Scroll down the page to find answers to the following frequently-asked questions:
- How can I get a lease extension?
- How do I apply for permission to make internal structural changes?
- I want to replace my windows — what do I need to do?
- Do I have to comply with the Building Regulations if I do any work in my flat?
- I have an old bathroom
suite (some old carpeting, furniture, kitchen cabinets, a washing machine) to
get
rid of — can I leave it in the dustbin sheds?
- I want to rent out my flat at Queenswood Gardens. Is there anything I need to do and anyone that
I should tell?
- Hull
& Company want to get into my flat to inspect it — they say they
need to check for a water leak.
Do I have to let them in?
- My energy company wants to change my meter, and need to
gain access to the electricity cupboard in
the main hallway. Where can I
get the keys to the cupboard?
- Can I install my own satellite dish?
- Is there any asbestos at Queenswood Gardens? Has an asbestos survey been carried out?
- My flat is affected by condensation/damp/mould. Can I install additional air-bricks to deal with this?
- Where can I find the lessee's covenants and other rules that apply to me?
- I've noticed that some
garages have T-bar style locks on them - are these provided by
Queenswood Management Association Ltd? If not, where can I get one?
- Can I have cavity wall insulation installed in the external walls of my flat?
- I have lost my magnetic front-door fob/I would like to get an additional fob - how can I get a
replacement/an additional fob?
- Where
can I find details of what services Hull & Co provide? If I want
them to investigate a problem
in my flat, will I have to pay them, or is
this covered by their annual payment from QMAL?
- I have an ongoing dispute with a neighbour. What should I do to get it resolved?
- Where can I find information about fire safety at Queenswood Gardens and in my flat?
- Who is responsible for fixing a leak in my flat - is it me or Queenswood Management Association Ltd?
- Do I need to get my fusebox and electric wiring inspected or replaced?
How can I get a lease extension?
All lessees who have held a lease on a flat for at least two years are entitled by legislation to a 90-year extension to the original 99-year lease. The premium payable for the extension depends on the market value of the flat (with and without the extension) at the time the extension is granted.
If your property has not already been granted a 90-year extension and you want to take up your entitlement, your first step is to notify Queenswood Gardens Ltd ("QGL") that you would like a 90-year extension, and then contact Hull & Company so that they can do a formal valuation on your property. They will do the valuation and use it to calculate a proposed premium, using a formula set out in the legislation.
Once the proposed premium has been endorsed by QGL's board, it will be sent to you. If you accept the proposal, then the legal process of extending the lease starts; Taylor Rose MW, QGL's solicitors, will do this together with your own solicitors. When all the necessary documents have been prepared and signed off, and the premium paid, you'll have a lease extension and will be entitled to become an ordinary shareholder in QGL — normally an automatic course of action with the £1.00 cost being met out of the premium you've paid.
In addition to paying the lease extension premium, you will also have to pay the costs of Hull & Company's valuation work, and QGL's legal costs.
How do I apply for permission to make internal structural changes?
If you want to make any structural changes inside your flat — removing partition walls, or replacing the staircase if you're in one of the top-level flats, for instance — you do need to get prior approval from Queenswood Gardens Ltd. Please write to QGL, explaining what you want to do — with a diagram or two if appropriate — and we'll get back to you as soon as possible with our decision.
I want to replace my windows — what do I need to do?
If you're thinking of replacing your windows, you also need to get prior permission. You need to submit a request in writing, with diagrams showing the new window configuration. QGL has produced a one-page guide to its minimum requirements for replacement windows, based on the need for adequate ventilation and fire safety provisions. Click here to download the guide. Please note that ultimately it is your responsibility to ensure that any replacement windows you install meet the minimum requirements. if you install replacements that do not meet QGL's minimum standards, you will be required to replace them with compliant windows.
Do I have to comply with the Building Regulations if I do any work in my flat?
If you are contemplating any building work — a new bathroom, a new kitchen or removing a partition wall for example — you must ensure that it complies with the Building Regulations. The government has published a handy guide to the regulations, which you can download here. Note that as a general rule, QGL takes compliance with the government-published Approved Documents associated with the Building Regulations as the starting point for giving approval for any work needing its endorsement.
I have an old bathroom suite (some old carpeting, furniture, kitchen cabinets, a washing machine) to get rid of — can I leave it in the dustbin sheds?
No, the bins are for ordinary domestic rubbish only. If you leave your bathroom suite/furniture/cabinets/washing machine in the bin sheds, they will not be taken away by the normal bin-men. QMAL will have to make arrangements for the item(s) to be removed and pay a fee, which is much higher than a resident would pay as QMAL is classified as a commercial company and has to pay commercial disposal rates. Ultimately, of course, this fee is paid by you through your service charges. You need to make your own arrangements for proper disposal of all oversize items — there are private firms who will do this for you, or you can contact Redbridge Council who also offer a service (with reduced rates for pensioners) — they can be reached on 020 8554 5000.
I want to rent out my flat at Queenswood Gardens. Is there anything I need to do and anyone that I should tell?
If you have a mortgage, or an insurance policy
covering your flat's contents, fixtures and fittings, you probably need
to tell your mortgage company and your insurer. As far as we are
concerned, you do need to let us know the name and contact details of
your tenant (so that we know how to get hold of them in the event of an
emergency, for example). You also need to let us know, through Hull
& Company, your own new address and contact phone numbers, so that
we can contact you, too, if the need should arise. In accordance with rules introduced under section 3(f) of the lease, you need to ensure
that the lessee's covenants in the lease and those rules form part of your tenant's sub-lease and you need to
provide a copy of that sub-lease to Hull & Company (we're not
interested in how much rent you're charging, so feel free to blank that
out in the copy you send to us). And do remember that even if you are renting out your property, you still remain liable for all service and other charges, and ground rent if it is payable. Should you fall behind in making the necessary payments, your tenants could lose their parking permits — and you'll have to explain that to them!
Hull & Company want to get into my flat to inspect it — they say they need to check for a water leak. Do I have to let them in?
Under
the terms of your lease (clauses 3(h) and 3(i) to be precise) Hull
& Company, QGL and QMAL all have rights of entry to your flat,
on reasonable notice, to check its condition and to do repairs — or
require you to do any necessary repairs. These rights are only used
sparingly, and when there is no other option in, for example,
determining the source of a major leak or fixing some other problem for the
benefit of other lessees. Whilst we don't wish to be heavy-handed, in
cases where a lessee consistently refuses access, or will not co-operate with Hull
& Company, QGL or QMAL, we might bring in a locksmith to gain entry
to a flat where a significant problem is suspected. All associated
costs would, of course, be passed on to the uncooperative lessee.
My energy company wants to change my meter, and need to gain access to the electricity cupboard in the main hallway. Where can I get the keys to the cupboard?
The cupboards are kept locked for health and safety reasons and we do not hand out the keys to lessees or residents. If you need to gain access to the cupboards, you should contact Mick Connolly on 07889 975943. You must give at least two full working days' notice in advance of any work being carried out. That means, for example, that if work is schedule to be
carried out on a Thursday, you need to contact Mick on the
previous Monday at the latest. If work is scheduled for a Monday, then
you need to contact him on the previous Wednesday at the latest. If you just phone him at the time you need access, then you will not be able to get into the cupboards at that time, and will have to make another appointment with the energy company.
Can I install my own satellite dish?
No, individual satellite dishes are not permitted on the estate. All blocks at Queenswood Gardens have an integrated reception system ("IRS") that delivers free-to-air TV (including Freeview), satellite TV and radio signals to each flat through a four-way connector located in your lounge — although you still need to provide a Freeview or Sky TV box yourself. If your flat has not been fitted with the connector, it means that you — or your predecessor — did not take up QMAL's offer of free connection to the system when it was originally installed.
If you're not wired into the IRS and would like to be connected, you will need to contact our authorised contractors to arrange for them to connect you; Hull & Co (01277 500550 or francesca.barrable@hullco.co.uk) will be able to give you details of our current contractor and how to contact them. You will need to explain to them that you want your flat to be connected to the Queenswood Gardens IRS system, and that you're not just calling them to connect your TV set to the aerial. You will also have to pay the costs of the connection yourself, as the free connection period has expired.
Is there any asbestos at Queenswood Gardens? Has an asbestos survey been carried out?
As far as we know, no asbestos was used when Queenswood Gardens was built, except in the black panels on the external walls. An asbestos survey was carried out in early 2010 — the full survey reports for each block are available here. Obviously, we do not know if any lessees have used any asbestos within their flats as a result of any internal structural changes, or in domestic appliances, etc., installed in any individual flat.
My flat is affected by condensation/damp/mould. Can I install additional air-bricks to deal with this?
Generally speaking, QGL does not authorise additional air-bricks except in very, very special cases, when our surveyors, Hull & Co., advise us that this is the only way that the problem can be addressed. The chances that they would be approved are very small, and if you install unauthorised air-bricks you will be required to remove them and reinstate the wall to its original condition.
Condensation is a product of lifestyle. The air we breathe contains water-borne moisture in the form of vapour. The warmer the air the more vapour that can be held. When warm air meets a cold area, such as an outside wall or window the temperature drops and the air can no longer hold all the water vapour it previously held. Water then condenses out onto the cold surface creating an environment in which mould can grow. The “mould” effect is worsened in poorly ventilated stagnant areas behind furniture and curtains, etc. Good ventilation is a necessity.
Windows should ideally incorporate trickle vents and double position keeps. This will enable the windows to be locked into a venting position. The lack of ventilation encourages condensation. When bathing and showering, steam will migrate from the bathroom to the rest of the property, if the door is kept open. Moisture generated through cooking, bathing and drying clothes has to go somewhere and will condense on cold surfaces such as windows and external walls.
In order to mitigate the situation Hull & Co. recommend the following:
1. Maintain permanent ventilation by leaving windows in venting positions.
2. When bathing or showering keep the door closed and keep extractor fans (if fitted) running or vents open until the moisture vapour has cleared.
3. When cooking keep the kitchen door closed to prevent steam migrating throughout the whole property.
4. Do not dry clothes over radiators. A properly vented tumble drier or condensing tumble drier could be purchased to facilitate this.
The situation can also be improved by using an electric de-humidifier. De-humidifiers can be purchased from B & Q and other DIY merchants for around £100 and use approximately 150 watts of electricity. Providing they are emptied regularly they are quite efficient at removing moisture from within the flat to prevent condensation.
When decorating areas affected by mould growth, the growths should be killed with an anti-fungicidal solution, Dulux manufacture one or as an alternative diluted bleach can be used.
Where can I find the lessee's covenants and other rules that apply to me?
You can download the main lessees' covenants, plus rules introduced under section 3(f) of the lease, here.
I've noticed that some garages have T-bar style locks on them - are these provided by Queenswood Management Association Ltd? If not, where can I get one?
The T-bar style locks (they're known as "garage defenders") at ground level on garage doors are not provided by us - they have been installed by individual owners. They can be purchased from, amongst others, B&Q and cost around £80.00. According to the product information on the B&Q website, they take about an hour to fit — and don't require much in the way of specialist skills, either. We do encourage garage owners to make sure that their garages are as secure as possible, but of course, the choice is up to you — there are plenty of other security devices on the market — just make sure that you use something and don't give an opportunist thief an easy life.
Can I have cavity wall insulation installed in the external walls of my flat?
Cavity wall insulation has already been installed at Queenswood Gardens. The work was carried out in mid-1997 in each block. The lessees of all flats were provided with a certificate for a 25-year guarantee, issued by CIGA (the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency). If you have lost yours, or it wasn't passed on to you when you moved here if that was after 1997, then you should be able to get a replacement guarantee certificate from CIGA. You can contact them by phone on 01525 853300, or by email at info@ciga.co.uk - you can check out their website at www.ciga.co.uk
Replacement/additional
fobs are available on request from Hull & Co, who can be contacted on 01277 500550, or by email at francesca.barrable@hullco.co.uk.
The cost for a replacement/additional fob is £25 per fob. This covers delivery of the new fob to an address at Queenswood Gardens; delivery to any off-site address will attract an additional charge. All orders must be
processed via Hull & Co, and payment made to them in advance.
Where can I find details of what services Hull & Co provide? If I want them to investigate a problem in my flat, will I have to pay them, or is this covered by their annual payment from QMAL?
Hull & Co's services are provided under a contract with QMAL, based on the standard RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) contract. We have prepared an overview of what services are covered by the contract, and what services are not, including services that have to be paid for by individual lessees. You can find it here.
I have an ongoing dispute with a neighbour. What should I do to get it resolved?
There
are 158 flats and maisonettes at Queenswood Gardens. That’s about the size of a small
village. And just like in a small
village, there are times when, instead of all being sweetness and light between
neighbours, some friction creeps in.
Causes of disagreement between residents are various. They can be relatively minor, like leaving bags of rubbish or dirty shoes outside your front door, or quite significant, such as frequent noisy parties causing severe disturbance.
All too often, the resident who feels that they are on the receiving end of poor behaviour reports it to Hull & Co or the directors of Queenswood Management Association Ltd, expecting us to deal with the problem. Sometimes we have been able nip the problem in the bud when there was clear evidence of a breach of the terms of the lease. But on other occasions, we have found ourselves in the middle of an argument where we were being asked to take sides without having all the facts at our disposal. This has rarely worked out to the satisfaction of the parties involved. We have for some time felt that we need to find another way forward in settling these disputes.
Our view is that in the first instance, if you have an issue with a neighbour’s behaviour, you should take it up directly with them. Nine times out of ten, this will resolve the problem without getting anyone else involved. If it doesn’t, then you should consider reporting the matter to Redbridge Council on 020 8478 4679 for resolution by their anti-social behaviour team.
If all that fails, then you can come to us. We can take action under the terms of the lease, subject to you indemnifying us for any costs involved. To put things on a proper footing, you’ll need to complete our Complaint Report Form; if you are a tenant, then you will need to get your landlord to sign the form.
Where can I find information about fire safety at Queenswood Gardens and in my flat?
Queenswood Gardens Ltd and Queenswood Management Assocation have a joint strategy on fire safety and prevention. You can find a more information here; you will also find links to various government publications about fire safety. We follow the guidelines on fire safety for purpose-built blocks of flats that have been prepared by the Local Government Association; a copy of the guidelines is also avasilable on our Fire Safety page..
Who is responsible for fixing a leak in my flat - is it me or Queenswood Management Association Ltd?
Individual flat owners are responsible for all the plumbing in their flats, including fixing any leaks. There is no common water supply in any of the six blocks at Queenswood Gardens; each flat has its own supply pipe right back to the mains, via a stopcock that is located in a manhole in the pavement outside the particular block. If there is a leak in your flat, and it affects other flats or the common parts of the building, then you may be liable to pay all the costs of repairs, including any redecoration of the hallways, and so forth. We have prepared a brief note about water leaks - you can download a copy here.
Do I need to get my fusebox and electric wiring inspected or replaced?
Generally speaking, the only time people ever look at their fusebox or electric wiring is when a switch trips; the rest of the time the fusebox is hidden away doing its job feeding electricity throughout your home and keeping you safe from the potential dangers of electricity. If something does go wrong, your fusebox is designed to protect you from the risk of electrocution or fire.
Given that most people rarely pay much attention to the unit and wiring, how can you tell when a fuse box replacement is needed?
There are several reasons why you may need a fusebox replacement with the most common being the age of the fusebox and wiring.
Given that Queenswood Gardens was built in 1971, flats that haven't had their electrics renewed in, say, the past 20 years, may have fuseboxes and wiring that do not have modern safety features. Older electrical systems also weren't designed to deal with the demands of modern appliances. Modern fuseboxes have different circuits to spread the demands that the main circuit has to cope with. This often isn't possible on older fuseboxes. Whilst it's not a legal requirement to have older fuseboxes replaced, it is highly advisable as the older units do not meet the current safety standards.
The best way to find out if you do need a fusebox or wiring replacement is by contacting an electrician to inspect them. Electricity is incredibly dangerous and will continue to enter the fusbox even when the power is switched off, so it's not advisable to prod around and try to check it yourself! Even if your fusebox is a more modern unit, you still may need a replacement if, upon inspection, it is found to be damaged or faulty. You can visually check for tell-tale signs of a fault, such as scorching or damage to the wiring or the box itself - and if the unit has come into contact with water, it's important that it is checked fully by an electrician as water can cause serious damage to a fuseboard.
If you're renting your flat to a tenant, you are required by law to get an EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) at least every 5 years. The general recommendation is that resident homeowners should consider getting an EICR every 10 years; we would encourage you to follow this recommentation. You can find more information about EICRs and how to find an electrician to carry out an inpection at the Govenment-sponsored 'Electrical Safety First' - see their website here.