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Resident Caretaker
The Resident Caretaker lives in Flat 2 Delaware Mansions.
Resident Caretaker duties include:
- emptying the rubbish bins
- providing electricity meter readings
- tending to the front gardens
- dealing with tradepeople on site
Duties do not include:
- taking delivery of packages for residents
- fixing problems in flats
Security
- To minimise the chance of opportunist burglaries, residents should not leave the communal doors open and should not buzz visitors in if they are unsure about the purpose of someone’s visit
- If residents see any suspicious activity, they should call the Police on 101
Rubbish & Recycling
Household Waste
Wheelie bins are located at the northern end and in the middle of the road, and paladin bins are located at the southern end of the road beside block 1
Recycling
Council recycling bins are located at both ends of the road
Recycling is collected by the porter on Tuesday mornings from outside each block
There are also other local recycling facilities:
- Westminster Micro Recycling Centres are available for recycling usual items (cardboard, plastic, tins, cans..) and some additionally cater for small electrical appliances, books and mixed textiles. Close sites include Warwick Avenue Tube and Elgin Avenue near the junction with Maida Vale
- Charity shops including Save the Children (11 Clifton Road), Shelter (31 Clifton Road) and Trinity Hospice (158 Queensway)
Westminster Council will collect and remove items that cannot be recycled at a micro-recycling centre. Alternatively you can take them to Wandsworth Council’s recycling centre at Smugglers Way
Organic Waste
Organic waste is not collected by Westminster Council
Cleaning
The front entrance areas and internal common parts are cleaned by a local cleaning company every weekday. There are three cleaners each working three hours per day providing 45 hours of cleaning services per week
Gardening
It is the responsibility of the Resident Caretaker to maintain the gardens
From time to time funds are allocated by directors for extra work, e.g. laying additional bark
Common Parts
The internal common parts were completely redecorated in 2012, and a linked fire alarm and emergency lighting were also installed at the same time
Personal belongings should not be stored in the common parts
Communal TV
There is a communal television aerial system in place providing all residents with digital Freeview TV, DAB Radio and Sky TV (if individual flats have a subscription)
Foreign TV channels, apart from those broadcast by Sky, are not currently available
Bike Storage
Regretfully, despite the best endeavours of a number of people over the years, it has proved impossible to find an area within Delaware Mansions that would be suitable for bicycle storage because of the restricted grounds available.
Residents have to either take their bicycles up to their flats (taking great care not to damage the decorations to the common parts) or to lock bicycles on the street in Delaware Road
Major Works
There is a regular cyclical programme of major works and all elevations are repaired and decorated every seven years to the standard requiredin accordance with the terms of the lease
Windows
Flat windows belong to the individual flat owners and it is the flat owner’s responsibility to repair or replace windows. This work does not fall within the service charge provisions of the lease.
Delaware Mansions is in a conservation area meaning replacement windows needs to match the existing windows in terms of style and construction, i.e. replacement windows have to be wooden sash windows. If style is preserved, it is permitted to replace single glazed windows with double glazed windows
Flat Doors
As with windows, flat doors belong to the individual flat owners and it is the flat owner’s responsibility to repair or replace the door.
New flat doors have to comply with current fire safety legislation relating to self-closers, fire hinges, fireproof letterboxes and intumescent strips. Directors have approved a new flat door, an example of which is installed at Flat 2 (the Resident Caretaker’s flat)
Flooring
The terms of the lease in relation to flooring are strictly enforced and all flats must have fully fitted carpet in all rooms except the kitchen and bathroom. These rooms must be laid with something suitable for such rooms and laid over a suitable sound-insulating material covered by hardboard. Bathrooms can be laid with carpet and underlay.
Renting/Subletting
Subletting flats is permitted at Delaware Mansions so long as leaseholders comply with the terms of the lease. Leaseholders should advise the Managing Agent when a flat is rented out/sublet
Short term letting, e.g. via AirBnB, is not permitted
Buying & Selling
There are minimal restrictions on the buying or selling of flats
Prospective purchasers to enter into a licence to assign