How to….

Over the years we have developed a system of video links to help all our tenants understand and carry out basic functions on various equipment within our properties –

1. How to reset your fire alarm panel download (Crossways Whinney Hill)
2. How to reset your fire alarm panel download (1A and 1B Union Place 14 and 15 Mount Joy Crescent)
3. How to undertake a weekly fire alarm test download (Crossways Whinney Hill)
4. How to undertake a weekly fire alarm test download (1A and 1B Union Place 14 and 15 Mount Joy Crescent)
5. How to use a foam fire extinguisher
6. How to use a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher
7. How to set my time clock on the heating boiler (MTIO)
8. How to Repressurise my heating boiler
9. How to bleed my radiators

Cleaning Tips

Sharing a house with your friends during your time at University is a great experience. However it can also be a challenge when it comes to keeping the place clean. Although the communal areas are cleaned every two weeks, housemates are expected to maintain the property to a good standard of cleanliness and hygiene throughout their tenancy.

Here are some tips for keeping your shared house clean:

1. Set up a cleaning rota

Setting up a cleaning rota is an easy and effective way to keep your house clean. The most important thing is to sit down together and ensure that all the household chores are listed, and that everyone agrees on how they should be shared out.

Aim to clean everything once a week; you may want to set the same day and time for everyone to do their chores. If you do it regularly, it’ll be far easier to manage.

2. Tidy Up Before You Go Away

If everyone is leaving the house during the holidays, tidy up everything before you vacate the property. Empty the fridge and cabinets of anything that might go off, take the rubbish out and wipe down all surfaces, especially kitchen counters. This will mean you won’t come back to a house that has been taken over by mice and flies.

Consider taking this opportunity to defrost your freezers.

3. Communal Areas (Kitchen and Bathrooms)

The kitchen and bathrooms are arguably the most heavily used parts of the house and as such need the most cleaning. Things to keep an eye on are:

4. Individual Areas (Bedrooms)

The most common issue we find on exit inspections is a dirty or damaged mattress. Upon your exit inspection if we decide that the mattress cannot be cleaned, we will charge you for a new mattress – you wouldn’t want to sleep on a stained mattress and the tenants after you shouldn’t have to.

To avoid this we suggest you:

• Use the mattress protector provided. At the start of your tenancy we leave a mattress protector for all tenants in their room. This can be disposed of at the end of your tenancy.
• Do not eat or drink while in bed.
• If you do spill something on the mattress, it is best to clean it straight away to avoid a permanent stain. Consider using a mattress cleaning service – we have used DEW cleaners (https://dewcleaners.co.uk/) for many years and can recommend them.

5. Tips for reducing condensation (and preventing mould)

To prevent mould you must stop the build-up of condensation and increase ventilation into the house. Here we have some tips for reducing condensation around the home, especially when showering and when doing your laundry.

Tips for reducing the energy bills

• Shop around for you utility suppliers and consider a dual (gas and electricity) tariff (Please note, the water is not metered; you pay an annual fee.  Northumbrian Water are the only supplier &  they will send out a letter explaining how the charges are levied and payment options. Please see https://www.nwl.co.uk/tariffsandcharges for more information).
• Read your meter monthly and submit the readings to your supplier – this will stop you being under/over charged.
• Check if your radiators need bleeding.
• Check your boiler and thermostat settings – don’t assume they will be optimal for you.
• To ensure the fridge and freezers are running at optimal efficiency, keep them clean and remove any ice build-up.
• Switch off electronics when not in use (rather than on standby mode).

Safety & Security recommendations

• Lock windows and doors when you leave the property – don’t assume someone else has locked up.
• Do not let anyone into the house who is claiming to be sent by the landlord unless we have informed you beforehand.
• Never leave the washer/dryer on when out – it is a fire hazard.
• Learn how to reset the fire alarm before you set it off accidentally (its very loud, see the “How to” section on this page).
• Know where your STOPCOCK (water turn off valve) is. This information is provided in the induction packs we send. You will only need to use it in an emergency (e.g. a leak) and as such it is best to know where it is as soon as you move in.

Tips when moving out

Don’t underestimate how long it will take you to pack up your belonging and clean the house at the end of your tenancy.

• Start packing and cleaning a few weeks beforehand.
• Begin with sorting through your belongings in your room and the communal areas – will you pack it up or do you need to get rid of it?
• Check the local council and Durham university for any schemes running, including the Green Move Out Scheme https://durham.gov.uk/HelpingStudentsRecycle .
• When cleaning the property do not forget to throw away anything that was NOT in the house when you moved in, this includes cleaning products.
• Consider using a professional cleaning service – ask for a quote when you move in and put money aside each week.