Housing maintenance

Question 1

Carlton Vale Condition survey
What is the RICS guidance on planned maintenance?

Answer 1

RICS Guidance note: Planned preventative maintenance of commerical and residential property

Question 2

Carlton Vale Condition Survey
What guide did you use to prioritise the works?

Answer 2

I modified the condition rating system that is set out in the RICS condition report to prioritise works:
1) Item has failed and needs to be addressed immediately
2) Item will fail in the next 8 years and should be addressed on the next programme
3) Items do not have any defects.

Question 3

Carlton Vale Condition Survey
What health and safety issues did you find and how did you advise your client?

Answer 3

Within one the flats I found there was significant water damage to the ceiling and the wall. This presented a ahealth and safety risk of falling plasterboard and air quality for the resident. I adivsed the client to issue a responsive maintenance repair to remove all water daamge elements and also complete a leak detection in inviestgation.

Question 4

Carlton Vale Condition Survey
What dcoumentation did you request a part from the FRA and why?

Answer 4

I requested the following information:
- Any O&M manuals or H&S files
- Guaruntees or warranties of works
- Any properties with resident complaints
- Recent repair information
- Asbestos sruveys
This would allow have a hollistic view of the condition of the property before visitign site.

Question 5

Carlton Vale Condition Survey
What advice did you give your client about your survey and the fire risk assessment?

Answer 5

I advised that the items within the fire risk assessment were identified as immediate remedial measures. I would include them within the report and budget, but these items should be addressed outside of the mainteance programme to meet the requirements of the notice.

Question 6

Carlton Vale Condition Survey
Over what period did you format the plan for and why?

Answer 6

My brief was to complete a condition survey and to determine works that would need to be included on the next cyclical programme and those that could make it to the next in 10 years. Items included in my report for replacement were those that were due to fail within the next 8 years, and thereofer should be included in the next programme.

Question 7

Carlton Vale Condition Survey
Why were your inspections influenced by the FRA?

Answer 7

The client had advised me that FRA works were to be procured before the cyclical and did not need to be included on the report. I therefore knew I did not need to include the items within my report.

Question 8

Carlton Vale Condition Survey
What is the current RICS guidance on the period of a long term mainteance plan?

Answer 8

Within RICS’s guidance note of planned preventative maintenance, it advises that a report should be for the period between 5-10 years.

Question 9

Carlton Vale Condition Survey
How did you deal with the M&E services?

Answer 9

As M&E elements of the building are out of my expertise, I appointed a specialist consultant to prepare condition reports and budgets for the M&E services.

Question 10

Carlton Vale Condition Survey
How did you deal with inflation/increase in cost from the date you did the survey to the last year on your plan?

Answer 10

My appointment was not to develop a mainteance plan, but give advice on what works should be included on the next cyclcial programme.

Question 11

Carlton Vale Condition Survey
Were there any lease conditions you had to consider?

Answer 11

No, all residents were tenants at the block.

Question 12

Carlton Vale Condition Survey
What environmental conditions did you include in your report?

Answer 12

I advised the client that all of their dwellings should be meeting the MEES standards before new tenancies were beginning. EPC surveys should be compelted to all dwellings as part of the mainteance programme. The flat roofs to the property were beginning to fail and I reocmmended they were replaced and that thermal performance of the roof would be required to meet Part L of building regulations.

Question 13

Carlton Vale Condition Survey
Did you check to see if your recommendations contravened any service charge conditions?

Answer 13

Service charge was not applicable as there were no leaseholders in the block.

Question 14

Cartlon Vale Condition Survey
Following the case of Rybe V Conway Cartered surveyors, did you look at the grounds?

Answer 14

I completed inspections and took records of all groudns as it was part of my appoitnments.

Question 15

What is section 11 of the Landlord and Tennant Act 1985?

Answer 15

Imposes non-excludable obligation upon landlords to carry out basic repairs
Must keep in repair:
External structure and exterior of house
Installations for the supply of water, gas, electricity, sanitation, space and heating water

Question 16

What is the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018?

Answer 16

Places legal responsibility on landlords to ensure a property is fit for habiation at the beginning and throughout a tenancy
Private and public landlords
Gives tenants the power to pursue legal action if they do not maintain their responsibilities

Question 17

What is the Housing Act 2004?

Answer 17

Legislation that introduced:
Housing Health and Safety Rting System
Mandatory HMO licesning
Additional and selective licensing
Tenancy desposit protection scheme

Question 18

What is a stock condition survey?

Answer 18

Survey of the condition of the clients housing
Allows for priority properties to be identified
Planned maintenace programme and works to be completed

Question 19

What are the two types of maintenace?

Answer 19

Reactive maintenace to repair something that is broken immediately
Planned preventative maintenance (PPM)
Planned works that are typically developed from condition surveys or stock survey that intend to prevent further damage to a property

Question 20

What is the Lanlord and Tenant Act S20 process?

Answer 20

Requires landlords to notify leaseholders for works qualifying works where more than £250 contribution is required
Qualifying works include, repair, maintenace or improvement
Process has three stages
1 Notice of intention, 2 Notice of budgets, 3 Notice of contract

Question 21

For Carlton Vale, how did you determine whether items should be included on the next mainteance programme?

Answer 21

The client briefed that the cyclical programme was 8 years, with the next being in 2
Used a three stage rating system
1) Whether the item has failed and needs to be addressed immediately
2) Whether item is going ot fail fail before the second programme in 10 years
3) Whether item is in good condition and can be addressed in the next programme

Question 22

For Carlton Vale, what information did you request before completing the condition survey?

Answer 22

Any fire risk assessment data
Previous mainteance works
Any outstanding legal disputes with residents

Question 23

On Carlton Vale, what were repairs that you reocmmended for the next planned mainteance?

Answer 23

Replacement of steel single glazed windows, due signifcant draughts
Repair to ashphalt coverings to walkways
Repairs to failing flat roof coverings

Question 24

What are the NHF rates?

Answer 24

NHF rates are a set of rates used by social for responsive repairs
Includes rates and detailed desriptions for the repairs

Question 25

How have you assessed the condition of housing?

Answer 25

The way that I assess the condition of housing is depended on the objective of my client. When I was completing my Carlton Vale inspection I was requried to determine items that were required to be addressed immediately, to be included on the next cyclical programme and those that could wait until the one after. I assess all elements related to the cyclical programme and categorised them accordingly.

Question 26

Talk me through your preperation of a cost estimate or report?

Answer 26

I recently carried out a cost estimate for a mainteance programme in London. I was provided details of properties and the works that were required. I completed a desk top study to understand the type of property that were inclued on the list and assigned a budget to each element of works. The costs were developed via BCIS and the use of previous project costs. I was also able to include likely contractor preliminaries and OHPs.

Question 27

How have you managed the relationship between your client and contractors?

Answer 27

During the SBHG window programme I completed a meeting with the client and the contractor. This allowed for us all to understand exactly the requirements of the project and the information my client needed to receive during it.

Question 28

What is the minimum U value of a roof replacement under building regulations part L for an existing dwelling?

Answer 28

0.15

Question 29

Network planned mainteance
What aws the scfope of the planned mainteance programme?

Answer 29

The client outlined three different work streams for the project:

Cyciclal: External refurbishment works i.e. pointing, decorations, replacement of rainwater goods
Communal: Internal decorations
Roofs: To replace roofs with to match existing structures
Windows: To replace, repair or redecorate windows

Question 30

Network planned mainteance
What budgets did you develop?

Answer 30

I developed a high level budget estimations from the clients stock condition data, google maps and the application of the NHF rates.

Question 31

Network planned maintenance
How did you organise the programme into 3 packages and why?

Answer 31

I organised the programme into potential orders by locality and then grouped the orders into packages by estimated budgets to evenly distribute it thorugh the contractors.

This is due to the client wanting to procure the works quicly rather than over a long period of time.

Question 32

Network planned mainteance
How did you ensure works complied with relevant legislation?

Answer 32

Where windows were being installed I ensured that all windows were installed by slef certified organisations i.e. FENSA or CERTAS registered.

For roofs, I appointed an apporved inspector to ensure all works met building regulations.

All properties were subject to asbestos research and development surveys for the control of asbestos regulations.

Question 33

Carlton Vale
What was the estate you survyed?

Answer 33

An estate of 6 blocks of residential flats with concrete frame and brickwork elevations and flats roofs.

Question 34

Carlton Vale
How many block were in the estate?

Answer 34

6

Question 35

Carlton Vale
What materials were used in the construction of the blocks?

Answer 35

Concrete frame, brickwork elevations, bitument felt flat roofs

Question 36

Carlton Vale
What was you role in the survey?

Answer 36

My role involved surveying external fabric communal areas and a sample of flats to determine works that should be included on the next cyclical works programme. I was also appointed to provide a budget estimation for the works,

Question 37

Carlton Vale
What FRA’s did you use to gudie your inspections?

Answer 37

Before I attended site I asked the client for all relevant property information. Included in that was the FRA’s. The FRA’s had highlighted issues with riser doors and firestopping within risers. I used this information to check if the works had been completed and if they should be included on the next cyclical.

Question 38

Carlton Vale
What condition rating system did you apply?

Answer 38

The conidtion system was derived from the RICS condition system.

It was rated 1-3.:

1) Item has failed and needs to be addressed immediately
2) Item will fail in the next 8 years and should be addressed on the next programme
3) Items do not have any defects.

Question 39

Carlton Vale
What repair recommendations did you advise?

Answer 39

The two main works that I prescribed included the replacement of flat roof coverings and the replacement of windows.

I was able to prescribe the roof works as I had access onto them. The ballust of the roof had degraded, there were areas of ponding and bubbling through out and in some of the flats inspected there was evidence of leaking.

I recommedned the client inspect the windows further to gain a more conclusive view as I was only able to survey a sample of them. But from my sample the glazing had blown and ironmongery was failing.

I advised that both of these repairs would help to improve the thermal performance of the property.

Question 40

How have you applied your knowledge to assess the condition of housing?

Answer 40

I have completed surveys to properties for a variety of appointments.

I apply my knowledge of construction materials, methods and defects to understand the life expectancy of building components.

For example, I have recently completed surveys to mansard roofs of housing stock. I was able to idenfity defects in the flat sections like poor bonding and ballust degradation, and defects in the slate sloped sections, delamination and slipped slates.

Depending on the appointment and next mainteance programmes, I can then advise on the items that need to be included on the programme.