Managing agents
Castelnau Mansions Ltd (“CML”) has appointed managing agents for the day-to-day running of Castelnau Mansions (the “Mansions”). Their contact details are on the notice board in each of the five front stairwells. The agents deal with the general upkeep of the Mansions (cleaning, refuse collection, gardening and routine maintenance). They also collect the service charges from leaseholders. That charge is set annually by the CML board to fund the management and maintenance of the buildings, both day-to-day and long-term against a plan for regular maintenance, internal and external. The agents are bound by the rules of RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors) and ARMA (Association of Residential Management Agents).
Please contact the agents about any building emergencies, any matters needing routine maintenance, if you have any difficulties with their contractors, or if you are planning work to your flat (see ‘Renovations’ on page 9). For all building-related emergencies outside office hours, call the managing agents’ main switchboard for a recorded message of numbers to contact. Or, you can call one of the appropriate emergency numbers listed on the notice board located in each front stairwell.
Fire detection and alarms
CML maintains the fire alarm system in the front and rear staircases which are the fire exit routes. All residents are expected to have read and understood the fire safety instruction in the event of a fire. This is on the notice board in each front stairwell.
The highest risk of fire starting is within flats where appropriate alarms would ensure early fire response to keep us all safe. The building regulations require all flats to have working fire detection and alarms and it is the responsibility of the leaseholders to have these installed and tested regularly.
The Porter
The porter is here from 6 am until 11 am Monday-Friday, and 6:30 am to 10 am on Saturdays. The service is provided by a company arranged through the managing agents. The porter tidies up the gardens, sweeps the paths, takes down domestic rubbish, changes light bulbs, supervises the cleaners, inspects the buildings daily for damage and generally looks after us. If you need to contact him, call him on his mobile phone and leave a message. The number is on the notice board in each front stairwell.
Cleaning
The common parts of the buildings are cleaned weekly by a company contracted by the managing agents. Please notify the agents if you think the work is not being done properly.
Twice a year specialist window cleaners are on site to clean external windows. This service can be used by any flat-owners for a small fee. They will also clean the internal side if requested. You will need to notify them prior to their visit; their contact details are on the notice board on each front stairwell.
The common parts of the buildings are cleaned weekly by a company contracted by the managing agents. Please notify the porter or the agents if you think the work is not being done properly.
Each year in April, specialist window cleaners are contracted to clean all external windows. They are on site every three months and this service can be used by any resident for a small fee. They will also clean the internal side if requested. You need to notify them prior to their visit; contact details are on the notice board in each front stairwell.
Access
The door to each front staircase is connected to video entryphone systems.
Each front door can be opened from the outside either by a fob key or by using a combination code. Visitors will buzz the flat from the outside button panel. The resident will be able to hear the voice and see the face of the visitor before releasing the lock from inside the flat.
Fob keys
The fob simply replaces a key to open the main entrance door lock to enter the building. On exit, the lock is released by the green push button on the wall near the door. The lock does not have a latch lever.
Each flat has been issued with three fobs of different colours (red, blue and green). Your fob keys will operate the lock on the entrance door to your staircase only. A central record is maintained of the issued fob keys, their colour and code. This allows reporting of a lost fob with its flat number and colour to be cancelled on the system and the single fob replaced.
Additional fobs can be obtained through the managing agents at a cost of £5 per fob.
Each staircase, front and rear, has a different lock and the keys are not interchangeable.
Combination code
The outside button panel also has a keypad for coded release of the door lock. This allows residents to provide a code to trusted visitors to enable access to the flats (e.g., guest, family member, flat cleaner).
The system has been programmed so that each flat can set up its own private codes (up to 99 per flat). It is possible to enter a new code for a limited period of use (e.g., special deliveries) and cancel it afterwards. This gives us maximum security with least inconvenience.
To maintain uniqueness of the entry system combinations and to learn how to set up or cancel your own codes, please contact a board member.
Please note the paragraphs under ‘Security’ on page 7. It is very important, for all our benefit, that everyone is alert to keeping intruders out of the Mansions and the gardens.
TV, radio and broadband
Communal aerials are installed in the lofts of each building, and there is capacity for all flats to be connected to them. The cabling runs down the trunking outside each flat’s front door. The integrated system provides digital TV and radio signals, and no subscription is needed to connect to it. It also allows access to satellite services.
New installations of individual external aerials are not permitted.
Virgin Media have installed their ultrafast fibre network to all front staircases. The cabling runs from their cabinet in the street up to each flat’s front door via the trunking between the hallway mirrors. Those wishing to connect and subscribe to their broadband services should contact a Board member in the first instance for an introductory deal.
Rubbish and recycling
Ordinary domestic rubbish is collected by the porter early morning from outside each flat’s rear door – North Block (flats1-30) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, South Block (flats 31-50) on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Rubbish should only be left out on the evening before the collection day; leaving for longer than necessary is unhygienic and unsightly. It also restricts access to the rear gardens. Non-recyclable household waste must be in a strong, closed bin-bag. Anything that could injure the porter must be securely wrapped up, like broken glass. Please do not flush down the toilet any non-dissolvable items, such as wet wipes, surgical wastes, etc; these can clog up our drains and should be added to the household waste bin-bag.
We aim to recycle as much rubbish as possible, and to make it easy to do so, all recyclable waste (currently glass, tins, newspapers and magazines) should be left out in open bags: the porter will sort it, but please leave it clean and in a safe condition.
If you prefer, each block has communal rubbish and recycling bins available (to avoid disturbing other residents, please use these only between 8 am and 8 pm).
The Mansions facilities, and the Council collection service, only handle normal domestic rubbish. Large items must not be left out for the porter, nor put in the bins. If you need to dispose of large items (builders’ waste, removal cartons and debris, unwanted goods and so on), or exceptional quantities of general rubbish, please arrange a special collection with the Council or take the items to the Council recycling centre in Townmead Road, Kew.
Gardens
We are very lucky to have extensive gardens: to the front and rear of the north block, 1-30, and to the rear of the south block, 31-50 (see back cover).
All residents are welcome to use any garden. The garden key opens the gates to both rear gardens. Any leaseholder who does not have a garden key should contact the managing agents (sub-tenants should contact their landlord).
Please use the gardens considerately – by keeping noise levels low, and by respecting the privacy of ground-floor residents: try not to occupy spots right outside ground-floor windows if you can find a place elsewhere.
Ball games are not permitted: they cause damage to the grass and, potentially, to windows.
Twice a year in the summer CML organises an afternoon garden party for all residents on the back lawns. It is an excellent occasion to meet your neighbours – just bring a bottle and some eats.
The gardens are maintained by contractors, who work to a detailed specification and who answer to the managing agents. A leaseholders’ garden consulting group has been appointed by the CML Board to oversee the work. If you have concerns about standards of the gardening or have constructive suggestions for improvements, please contact any member of this group. Their contact details are on the notice board in each front stairwell.
Bicycles
There are four secure bike stores; one on the southern flank of 31-50, a second on the northern flank of 31-50, and two others outside the rear entrance to flats 1-10. Together, these should provide bike space bike space for the Mansions residents.
All bikes in the sheds must display a CM tag. Please contact a board member for a tag to be issued to you with your flat number on it. Your bike must be stowed neatly on the purpose-built rack allocated to you.
No bicycles are permitted within the buildings. This is to avoid damaging the staircase walls and carpets, and if left in the stairwell can interfere with the fire exits.
Parking
All the parking in the roads around the Mansions is in controlled zones. Parking on Clavering Avenue and Riverview Gardens is in Zone B where only residents with permits can park Mondays to Friday between 10:00 am and 6:30 pm. Other roads in the area are in Zone B1 where the restrictions apply only between 10:00 am and 12:00 noon. There are also three Pay and Display bays on Clavering Avenue.
Residents’ and visitors’ permits are available from Richmond Council – relevant information is on their website: http://www.richmond.gov.uk
Castelnau Mansions 