Frequently asked questions about planned work
Your local officer will be able to let you know roughly when work is programmed to begin. Your contractor will send you a letter to confirm the exact date four weeks and two weeks before work starts.
We determined the number of contractors based on the volume of work in the next few years, then grouped homes into defined regions. We reviewed the most cost-effective way to combine the three contractors to offer best value for our residents and Notting Hill Genesis.
We want to invest heavily to make significant improvements to your building; improving energy efficiency, replacing components and improving the look and feel. This means we need additional funding that can only be released through this transfer.
Yes, all our contractors provide employment initiatives to young people, and this can also be in a form of apprenticeship.
Our resident liaison process outlines our contractor communication process. During planning stages, we encourage discussion about pre-arranged or future arrangements to accommodate residents' needs.
Frequently asked questions about kitchens and bathrooms
We estimate that it takes around 10 working days (two weeks) for either a kitchen or bathroom to be replaced. If you are having both your kitchen and bathroom replaced, we estimate it will take 15 days (three weeks).
Kitchens have a range of choices for worktops, units and door fronts, handles and flooring. Kitchen layout is designed and agreed with you to make the best use of the space – we will ask you to sign your agreement before proceeding with manufacture.
White goods remain your responsibility.
Yes, we will replace the complete kitchen or bathroom.
We are unable to replace parts we have not supplied as we have found that this presents problems with future maintenance.
As noted above, the kitchen will be designed to make the best use of the space available – this design may differ from the existing kitchen, and you will be consulted about this.
We do not have any options for this.
Please ask your housing officer to refer this to our surveying team, so that this can also be assessed for replacement.
We advised that we could provide a small temporary cooker (similar size to a microwave) which has two hot rings, a grill and oven. We recommend setting up a temporary food preparation station in another room; if possible, and have the temporary cooker, microwave, fridge/freezer all together.
We advised that the bathroom suite will only be out of use when it is being replaced with new fixtures, although this would only be for a short duration. Washing facilities will be available throughout, although this wouldn’t include showering facilities until the works are completed due to tiling and sealant not being in place.
Generally, we wouldn’t be able to complete part works as this is a full replacement programme. There have been scenarios where requests have been made to retain certain fittings, such as a tiled floor, if we receive a request then we would need to establish if this is feasible, if so, we would issue this to NHG for agreement. If this is agreed, it would be subject to disclaimer being signed.
Frequently asked questions about works to your building
A 2-3-bedroom home is likely to have scaffolding up for 6-8 weeks, with the actual roof being stripped and replaced over a period of two or three weeks. A larger block is likely to take longer, we may be on site for 3-5 months.
You and your neighbours will have choice in flooring, for example whether you have vinyl or carpet and paint choice for communal areas. We work to get consensus via consulting with you and seeking agreement.
Our surveyors and the contractor will carry out a ground-level survey to decide what work is necessary, usually carried out in a single day.
An individual window should generally be taken out and replaced on the same day. Window replacement to a whole flat or house could take up to three days depending on the number of windows.
An additional windowpane inside your home that doesn’t affect the way the window looks from the outside.
This depends very much on the size of the building – a small 2-3 home property is likely to have scaffolding up for 6-8 weeks. A larger block may have scaffolding for longer, up to 3-5 months.
We will carry out a survey to decide whether your windows can be repaired or whether they need to be replaced. In some cases, we will not get permission from the local authority (council) so we will we repair and decorate the windows and if required, install secondary glazing.
We charge the costs to the reverse/sinking funds, if the cost of work is more than available sinking funds, we will bill the deficit via service charges at the end of the year.
Planned investment
As you use your home day to day there will naturally be wear and tear inside to areas like kitchens and bathrooms, in shared communal areas to flooring and walls and outside to woodwork like windows, doors and roofs. To keep your home in a good condition, we replace and repair these areas proactively in a planned programme of work based on stock condition surveys and referrals from housing officers where we consider the age and condition of your home and make a plan about repairs and replacement. This is separate from day-to-day repairs in your home.
We will write to you if we are considering planned work in your home and offer an appointment for a qualified surveyor to come to your home in person so that we can ensure that we are investing in the homes that need it the most. Notting Hill Genesis’s Planned Investment team uses this information to arrange when each element needs to be repaired or replaced, planning in advance to work most efficiently.
Once this visit has taken place a decision may be made to complete work on your property. If your home is included in a planned programme you will receive an initial letter from Notting Hill Genesis setting out what to expect for example, whether there will be scaffolding and the timescales for work to be completed. Where possible there will be information available on a notice board. A resident liaison officer will be appointed for the duration of these works so that you know who to contact about any thoughts or questions you have about the process.
A contractor will be appointed who will be responsible for carrying out improvement works. You can expect operatives working for the contractor to show identification, treat you politely and respect your home. We will consider your individual needs, for example, whether you have a disability, and ensure our contractors make any necessary adaptations.
After improvements have been completed, Notting Hill Genesis will come to your home to inspect the work, to ensure the work agreed upon by the contractor has been completed to a high standard. At this stage, you will be asked for your views. All feedback is useful and a necessary part of us improving the service we offer to our residents, so your participation is appreciated.
Your housing officer will be able to advise you more about any planned work in your area. If you have any worries about the quality of components in your home please discuss this with your housing officer.
Energy efficiency
How well-insulated our homes are is a major factor in how comfortable they feel and their impact on the environment. We developed our sustainability strategy alongside our residents using a carbon footprint assessment which provided a baseline of our carbon emissions and a way of forecasting our expected journey towards decarbonisation.
Our sustainability team is learning more about our homes, and considering which of a range of measures, such as wall or underfloor insulation, or more efficient glazing may increase energy efficiency.