New Home Lettable Standard
These are the standards we aim to achieve for all Great Places homes at the time of letting. All our homes will be fit to live in, safe, secure, efficient and comply with legal requirements.
Your home will:
- Have the meter readings taken and provided to you on your tenancy sign up.
- Have all locks to the property changed with keys provided to you (this may differ within our Independence and Wellbeing schemes).
- Have electrical and gas safety checks completed, with all supplies safe and in working order, as well as non-standard fittings replaced with new.
- Have smoke detectors tested or installed where no detection is currently in place.
- Be cleaned to a good standard including floors swept, and if they are washable, mopped. All sanitary fittings will have been de-scaled and chemically cleaned. Kitchen units and cupboards will be washed internally and externally and left clean. Loft and basements will be cleared.
- Be free from any infestation.
- Be free from damp and mould.
Inside your home, we will make sure:
- The property has adequate heating.
- All radiators are in good condition, free from rust and debris.
- If the property has storage heaters, they are tested and updated if existing dials and instructions are in poor condition or they have severe dints in them.
- There is a gas supply to the cooker as well as an electric point, where possible.
- Kitchen units and doors are secure, aligned with fittings in good condition and open and close freely.
- There is a minimum of two rows of tiles above worktops and undersides of wall units.
- Grout is clean and free from cracks in both the kitchen and bathroom.
- Bath, shower, toilet, and wash hand-basins will be free from major damage, clean, disinfected and in good working order.
- All water appliances and systems are safe and in working order.
- Floor coverings will be non-slip, fit for purpose and free from trip hazards.
- Internal woodwork is in good condition and free from decay.
- Windows and doors are secure, they open and close freely with glazing intact.
- Ceilings and walls are in a reasonable condition ready for decoration. Small, minor cracks of surface plaster will be left for the responsibility of the customer.
- All vent covers internally and externally are free from obstruction, fixed and secure.
- There are no visible signs of mould growth.
Outside your home, we will make sure:
- The structure of the property is safe.
- Roofs and rainwater goods are water tight.
- External paths and ramps are safe and secure.
- There is no rubbish left from the previous customer and bins will all be emptied.
- Garden is tidy and free from rubbish, with hedges cut back and grass trimmed to a manageable level, although this work may be completed after you have moved in as this can be weather dependant.
What you will be responsible for:
- Looking after your new home and returning it in the condition you received it, including removing all belongings and any rubbish.
- Reporting any repairs to us in a timely manner and allowing reasonable access to carry these out so we can keep our homes in good condition, this includes any safety checks.
- Not causing any damage to your home.
- Knowing where your stopcock is and how to use it, in the event of water damage to your home (this will be shown to you on your tenancy sign up).
- Seeking permission to make any alterations to your new home.
How we measure ourselves:
- By giving every new customer a copy of the standard and measuring their satisfaction.
- By utilising our engagement and scrutiny groups to periodically review the feedback and satisfaction of new tenants.
- Knowing where your stopcock is and how to use it, in the event of water damage to your home (this will be shown to you on your tenancy sign up).
- Post inspecting all our properties to ensure the void standard is met before you receive the keys to your new home.
