MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT

Scheduled routine maintenance each year are as follows. Projects classified as exceptional works such as external/internal decorations are excluded, as are minor unscheduled repairs that will be dealt with as part of a low-level weekly routine. Specific dates depend on availability of individual contractors and are therefore omitted.

Changes/additions to routines, and where possible specific dates for certain activities, will be notified on the main notice board located under the Arlington Arch, and the BQRM Ltd website at www.thebowquarter.co.uk.

CARPET CLEANING
One major clean of all of the estate communal carpets will be carried in all buildings. This will include a deep clean suitable for the carpet type, and deodorisation. Spot cleaning of minor spillages will be carried out as required.
WINDOW CLEANING
Window cleaning is carried out on a bi-monthly basis to all buildings using a combination of ladders, cherry-picker vehicles, and electric cradle for the Manhattan and Lexington buildings. Complaints regarding window cleaning should be notified within five days of completion of published schedules in order for remedial works to be undertaken. The Cottages and Park Buildings (except communal areas) are not included in the window cleaning schedules.
LIGHT BULBS
Internal bulbs will be checked twice per-week in all buildings and replaced as required. Car park levels and external grounds lighting will be checked twice weekly, or replaced when noted. High-level car park lighting will be replaced on a monthly basis due to access restrictions, or more frequently if major failures are experienced.
DOOR ENTRY& FIRE EXITS
Entry systems and doors will be checked monthly for serious operational defect and repaired as required. Minor defects such as closing speeds are checked weekly. Please avoid wedging doors open for access, as this causes damage and has security implications.
LIFT MAINTENANCE
All lifts are serviced monthly, and emergency call-out facilities are maintained with all lift contractors. Lift downtime is dependant on parts. All lift defects should be notified to Security staff immediately.
CLEANING
Current cleaning schedules include provision for:
Grounds & roads: Daily.
Foyers: Daily.
Corridors: Daily Mon-Fri with weekend spot checks.
Manhattan/Lexington only: Chute checks and corridors evenings Mon-Fri.
Bin stores: Daily, with weekly wash down and deodorising.
POND AND FOUNTAIN PLANT & EQUIPMENT
All plant and equipment is subject to regular scheduled maintenance as required. Fountain features are cleaned using chlorine tablets, and children and pets should not be permitted to come into contact with the water as far as is possible. Following prolonged periods of sunshine, it should be expected that algae build up will affect the colour of the water and stonework. Water features will be cleaned monthly using high-pressure hoses where safe chlorination levels are ineffective due to algae levels.
DRAINS CLEARANCE (INCLUDING BLONDIN STREET)
Annual drain clearance and jetting is carried out to all estate main drainage systems. Minor local blockages will be dealt with as required.
BULK RUBBISH - BIN STORES
Bulk rubbish removal from all bin stores is carried out as required. Residents should note that a free collection service is operated by Streetline, who can be contacted on 0207 3643364. Any bulk rubbish removed by the management is paid from service charges; free collections are available to individuals only.
VENTILATION & AUTOMATED SYSTEMS
All ventilation and automated systems such as smoke detectors, electric door closers, fire alarms and emergency lighting are checked and certified by qualified contractors quarterly, and tested on a monthly basis for routine operation.
SATELLITE & TELEVISION SYSTEMS
Maintenance of the main system is carried out under contract at regular periods. In the event of major systems failures, the estate management will arrange repairs. Faults affecting individuals should be reported directly to Blakeglow on 020 88842495. New residents should note that not all flats are connected to the satellite system; details regarding connection can be obtained from Blakeglow.
GROUNDS MAINTENANCE
External contractors carry out grounds maintenance; current arrangements are being reviewed. Contract provision includes:
Scheduled pesticide and weed control programmes.
Weekly general maintenance, watering, and lawn treatments.
Weekly maintenance of beds and existing planting.
Annual planting programmes.
PEST CONTROL
Communal areas are inspected for pest and rodent control on a monthly basis, check baits are in place and frequently checked for rodent activity.
REMEDIAL MAINTENANCE
Where major planned projects are scheduled but not yet underway, remedial maintenance schedules will be implemented in order to prevent serious degradation to buildings fabric. All buildings are checked monthly for potential remedial works.
USEFUL INFORMATION

PLUMBING
Plumbing emergencies: BQRM Ltd is responsible for communal services, including water supply and waste services. Owners and tenants are responsible for plumbing and appliances within individual flats, which are the source of over 90% of all leaks. In the event of a plumbing emergency, the security staff will assist wherever possible by providing access to a wet and dry vacuum, advice on isolating mains supply, and contact telephone numbers for recommended plumbers. The security staff are not responsible for clearing up excess water and their duties preclude them from doing this. It should be noted that emergency plumbers will not normally carry suitable parts to carry out repairs out of hours, and will normally only isolate the mains supply pending a return visit. This can be achieved by the resident in most cases, and will significantly reduce costs to individuals. For immediate assistance or advice please contact security.

Plumbing: general: A wet & dry vacuum cleaner is available from security for residents use in the event of a plumbing emergency. Residents should be aware of the location of their individual stopcocks, which are located as shown below. Stopcocks are normally identified and look like tap tops, rather than the coloured round flat handles associated with heating systems. Please note that some layouts have been modified from flat to flat. If in doubt, please ask for assistance when identifying your stopcock.

Stopcocks in the Park Buildings: Inside the flat above the water heater, attached to a blue pipe. Main stopcocks are also located on the ground floor of each building, the keys for which are held by security. If a major leak is discovered, please ensure the security staff are notified immediately, and that they are clearly notified if the supply has been isolated, or if they will be required to isolate the supply on residents behalf.

Stopcocks in the Manhattan building: Stopcocks are located at high level alongside the silver ventilation ducts in each corridor, except for the fifth floor where they may be found on the fourth floor level. Each stopcock is identified by a numbered red-tag. A ladder is required to operate these stopcocks, and residents are advised to consider having a stopcock fitted within the flat as and when any plumbing work is undertaken to reduce the time taken to isolate the supply.

Stopcocks in the Lexington building: Located next to the brown-boxed hot water tanks. There are two stopcocks; it is advisable to turn both off in an emergency.

Stopcocks in the Staten building: Located in a small ceiling hatch generally just inside of the front door. The stopcocks located alongside the water tanks control the boiler only.

Stopcocks in the Arlington building: Located next to the water tanks as Lexington building.

ELECTRICAL
Bathroom fans: Noisy fans usually have worn bearings, and will require replacement. Fans should be kept clear of dust deposits to prevent overheating and obstruction of the vents. A vacuum nozzle held up to the fan without removing the covers would help reduce dust build-up. Only qualified electricians should carry out any work to fans.

Electrical failures: Electrical failure within individual properties is the responsibility of the owner/tenant. The landlord is responsible for ensuring an electrical supply is maintained to the property and the common parts of the estate. Very few electrical problems have been reported out of hours, except for the failure of fuses. A 24- hour call out service is available from Lockesley Electrical who can be contacted on 0705 0232666 out of hours. Residents are advised to keep spare fuses for emergency use, especially 5-amp lighting fuses. Please note, consumer unit fuses are smaller than domestic appliance fuses, and can be purchased from electrical suppliers. It is advisable to identify the whereabouts of your fuse board (consumer unit) and keep a small torch handy for emergencies. Any electrical fault accompanied by the smell of burning should be referred immediately to the emergency electrician or the security staff.

BOILERS
Park buildings water boilers: These (white) water boilers require re-balancing from time to time, as instructed on the side of the tank. Failing to balance the tank contributes to valve damage, which can usually be identified by water running between the black cups located on the side of the tank or from calcium deposits evident around the lip of the cups. Where this occurs, you are losing hot water overnight and paying for unnecessary electricity consumption. The noise generated by the expansion and contraction of pipes caused by faulty boilers will generate a noise nuisance to your neighbours, often several floors below you.

WATER LEAKS
Bath surrounds and showers: Minor leaks can occur around bath surrounds where the mastic seal is damaged, or tiles are cracked and broken. Leaks of this nature are frequently difficult to spot, but the effects accumulate quickly and frequently damage adjoining properties. A visual inspection of the bath surround will usually be sufficient to suggest a potential problem, and a plumber should be consulted if you are in doubt. This type of leak may be identified by black edging to carpets adjacent to the bath/toilet, or the smell of damp.

Park Buildings only: Braided tap pipes in the bathrooms can burst without warning. If you still have these in your flat they should be changed as soon as possible.

Plumbing inspection: Please contact the estate office for details. The service provided by an independent contractor includes identification and a report of any current leaks, notification of any areas that may require attention in the near future, and appliance, boiler, waste and overflow checks. Where necessary, any minor works such as tightening of seals and washers will be carried out. Whilst this check will not guarantee future plumbing problems will not occur, it will help to identify a range of current and potential problems that may prove costly to repair in the long-term. Please note that if accepted, this arrangement constitutes a private agreement between the contractor and the resident/owner.

To view and print out in Acrobat format click here

(If this will not load and you can't read it then you need to download Acrobat Reader free of charge from the Internet just click on the link below)