General
who is the water supplier for New Hampton Lofts?
Although Severn Trent supply the water to NHL, the cost is INCLUDED in the service charge.
How do I contact the Managing Agents?
Heart of England Management Company Limited, 12 Market Street, Atherstone, Warwickshire, CV9 1ET. 01827 711900 or 0121 286 8869 (emergency 07778 586520). hoe@firstnet.biz
Who collects the ground rent and how do I contact them?
The ground rent is collected by Eyre & Johnson. They collect ground rent on behalf of Hotbed Ground Rents. First contact should be through Eyre & Johnson. enquiries@eyreandjohnson.co.uk Eyre & Johnson 1C Belmore Hill Court Morestead Road Owslebury Nr. Winchester Hampshire SO21 1JW Tel: 01962 777666 Fax: 01962 777668
How do I get rid of unwanted furniture etc?
Birmingham City Council arrange for FREE collection of unwanted furniture, beds etc. Phone 0121 303 1112, alternatively visit birmingham.gov.uk/bulkywaste. Please DO NOT leave unwanted items in the car park or bin chute rooms.
How do I dispose of household rubbish?
If you live in 90 GHS or 99 BS the bin chute rooms are indicated by signage on each floor. Larger items can be placed in the large bins situated in the car park (smaller bins are for re-cycling only-please see “Are there any re-cycling facilities?”). If you live in 91 BS there is a bin store situated in the car park. For furniture, carpets, appliances etc. please see “How do I get rid of unwanted furniture etc?” and help to keep the development tidy.
Are there any re-cycling facilities?
Yes, there are facilities in the car park by the in gates and out gates. Blue containers are for paper and card, green containers are for plastic bottles, food cans and glass.
All day to day maintenance and cleaning issues should be reported to the Managing Agents.
Can I keep a pet at New Hampton Lofts?
The lease forbids the keeping of ‘any bird or animal’ at the property without prior written consent.
Where can I get replacement key fobs from?
Replacement key fobs and car park fobs are available to apartment owners (at a cost) from the Managing Agents. Please email the Managing Agents (hoe@firstnet.biz) stating the type and quantity you require together with your apartment number and contact details. Current prices will be emailed back to you and fob(s) forwarded to you on receipt of appropriate payment.
Why are the recycling bins not emptied more often? They are usually full and over-flowing.
Recycling at NHL is still at the experimental stage with bins currently emptied every other week. Please contact the Council if you feel this is not often enough, the more people that do this, the more likely it is that they will listen. In the mean time they are emptied every other Wednesday, so every other Wednesday evening is a good time to ‘do your bit’! Some extra bins have now been added.
Can anyone recommend any decent plumbers and electricians please?
I used a local letting agency to come and sort out some plumbing and electrical work. I heard about them from a neighbour and was surprised they were happy to do jobs for people who are not their letting clients. The guy who came round was great, did the job quick and the office let me know when it was all done. I think you can lodge a key with them too if you need – they’re called FleetMilne and they’re in the city centre – phone number is 08452 968 688
What can I do if my neighbours have noisy parties?
One-off parties are to be expected when communal living, but there is a ‘quiet enjoyment’ clause in the lease. If you are bothered by excessive noise from a party or parties are taking place on a regular basis, in the first instance it may just be worth having a neighbourly word with the host. Failing that, contact the Managing Agents. They will write to the owner/tenant of the apartment in question warning them of the potential consequences of further lease breaches which, in extreme circumstances, could even lead to forfeiture of the lease.
What does my service charge cover?
Your service charge payments broadly cover: Your water rates (and communal water rates), communal area cleaning, external window cleaning, buildings insurance, communal electricity charges, day-to-day maintenance of the communal areas, maintenance of fire alarms and other systems, CCTV monitoring and maintenance etc. As well as a contribution to a long-term maintenance fund.
External
How do I get access to the communal courtyard?
If you leave the car park via the rear pedestrian gate, take the metal steps up to the courtyard. The gate can be opened with your door fob. Some apartments have direct access from their terraces.
Surrounding Area
Where is the nearest full-size supermarket?
There is a full size Tesco supermarket on the corner of Icknield Street (A4540) and Spring Hill (A457). This is a five minute drive from New Hampton Lofts.
Technical
As our aerial is served by the Sutton Coldfield transmitter and already receives digital signals, there should be no problem with the current infrastructure at New Hampton Lofts. All aerial sockets and cables should still be fine. You may need to re-tune your TV and recording equipment though. If you currently have any analogue televisions (only showing channels one to five) these will need to have a freeview box added or be replaced. For further information about the switchover please visit digitaluk.co.uk
Why does my intercom not appear to work?
If you own an apartment in 90 GHS or 99 BS the intercom needs to be registered to your/your tenant’s telephone number to work. Arrange this through the Managing Agents (hoe@firstnet.biz) email your apartment number, contact details and the telephone number you wish the door panel to contact when your apartment is called. A current price will be confirmed to you. On receipt of appropriate payment these details will be forwarded to the system administrators for processing. When talking to callers you can use 1* on your telephone keypad to release the door. Your communal entrance can be viewed via your T.V. (set to analogue). If you live in 91BS please report a fault as this part of the building has a dedicated intercom/video system.
How does the electricity billing work?
New Hampton Lofts’ electricity is unusual in that we have our own substation. A commercial feed supplies the sub-station and the supply is then fed to individual apartments via sub-meters. On the up side our large consumption usually means that the price we pay per unit is very competetive. On the down side this means that we have to lock-in to an annual contract so are not able to change electricity suppliers or rates throughout the year. Meters are read, and bills are raised quarterly by the managing agents. (There is a one-off charge for any extra meter reading requested). All of the bills are paid quarterly in advance, so they are estimated (based on a set of ‘seasonal trend’ figures). each bill shows a balancing amount for the previous quarter’s estimated usage, and an estimate of your forthcomming quarter’s usage. if your actual usage is below that estimated, any rebate is knocked off the estimate for the quarter to come.
What do I do if the fire alarm is going off (false alarm)?
The emergency number for Vaults is: 07801 496011 (this number is also at the end of their ‘out of office hours’ answerphone message). To re-set the panel if it is a false alarm (90GHS and 99BS only): Press ‘Menu’- Press ’5′ (to acknowledge fault)- Enter the code 5 8 3 9- Press ‘Silence Alarm’
I need a new key for my post box – how do I get this?
If you have a pattern key, copies can be cut at most key/heel bars. If you do not have an original key there is normally a number visible inside your postbox. This number can be used to order online. Try http://www.dad365.co.uk/shop/key
Who knows a reliable and honest plumber to sort out hot water / heating problem?
As a rule-of-thumb, NHL heating systems need an electrician or electrical engineer rather than a plumber (unless you have leaks of course). I have used a company called First 2 Systems Limited in the past and they certainly sorted out my problem as well as adding a winter/summer switch which saves some money. 07931 704211
Parking
Not all apartments have allocated parking. For those that do, the space number and apartment number rarely coincide. Check your legal records or speak to your leaseholder for confirmation of your space number. The Managing Agents also hold records and may be able to help. Please note that there are no un-allocated spaces in the car park but there is usually ample on-street parking for your guests and friends.
