 bars. You can read the pressure from the dial gauge on the front of your boiler. If it falls below this level, please contact the office.
LOCKED OUT / LOST KEYS
If you get locked out of your property or lose your keys, we hold a landlord’s original set of keys at the office. If you are locked out, you can collect this set from us during normal office hours if you leave a deposit (refundable) of £20.00. Please note that occasionally the keys will be in use by someone else (for example, one of the workmen for a repair). Do not rely on us having a set to give you immediately! If you get locked out outside of office hours and need access immediately, we will always try our best to come out and open the office for you. These instances come under the charge for unwarranted call out in your tenancy agreement, and you will be charged £30.00. This must be paid immediately. Occasionally we will not be able to come out and you will have to use a locksmith. If you lose your keys, you will be responsible for the cost of replacing the lock.
BURGLARY AND SECURITY
As the owners of your property we have buildings insurance, however, it is your responsibility to get contents insurance for your possessions.
If you live in a building with flats in it please be sure to shut the main door when coming and going.
We have numerous properties in LS2 and LS6 and to date have had very few incidents of burglary. If you are unfortunate enough to be burgled, call the police immediately and obtain a crime reference number.
West Yorkshire Non Emergency Switchboard: 0845 6060606
Millgarth Police Station Front Desk: 0113 241 3059
If anything needs doing to make your property secure, please call the office to arrange for someone to come out immediately.
There are a few basic guidelines you can follow to reduce the risk of burglary:
- Never leave house keys ‘hidden’ outside the house or your door on the latch
- When leaving the property remember to shut and lock all window (even those on the first floor)
- If you buy new items (TV, Computer etc) do not leave the boxes outside your home, it advertises that there are valuables in the house.
- Develop good relationships with your neighbours; they may be able to keep an eye on your house if you are away.
- MAKE SURE THAT THE ENTRANCE DOORS TO THE HOUSE ARE LOCKED AT NIGHT- this is one of the most common causes of burglary in rented accommodation. Ensure that everyone in the house is aware of the need to check them last thing at night.
NOISE AND COMMUNITY
Please be considerate to your neighbours. There will often be people living near by who have to work early in the morning, so please keep noise levels to a minimum after 11.00. If you live in a building divided into flats, taking your shoes off when in the flat and not slamming doors can make a big difference to the people living below you! Please bear in mind that repeated noise nuisance is not tolerated.
There are a few simple measures you can take to avoid disturbing your neighbours:
- Position speakers and other equipment away from walls to adjoining properties
- Keep the volume of your TV, radio and music as low as possible, especially late at night
- If you are planning a party, tell your neighbours in advance, you could even invite them. People are less likely to complain if they have been given notice, rather than being woken up unexpectedly.
- Keep the noise down when returning from pubs and clubs
- If you are phoning for a taxi, as the driver not to beep his horn
PARKING
We reserve the right to charge for any off street parking spaces provided (please see your tenancy agreement). This would usually have been discussed with you prior to signing the tenancy agreement. If you want to apply for an on street resident’s permit (applicable to LS3 and LS2 properties only), you will need to call Leeds City Council Parking Services Department. They will send you an application pack out requiring a copy of your tenancy agreement and your registration details. Remember you should be entitled to one resident’s permit and one guest permit per household free of charge.
