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Grounds maintenance

  • Cut the grass on our estates every four weeks between March and November (subject to weather)
  • Cut rough grass on our estates in May, July and September
  • Carry out weed control three times a year
  • Trim the hedges once a year
  • Clear leaves to paths from October onwards
  • Collect rubbish on grass and horticultural areas at each visit

For more information on your ground maintenance or to report a problem please use our shared owner and leaseholder contact form.

Caretaking

  • Cleaning, sweeping and litter picking communal areas inside the block and around the estates we manage
  • Making sure hallways are kept clear
  • Carry out minor repairs and report larger repairs
  • Carry out internal and external inspections
  • Reporting large flytipping
  • Reporting concerns of customer safety, welfare or safeguarding

For more information on caretaking or to report a problem please use our shared owner and leaseholder contact form.

New build home defects

The following information only applies if you're in the first year of living in a new build home.

A defect is something that isn't working as it should, for example a plug socket not working or a door not closing. This does not include cosmetic items. A guideline for a non-urgent repair appointments is 20 working days. Once you’ve let us know what the repair is we’ll get in touch with the contractor to confirm a date.

Your home has been through a series of inspections before handover, this can be referred to as ‘snagging’. Anything not noted during these inspections may not be accepted by the developer. Your home has been built to a high standard, but some minor faults or decoration may be present.

If you think you’ve found a defect, please report it through our shared owner and leaseholder contact form and we can check this for you. If your repair is an emergency, please call 01634 565 333.

Communal repairs

The quickest and easiest way to report a repair in your communal area is through My Account.

If you're not able to do this through My Account please contact us.

Building insurance claims

If you're a leaseholder or shareholder and incurred damage to the structure of your home you may be able to make a claim on our building insurance.

  • Please fill out our shared owner and leaseholder contact form to let us know the details of your claim
  • You can call our building insurers on 0161 823 4810 or email protectorclaims@questgates.co.uk with details of the claim you wish to make
  • There's an excess of £200.00 to pay for each claim made
  • You can download a summary of our buildings insurance cover
  • You’ll need to report claims within seven days in the case of damage caused by riot, civil commotion, strikes, labour disturbances or malicious persons

If you have experienced damage to your personal property, you'll need to make a separate claim on your own home contents insurance.

New key fobs

We can provide a new key fob for a fee of £10.00. You can use our shared owner and leaseholder contact form to request a new key fob. You'll need to make an online payment using the following bank details:

Sort code: 60-05-09
Account number: 55357415

Please use your address and the word "fob" in the reference to help us identify the payment, eg. 123HIGHSTFOB.

Car parking

Your lease plan shows you where any allocated parking is provided for your home.

These areas can't be used to park lorries, vans, caravans, boats or trailers. You can't do major repairs to any vehicles in these areas.

Pets

Most of our customers are allowed to have pets in their home, you must register them with us first.

For more information and to register your pet please visit our pets page.

Home improvements

You can do small jobs, such as redecorate or put up shelves, without contacting us.

But, if you want to do any major work, such as put in a new bathroom or kitchen, you must get our permission before you start.

Our administrative cost will be between £66.00 and £165.00 depending on the complexity of the work involved and whether we need a surveyor to review plans for the work.

If a surveyor needs to visit your property with a view to granting retrospective permission, there is a fee of £250.00.

Any work will need to be carried out by a builder with good knowledge, experience and a good reputation.

It may need to reach set standards or building regulations. This could mean you need the right plans and paperwork as evidence of what you've done.

Please use our shared owner and leaseholder contact form to let us know about the work you'd like to do.

Satellite dishes

You must get our permission before installing a satellite dish. Your lease may restrict you from having one.

You can request to have a satellite dish installed using our shared owner and leaseholder contact form.

Fibre broadband

We will need to consider the details of this before granting permission. However, in regards to communal areas, any cables must have:

  • Direct and concealed routes
  • Mechanical protection (not clipped direct) in areas accessible to the public/neighbours
  • Any penetrations though walls must have fire compartmentation ratings re-instated
  • Cables adequately supported to prevent premature collapse in the event of fire
  • Generally comply with BS7671:2018:amd2 (IET Wiring Regulations)

We'll need to inspect the communal area once the work is completed. This costs £250.00 per visit.

You'll be responsible for arranging any remedial action with your supplier. This may require a further inspection by our surveyor.

You can request a fibre broadband installation by filling in our shared owner and leaseholder contact form.

Electric vehicle chargers

Flats
At the moment we don't allow electric vehicle chargers to be connected to individual meters as structural changes may be required to the building. 

Shared ownership houses
If the installation work and eventual installation does not cross any communal land, you will be free to install an Electric Vehicle Charger. We would need to see details of the proposed installation as follows:

  • The name of the contractor who will carry out the work for you, including NICEIC/NAPIT/ELECSA accreditation and their insurance
  • Method statement including drawings showing the proposed work and risk assessment
  • Post installation certification

Wood burners

We don't allow woodburners to be installed as there's a lot of work required to the structure of the building.

Air conditioning

We don't allow installation of permanent air conditioning units in our homes as there's a lot of work required to the structure of the building.

You can use a portable air conditioning unit.

Window installations

Most leases show that we're responsible for the replacement of windows - with a proportional payment to be made by you as the leaseholder. We replace windows on a cycle, based on how long the windows last.

If you want to change the windows outside of our replacement cycle you can arrange this. You must let us know and follow these requirements:

  • The windows will need to be in the same style/shape and position as the windows currently in place. We will need confirmation of the number of windows being replaced
  • Once installed, maintenance of your windows will be your own responsibility, and at your own expense.
  • Once the windows have been installed, we will need to see copies of all the technical literature relating to the new windows, such as the profile, all the guarantees and the FENSA certificate
  • If you change your windows and we decide to undergo a window replacement programme, you'll still be liable to pay the percentage apportioned to your property, as set out in your lease
  • Our fee for preparing the permission and arranging an inspection after installation is £250.00. You'll need to pay this fee up front before permission is granted 

If you wish to proceed with the installation of new windows, please let us know, using the shared owner and leaseholder contact form. You will need to confirm you are happy to agree with the above requirements.

Asbestos safety

Please visit our asbestos safety information to find out:

  • Where you might find asbestos
  • Understanding the health risks
  • If you think there's asbestos in your home
  • Managing asbestos

Please remember, you need our permission before you make any structural alterations.

Fire safety

If there's a fire:

  • Call the fire brigade immediately on 999
  • Tell other people in your home that there's a fire and they need to leave
  • If you can, close all windows and doors to prevent heat and smoke spreading
  • Leave the building immediately if there's a fire in your home or flat. If there's a fire in the building you may need to stay in your home - 'stay put' - depending on your home's fire safety policy. This will be on fire information signs in your block
  • Don't try to put out a fire with water if it involves electricity, fat, oil, or spirits

Please visit our fire safety pages for more information.

Smoke alarms

Smoke alarms can save lives if there is a fire. Remember to test them regularly and put new batteries in every six months.

Water leaks

If your flat has a leak, it is your responsibility to arrange an immediate repair to stop the leak - use a trusted plumber.

If the leak has caused damage to the flat below, please contact the person who lives there as soon as possible.

It's likely you'll need to make a buildings insurance claim for any damage caused.

If your belongings have been damaged you may need to claim on your home contents insurance.

If a leak is coming from the flat above, please knock on their door as soon as possible to let them know.

Boiler servicing and repairs

You must get your gas appliances checked at least once a year. This includes your boiler, gas hobs/cookers and gas fires. You'll need a registered Gas Safe engineer to do this.

If you're subletting then you are the landlord. You must make sure these checks are completed at least once a year. If you don't, you'll be breaking the law.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has more information on gas safety checks.