Kitchens
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When will my kitchen be renewed?
When reporting a repair to your kitchen, the following two factors will be taken into consideration:
- Whether your kitchen has been identified as being more than 20 years old and,
- Whether a tradesperson has reported that your kitchen is uneconomical to repair.
Will you be installing a new kitchen in my home?
If your kitchen has been identified as needing to be refurbished, then the information will be passed onto our contractor, who will arrange for someone to come and measure up and draw a detailed plan of the layout of your new kitchen.
You will be asked to sign the drawings to say that you agree with the proposed layout and work. If there is anything you disagree with, please do not sign the drawings. Tell the contractor what you are concerned about and they will let us know. We will work with you to find a solution before the refurbishment begins – it’s much easier to change a drawing than a built kitchen!
Who will be doing the work?
The Group employs our external contractors Q.A. (Ironbridge) Ltd to carry out its kitchen installation programmes.
How do I know that I’m giving access to the right people?
Whenever a contractor comes to your home, please ask them to produce their identity card.
Accessing your property
If you are out when the contractor calls round, they will leave a card with a phone number for you to call to arrange another appointment.
When will the work be done?
We will write to let you know when the work will start.
What do I need to do before the work starts?
When you have been told the start date, you will need to empty the cupboards and clear your kitchen of all your personal belongings. Please make sure that the workers can easily access your home and that the room directly above the kitchen is as clear as possible in case we need to rewire.
Please don’t worry about moving heavier items such as cookers and washing machines because the contractors will move these for you. If you need assistance, please contact the Kitchens Team on 01952 217100.
Other work we may need to do beforehand
The survey may show that other work is needed before we can install your new kitchen. If so, we may not have any control over when this work is done, so please bear with us and we will keep you informed of progress.
- Structural work – a structural engineer will visit your home to check whether any structural work needs to be done and let us know. Structural work, such as moving a wall, is only done when absolutely necessary.
- Moving meters – if your electric meter needs to be moved, you will need to give us your meter supply number. We will tell you where to find this. We don’t need a supply number to move your gas meter. This work can take eight to 12 weeks to complete.
- Rewiring – the surveyor will assess how much of your wiring needs to be renewed. They will tell you whether getting the rewiring done is going to delay the work on your kitchen. It may be possible to do it at the same time.
- Moving boilers – if your boiler is in your kitchen, we may need to check its age and condition before work can start.
- Removing asbestos – we may need to do an asbestos survey on your property. If we find asbestos, we may need to remove it, but we’ll let you know if we need to do this.
How long will the work take?
Following your acceptance of the kitchen design, Q.A. will inform you of the installation date.
What happens during the work?
The contractor will cover the work areas with dustsheets to keep the mess to a minimum.
The contractors will take out your old kitchen and install your new units during the first week. You may be without cooking facilities for a few days, but by the end of the first week you should have a usable kitchen. The tiling, decorating and general finishing will be done in the second week.
What choices do I have?
You can choose the units, worktops, wall and floor tiles, wallpaper and paint colours from a selection. Q.A. will only use finishing materials (wall tiles, wall paper & paint) that has been specified and provided by the Group.
After the work is complete
Soon after the work has finished, the surveyor will call again to check the work for us. They will make a note of anything that doesn’t meet the standard we expect for our tenants, and will pass this on to the contractors to put right. If there are any further issues please report it to the Group who will prioritise accordingly.
Who can I talk to if I have any questions?
Please call the contact number on your letter or ask for the Internal Works Kitchen team on 01952 217100.
If you would like to give feedback, please see the compliment and complaints page.
My new kitchen
How do I look after my new kitchen?
Your kitchen has been designed to suit your individual needs and circumstances and has been fitted with good quality units, designed to last a lifetime. We hope that it will make your kitchen more attractive, convenient and comfortable. You can ensure your kitchen lasts a long time and continues to look great by taking care of it.
Worktops
You have got a really durable and hardwearing work surface that is designed for normal kitchen activities. You don’t need to do much with worktops other than wipe them over regularly with a warm damp cloth. It is fine to use disinfectants but please do not use a scouring pad or powder as they could scratch the surface permanently.
Please do not put hot items directly onto the worktop as they are not heat resistant and may mark. Make sure you use a mat or a chopping board if you need to put hot pans or dishes down on the surface.
Try not to get worktops very wet or leave pools of water on them for any length of time. This may, over a period of time damage the surface or sealants.
Cupboards, drawer fronts and shelves.
We hope that now your kitchen has been redesigned you have a better layout than before. Again as with worktops, wipe over the units and fronts with a damp cloth and warm soapy water from time to time. It is fine to use disinfectants, but please do not use a scouring pad or powder.
Loose fittings handles or hinges should be repaired as quickly as possible to prevent further damage from occurring. You should report these on our repairs line on 01952 217217.
Flooring
Make sure you sweep and mop your floor regularly. Once again, it is fine to use disinfectants, but please do not use a scouring pad or powder.