Kitchen Replacements
The Decent Homes standard requires the kitchen to be replaced every 30 years if it is in poor condition. Winchester City Council endeavour to replace kitchens every 20 years.
Contents
— Kitchen reburbishment
— Code of conduct
— The work programme
— Your agreement
— Contact us
Kitchen refurbishment
This is not an arrangement to be entered into lightly because the work will unavoidably cause significant inconvenience to you and your family as you will be without full facilities for a time. It is therefore essential that you understand and agree to the guidelines set out here before any work can proceed.
Whilst every effort will be made to keep disruption to a minimum you must understand and appreciate that a level of inconvenience is unavoidable and that your cooperation can help to ensure the smooth running of the work. Our contractors will do their best to ensure that you have access to basic cooking and washing up facilities at the end of the working day.
Code of conduct
The Contractor
We expect the contractor’s workforce to act with courtesy and consideration whilst they are in your home. We ask them to take precautions to protect your belongings, fixtures and fittings in the vicinity in which they are working. Whilst they are not responsible for moving heavy items they may do so on request but they will not take responsibility for any damage that may occur. Contractors will not be prepared to move or protect smaller, fragile or more valuable items.
We ask them to attend promptly and honour any access arrangements you may have made with them. All tools and equipment must be cleared and stored safely overnight and rubbish removed daily.
Before the work begins and for your mutual benefit the contractor may take a full set of photographs of any areas and possessions in your home that may be affected.
The Tenant
In return we expect our tenant will also uphold any arrangements that have been made with the contractor including reasonably unhampered working conditions, access at any time during the working day (8.30am - 4.30pm) by arrangement and your general cooperation to ensure the smooth running of the work.
We will expect you to treat the contractor’s workforce with mutual consideration. Any abusive or aggressive language or behaviour will result in the contractor being withdrawn from the site with immediate effect. Please refer to clauses 22 and 23 of your tenancy conditions.
Whilst the workforce will take all reasonable precautions including laying dust sheets etc. where they are working, it would be wise for you to take steps to protect the rest of your home. Dust will unavoidably travel into every room and the contractor will not be expected to clean the entire house.
You will need to empty all kitchen cupboards and pack and store your belongings away from the working area.
Take all necessary precautions to protect you own possessions. If you do not have household insurance, we strongly recommenced that this is something you should consider.
We anticipate being able to contact you throughout the process. If your household circumstances change, if you book any holidays or if you change any appliances please let us know immediately. If we make provision for one type of appliance and you change it without telling us we cannot guarantee that the new appliance will be able to be accommodated, especially if alternative services are required for its operation.
The work programme
Before any works begin you will be visited by our specialist asbestos surveyors who will identify any materials containing asbestos in your kitchen. Once work has commenced the contractor will be allowed up to 10 working days to complete the job. In exceptional cases this may take a little longer. The Council’s Clerk of Works will make regular visits to check progress and on completion he will make a full inspection before the work can be approved and passed forpayment. The standard of the finished work will then be photographed.
The work is not considered complete until this has happened. Due to the nature of the work there will not be a contractor on site all day every day and there may be periods when no one is present at all.
Electrical test and upgrade
Your home will be subjected to a full electrical test which requires access to all rooms. Carpets may need to be lifted and it is your responsibility to arrange for their lifting and replacement as necessary. The contractor may be willing to help you with this but will not be held responsible for any damage.
The consumer unit (fuse board) may also need to be replaced to bring it up to current standards. The new consumer unit will be much more sensitive and will pick up the slightest existing faults on appliances that may previously have gone undetected. If this happens your appliance will need to be tested and repaired or replaced as necessary. The Council accepts no liability for covering the cost of replacement appliances.
Your agreement
Having read and fully understood the information contained here, the Council asks that you consider carefully whether or not you wish the work as described to you during your recent visit to proceed.
Contact us
Phone: 01962 840 222
Email: housingrepairs@winchester.gov.uk