Housing home user guide

Your home has been constructed by Sovereign Housing Association and E G Carter
& Co Ltd.
Your home is owned and managed by:
Sovereign Housing Association Ltd
Woodlands
90 Bartholomew Street
Newbury RG14 5EE
Tel: 0800 587 2325 ……… 24 Hr Textphone: 01635 582 650
Web Address: www.sovereign.org.uk
Your new home has been built as a timber frame construction.
Exceeds building regulations for energy efficiency and sound insulation
Has been approved by the Local Police Authority as being ‘Secure By Design’
Heating and hot water is provided by a Baxi Neta-Tec Combi boiler situated in the
kitchen. The boiler offers high energy efficiency. The heating is controlled by
programmers and radiator TRVs (thermostatic radiator valves)
The roof of the property also has PV panels (photovoltaic panels) which capture the
sun's energy using photovoltaic cells. These cells don't need direct sunlight to work –
they can still generate some electricity on a cloudy day. The cells convert the
sunlight into electricity, which can be used to run household appliances and lighting,
reducing your electricity bills.
A copy of this New Home User Guide is also available in other formats.
includes translation into other languages, Braille, large print, and an audio CD.
This
Please contact Sovereign for an alternative format copy
We hope this handbook will help you familiarise yourself with your new surroundings
and help you get used to your new home, so that you can relax and feel comfortable
after your move
We suggest that you have a read through the whole guide at first to get a good feel
for how it can help you. After that the index will help to guide you to the right
sections – as and when you need to refresh your memory.

The following pages give you some advice and guidance on:
Getting started in your new home
Useful contacts
Reporting a problem
How to get the most from the features of your home
How to operate the heating and other services provided
How to save money, energy and water in your new home
What facilities are available in your local neighbourhood
If you have a problem with your home and an Engineer calls, please give the
Engineer this Guide, it contains all the Technical Information they will need.
Best wishes for happy times in your new Home
USEFUL CONTACTS:
For tenancy or neighbourhood:
Contact your Housing Officer ……………………………. on ………………………………..
For defects and repairs:
Contact Sovereign on 0800 587 2325 or report on-line at www.sovereign.org.uk
In the case of emergencies
This Home User Guide should be left in your home if you move.
CONTENTS INDEX – Condensed Tenant Manual & Full Version
outside normal working hours you should contact 0800 587 2325

Section Title
Page
1 Quick Start Guide
a Water 1
b Electricity 2
c Gas 2
d Telephone 2
e Television 3
2 Reporting Problems
a Defects and Repairs 4
3 Getting to know your home
a Water 5
b Electricity 5-10
c Gas 11
d Heating and hot water 11-13
e Ventilation 13-14
f Drainage 14-15
g Kitchen Features 15-16
h Boundaries, roads, footpaths and communal areas 16-17
4 Safety features & Emergency information
a Windows 18
b Shower and hot water 19
c Smoke & heat detectors 19
d Carbon monoxide detector 19
e Doors and gates 20
f Exterior Lighting 20
g Emergency Situations 20-25
Condensed Paper Copy
(Up To Section 4 with M&E Commissioning Certificates)
5 Environmental and structural features of your home
a Design 26-28
b Heating and hot water systems 28-29
c Lighting 29
d Water saving features 29
e Refuse and recycling 29-39
f Sustainable drainage 39
g Composting 39-43
What you can do 43
h Energy saving tips 43-46
i Sustainable DIY 46
j Sustainable transport 46-49
k Sustainable shopping 49-51
6 ‘Running in’ your new home – the drying out period
a Cracks – why they appear – don’t be alarmed! 52
b Condensation – causes and solutions 52
c Efflorescence – what it looks like and why it happens 52
d Caring for your new home 53-56
7 Contacts, links and useful information

a A list of contacts and links 57-59
b A guide to your neighbourhood – local facilities 59-62
c Local transport 62-64
8 Installation, Operating and User Guides
a Heating, Radiators and thermostats
b Showers and hot water
c Alarms
d Consumer Units
e Door entry systems
f Kitchen appliances
9 Guarantees and Warranties
a Boiler
b Shower
c Kitchen appliances
10 Certificates
a
b
c
d
Electrical Installation Certificate
TV aerial and satellite Certificate
Ventilation Certificate
Gas Installation Certificate
Benchmark Certificate
Energy Performance Certificate
Building Warranty Certificate/Cover Note

THINGS YOU MUST DO:
As soon as you move in YOU MUST contact the various suppliers so that water, gas,
electric and telephone are connected in your name.
These may be disconnected from your home if you do not apply to have them put
into your name.
For your home the contacts are:
Meter Reference
Numbers
Gas Electricity Water
………………….. ……………..
…………….
Meter Number
………………
…………………
…………….
Supplier
British Gas
British Gas
Bournemouth
Water
Supplier contact
telephone 0800 048 0202
0800 048 0202 01202 590059
Meter reading on
day of moving in
Emergency
contact number 0800 111 999
SSE Distribution
08457 708 090
Leakline
08005 878979
a. Water
Your water supply will be metered. To arrange a permanent water supply to your
home you will need to apply to the water company shown in the table above. They
will arrange for the existing temporary supply connected for the builder to be
replaced with a permanent supply for yourselves.

. Electricity
Your home is fitted with a SMART meter from which you will receive bills in due
course.
You should sign up with an approved supplier as soon as possible. Your current
supply is with the company shown in the table above. You can choose which
company you wish to supply the electricity and we advise you to shop around to get
good value.
If you change your supplier why not make a note of it here:
My new electricity supplier
Supplier contact details
Emergency contact number
c. Gas
There is gas supplied to your home and you are on a smart meter, you should sign
up with an approved supplier as soon as possible. Your current supply is with the
company shown in the table above. You can choose which company you wish to
supply gas and we advise you to shop around to get good value.
If you change your supplier why not make a note of it here:
My new electricity supplier
Supplier contact details
Emergency contact number
d. Telephone
Your home has been provided with telephone points in your hall, living room and
master bedroom, they are ready to be connected by your selected supplier. YOU
MUST apply to either British Telecom or another Supplier before you can use the
system and arrange to get phone sockets installed. They will make a connection
charge to supply the service to your home and may charge extra for multiple room
connections. You can choose which supplier you wish to apply to.
You can contact BT on:
0800 800 150 (from a landline) or
0330 1234 150 (from a mobile)
e. Television

A digital terrestrial TV aerial has been fitted to your property and a TV aerial point is
located in the Living Room that will enable you to receive digital and satellite
television services.
Please note that if you are moving into your new home from another area, the T.V.
signals may be coming from a different transmitter than your previous home and
some initial re-tuning of your T.V. may be necessary. All connections are tested and
certificated to ensure that they are working correctly. Should you experience any
problems please check that your cables are properly connected into the correct
sockets and the T.V. is correctly tuned, if you still have problems please contact your
service provider.
YOU MUST ALSO…..
If your new home came with any electrical goods such as a washing machine,
cooker, cooker hood – YOU MUST register the warranty in your name otherwise the
guarantee will not be valid. The documents are supplied in Section 8 of this new
home user guide. Please fill out the forms and send them to the manufacturer as
instructed on the forms. These electrical goods are gifted to you as the occupier.
Neither Sovereign nor the contractor has any liability for repair of these goods. If
anything goes wrong with them during the warranty period you should contact the
manufacturer. If you have not registered and validated the warranty the
manufacturer may not offer any assistance.

SECTION 2 – REPORTING PROBLEMS
Defects and Repairs – call 0800 587 2325 or log on to www.sovereign.org.uk
While every effort has been made to ensure that your home is
free from any problems, faults can sometime occur, if they
do, please let us know If you are not sure about the problem,
telephone the number at the top of the page and we will talk
you through it and make sure that it is put right.
For the first year, any defects that occur due to poor
workmanship or faulty equipment will be attended by E G
Carter & Co Ltd. When you call Sovereign it will be decided
whether the problem is a defect or a repair. If it is a defect,
Sovereign will report the problem to E G Carter & Co Ltd who will make an
appointment to come and fix it. If it is a repair, Sovereign will make the appointment
with you directly.
The defects period does not cover general wear and tear or damage caused by
yourself, your family or your guests. You may be charged for work that is carried out
as a result of damage (including accidental) or neglect, the following guide will assist
you in avoiding chargeable callouts:
Lights not working, or electrical trip - first of all carefully check that it is not
something simple, like a failed bulb or a faulty appliance – See Section 3.
No heating or hot water – is the boiler switched off, or does it need repressurising?-
Check to see if it is something covered in this or the
manufacturers user manuals in Sections 3, 4 or7
If you have a problem with water, electricity or gas, firstly check Section 3
Blocked toilets/drains – Flushing anything other than toilet paper and
human waste through the sewerage system can block the toilet/sewerage run
See Section 3
Doors and locks - keep frame gullies clean of dirt and debris. Lift the handles
fully to seal the door into the frame before locking.
Mould – see ventilation in Section 3 of this manual for more details and
advice

Smoke or heat alarm keeps sounding – check Section 4 of this manual – it
may simply need hoovering or battery replacement.
Fans and ventilation – please check the Ventilation system details in
Section 3 to understand how your system should work.
TV or telephone points – check the quick guide at the front of the manual
for details.
Water leaks – see Section 3 for full details, but to prevent further damage in
a serious leak, turn off the incoming feed at the stopcock tap beneath the
kitchen sink.
Please note that defects reported on a Friday afternoon may not be responded
to until the following Monday. Only emergencies will be responded to over the
weekends or bank holidays.

a. Water
Your water meter is located in the footpath at the entrance to the development. The
meters can be read by the Water Company without the need to enter your property.
The stopcock to turn off the mains water entering your new home is situated in the
cupboard under the kitchen sink
This will turn off all the internal COLD water
Water Stopcock Tap
The company currently providing water
to your home is Bournemouth Water their
customer services can be contacted on
0800 980 8800or visit
their website:
www.bournemouthwater.co.uk
a. Electricity
Consumer Unit
Consumer unit showing red on / off switch on the
left
The consumer unit is located in the hall
The electric within your house can be turned off
using the on / off switch in the consumer unit. –
Please make sure you know where it is
To turn off the power
switch the two red switches to “off”.
Your electricity supply should be left in the “ON”
position at all times, unless there is an emergency.
Do not, for example, switch it off when you go on
holiday.

The Consumer Unit contains:
i. Mains Cut Off Switch:
This is the large switch that can be turned off in the event of an emergency. This cuts
off the electrical power to the whole house
Always check that this switch is OFF before anybody works on the installation.
Remember that electricity can kill. Do not attempt to do any work on an electrical
circuit or appliance, unless you are suitably qualified.
ii. Circuit Breakers:
Each circuit is protected by a residual current breaker or RCD. These breakers are
easy to re-set by flicking the switch back to the on position.
Circuit breakers are generally more sensitive than fuses and may well trip out even
when a light bulb fails, or you are using an appliance with an electrical fault or faulty
plug. This is designed to happen as a protection device and should not cause
concern.
Each of the circuits in your property is on a separate circuit breaker and will be
clearly labelled. When one of the circuit breakers “trips out”, it can easily be
identified as the one showing “OFF”.
To restore power, lift the switch back to the “ON” position.
If it “trips out” again, please do the following:
Turn off all appliances or lights in the affected circuit
Re-set the switch on the board to “ON”
If it still will not reset, unplug all of the appliances on the circuit
Turn back on all of the lights or appliances one by one
If the MCB “trips out” again, as you turn back on an appliance or light, it will
mean that the appliance or light is faulty and is causing the circuit breaker to
trip out.
If this happens, turn off the light and replace the bulb or turn off and unplug
the appliance that caused the circuit breaker to trip and again re-set the MCB,
you will then be able to continue to use the remaining lights and/or appliances
on that circuit.
You will note that this trip also has a "test button". This should be pressed six
monthly to test that it is working. Press the test button, with the power turned
on, and the switch should trip. This indicates that the switch is working
correctly, and should be reset.
If the fault is due to the electrical installation, please report this to Sovereign, during
normal office hours. If the fault is with a normal domestic appliance, the repairing
responsibility lies with the resident.
Please take care to ensure that any electrical appliance you use is suitable for
connection to a 240 volt 50 cycle AC supply. Ensure it is safe and in good
working order and that a fuse of an appropriate rating is installed in the plug of
the appliance. If you have any doubts about any appliance you should seek
advice from a qualified electrician.
Electric meter
The electric meter for your home is located on the external wall of your house within
an electric meter box.

Smart Meter
See all of your energy usage at a glance
To start your monitor, tap the screen.
After a few seconds, the home page will
appear and you’ll be
able to see how much energy you’re
using as you use it. Simply move your
finger across the screen
to navigate, customise and control the
main display and its features.
1. Select a fuel type – see the energy
you’re using, as you use it, in kWh by fuel type:
Dual Fuel, Gas or Electricity. Just tap the icons to switch between views.
2. Energy traffic lights - The light-bar always shows your ‘energy use now’ and
changes colour to indicate current consumption. Green indicates low energy
load, amber a higher level of load and red higher still. These lights are active
at all times, both pulsing and changing colour.
3. Time and temperature – the right time and date will automatically be displayed
throughout the year. The temperature shown indicates the room temperature
where the monitor is kept.
4. Your measurements – See your energy usage either in pounds and pence,
kWh or CO 2 Use (kilograms) only over time and as a percentage of any
targets you’ve set.
5. Track your energy – Set yourself a daily energy usage target in either pounds
and pence or kWh, using the menu options, then the red pointer will show you
how you’re doing. The colours on the counter show if you’re within your
energy target ‘t’. White segments = less than target, amber = near target, red
= target exceeded.
6. Sleep mode – To save energy, the monitor will go to sleep when not in use
and only the traffic light display will operate. Touch the screen to wake it up.
7. Messages – British Gas can send you messages via your monitor. The
message icon indicates an unread message. To read the message, go to
menu then select messages.
8. Signal – this shows the signal strength between the monitor and your
electricity smart meter.
9. Power – Remember to plug your monitor into the mains. It can also be
temporarily powered by 4 x AAA batteries, but only for a maximum of 72
hours.
10. Carousel options – The main carousel in the centre of the screen displays
your energy usage by fuel and measurement types, like pounds and pence.
Just swipe your finger to customise your view.
Your smart energy monitor is an easy to use touch-screen device that works
wirelessly with your smart meters, so you can keep an eye on your energy usage
and choose to be more efficient.

Under the menu section you can see all of the features below which will help you
make the most of the monitor in order to save energy and money. You can also
change the monitor settings at any time so you can see what works best for you
and your home.
See your history
By viewing your energy usage history, you can compare what you’re using now to what
your were using within the previous hour, day, week or month. So you’ll know how your
energy usage changes over time.
View your bills
Under the menu section you can also view your latest meter readings at the touch of a
button – these are sent to British Gas automatically and you can be confident that your
bills are accurate.
Set your targets
Setting yourself a target can really help you manage your energy usage. You can
choose your own target in pounds or kWh, based on how many bedrooms you have, or
your type of fuel. Your target will be clearly displayed on the home screen with a ‘t’ symbol.
Understand your tariff
It’s about control: press this icon and you’ll see the price of the tariff you’re currently on,
what your energy is costing you, and a countdown timer to any upcoming rate change.
If you see a flashing ‘!’ symbol in the left hand corner of the homepage, it means your tariff is
about to change.
Answers to some of your most common questions:
Q. How are my meter readings sent to British Gas?
A. British Gas record meter readings from your smart meter for each half hour of the
day and these are sent to us once every 24 hours automatically by GPRS. British
Gas can turn these readings into useful information for you, as well as use them to
provide you with accurate bills. For more details about how British Gas use this
information, please see their Customer Charter – britishgas.co.uk/smartmeters.
Q. If I unplug my smart energy monitor, will any data be lost?
A. No. Because of the way it connects to your electricity meter for the data, if your
smart energy monitor is unplugged it will automatically catch up when it is plugged in
again.
Q. Will my smart energy monitor accurately reflect my energy tariff?
A. It’s a close indicator. Because of the way your tariff works, there will be slight
fluctuations in the energy costs shown per kilowatt over the course of each quarter.
This is completely normal and is explained in your existing terms and conditions.
Q. What if my smart energy monitor shows low signal strength?
A. Don’t worry, simply moving it closer to your electricity meter (not your gas meter)
will strengthen it, as this is where the signal is generated.
Q. How do I read my meters directly?
A. You don’t need to. Gas and electricity meter readings are automatically sent to
British Gas every day. Your electricity meter reading is shown by default. Should
you wish to read your gas meter manually press the red button marked ‘A’ to switch
on the meter display and then press ‘A’ once again.

If you would like any more information visit
britishgas.co.uk/smarthomes or call 0800 980 6121
Lighting & Wall Sockets
External wall lights are located outside the front door and the patio
doors. They are operated by on/off switches in the entrance hall and
lounge respectively.
There is a light switch in the lounge to control the rear external light
and one in the hall to control the one adjacent to the front door
A shaver point is located in the bathroom near the wash basin
Bathroom light switch
Telephone socket
Television Aerial Socket
Future Stair Lift
At the top of the stairs you will see a fused spur
labelled ‘Lift’. This is for use if a stair lift is required
at any point in the future and agreed by HA.
There should be no need for you to touch this switch.
The loft includes a light which is switched from the
landing.
The company currently providing electricity to your home is British Gas, their
customer services can be contacted on 0800 048 0202 or visit their website:
www.britishgas.co.uk

. Gas
The Gas Meter box is located in the ground box
outside of you home. This also, as the name
suggests contains the Gas Meter. The Meter box
can be opened using the Meter box key provided
as part of your handover pack.
The Gas supply can, if necessary, be turned off.
This is carried out by turning the lever located in the
Gas Meter box, until it is at 90 degrees (across) to the
pipe that it is on. The gas pipe is labelled accordingly.
Gas pipework internally feeds:
a. The central heating boiler
b. Provision for a gas cooker
Note: there is no provision for a Gas Fire in the Living Area.
Please note that only British Gas and GAS SAFE registered plumbers are permitted
to work on or alter gas fittings.
The company currently providing gas to your home is British Gas, their
customer services can be contacted on 0800 048 0202 or visit their website:
www.britishgas.co.uk
c. Heating and hot water
Heating
All the relevant information for the operation of the Central Heating system can be
found in the User Manual in Section 7 of this Guide.
Re-pressurising Boilers:
Every pressurised system, regardless of the type of boiler (combination boiler or
standard system), will incorporate a pressure gauge which you can read. This
pressure gauge is the device with which the system
water pressure in your boiler and radiators is
monitored.
To maintain the system in a healthy condition
the pressure gauge should be checked
monthly. If when you check it, you find that
the system pressure has fallen please contact
Sovereign Housing Association.
Your central heating system manual will advise of
the pressure that your system runs at.
Most systems should be pressurised to between 1 and 1.5 bar.

To top up your system and increase the pressure, you will need to use the filling
loop. This is located beneath the boiler, it most usually resembles a stop tap which
is connected by a metal hose.
To fill the system, use the tap you have located to open and close the filling loop.
When the tap is opened it will allow fresh water to flow into your Central Heating
system. As this happens you will hear the water passing through the valves into the
system. It is recommended that you open the valve slowly to allow the system to fill
up gradually. When you do this a steady increase in pressure will be seen on the
pressure gauge in the same way as you would see an increase on a car tyre gauge if
you were inflating a tyre.
If you cannot see your pressure gauge while filling the system it is a good idea to
have a friend look at it for you while you are turning the tap. When the
recommended pressure is reached close the valve by turning it in the opposite
direction to which you opened it.
There is no need to worry if your system does accidentally become over pressurised.
All modern systems are designed with safety in mind and a pressure safety valve is
incorporated into the plumbing. This acts like an overflow pipe releasing the excess
pressure and allowing the system to revert to the recommended levels.
The safety valve may make a noise as it releases this excess pressure sounding like
a thumping noise, again do not worry, this sound will stop when the system pressure
reduces to a lower level.
Thermostats
The temperature for upstairs and downstairs can be
controlled individually by using the thermostats which are
located in the ground floor hallway and the main bedroom.
Radiators
If you discover that a radiator is only partially heating up,
then it may need bleeding of any trapped air. Contact
Sovereign maintenance as the system may need
re-pressurising following this.
TRV’s
Thermostatic radiator valves are fitted to your radiators.
These valves can be used by turning the head to control the

temperature in an individual room.
Tubular Heater
A tubular heater is located in the airing cupboard.
The on/off switch is
located in adjacent
bedroom.
Hot Water
The hot water is
provided from the boiler.
All the relevant information for the operation of the hot
water system can be found in Section 7 of this Guide.
e. Ventilation
Ventilation of your home is important
A gap should be left under the internal doors and above the floor coverings to allow
circulation of air.
Ventilation in your home is controlled in several ways. Firstly, some of your windows
have trickle ventilation as indicated in the picture.
Vent closed
Vent open

The opening part of the window, or
casement, can also be partially opened
and locked in position allowing further
ventilation
Further ventilation is available through the
extract fan provided in the kitchen, bathroom
and cloakroom (where no window). Should you wish to have the
fans re-set to operate at a predetermined level of humidity you
will need to refer to Sovereign.
The fans can be Isolated if required. The isolation switches are located in the room
or in the case of the bathroom over the door outside the room.
The switches are labelled.
Kitchen Fan
Kitchen Fan Controls
f. Drainage
Mains Drainage:
Should a drain blockage become evident in the Drainage system, it is important that
you contact the Housing Association as soon as possible.
The drains to your new home are connected to the Public Drainage system. As such,
they are adopted by the Local Authority at the end of the 12 month maintenance
period. Following the 12 month inspection, any problems relating to the drains should
be referred to the Local Authority.
Please note, the majority of household blockages are caused by household
waste, such as, Disposable Nappies, Solidified Fats, etc., and therefore care
should be taken to ensure that none of these are allowed to enter the drainage
system.

BIN IT – DON’T BLOCK IT
Here are five top tips to keep your drains flowing.
Love your loo: Make sure that only wastewater, toilet tissue and human waste goes
down your drains and into the sewer.
Bin it - don't block it: Wrap up sanitary products, nappies, wet wipes, cotton buds,
dental floss and condoms and put them in the bin.
Think - not in the sink! After cooking, fat, oil and grease should be left to cool- it can
then be disposed of in the bin or mixed with seeds and nuts to make a feeder for
birds.
Chemicals, solvents, engine oil and paint should be taken to your local refuse site.
Medicines, tablets, syringes and needles should be taken to your pharmacist, local
hospital or health authority for safe disposal.
‘Flushable’ Products?
Even items that are marketed as ‘flushable’ or ‘biodegradable’ contribute to
blockages. Although these items disappear when you flush your loo, they do not
break down in the sewers, as they take a number of years to disintegrate.
If you allow solidified fats, or household waste into the drainage system and
cause a blockage you will be charged for the clearance of the drains.
g. Kitchen Features
Facilities are available for connecting a washing machine, a
fridge and an electric cooker.
The on/off operating switches are all identified above the
worktops.
Cooker Switch
Plug in power sockets for these appliances are located under
the worktops in the spaces allowed for them
Cooker– depending on the type of cooker, it can be either
hard wired or plugged in (e.g. microwave). Hard wiring
would be normal. Due to the high power rating of cookers it
is vital that any hard wiring must be carried out by a
qualified and competent electrician.
Your home is also fitted with a gas cooker point in the
kitchen. A gas cooker must only be fitted by a registered
GAS SAFE engineer. It is not simply a case of turning off
the gas, plugging the cooker in and turning the gas back on.

Hard wiring Electrical
Connection below worktop level
Gas cooker connection point
below worktop level
Washing Machine
Under the sink can be found the hot
and cold water feeds, and the waste
fitting for the connection of the washing
machine. It is important to fit these
connections securely, and to ensure
that no leaks occur that may cause the
deterioration of the kitchen unit. We
recommend that a qualified engineer
carries out the washing machine
installation; a bad job can result in a
flooded kitchen.
Feed pipework and drainage for washing
machine and water stop cock.
h. Boundaries, roads, footpaths and communal areas
Boundaries
The boundaries of your house are well defined by walls, fencing or vegetation. Any
queries relating to them should be addressed to Sovereign.
Estate Roads, Parking Bays & Footpaths
The entrance road into the site and the footpaths are NOT adopted by the Local
Authority. All issues relating to them should be addressed directly to Sovereign. The
Parking Bays are also the responsibility of Sovereign.
Common Areas
Sovereign will maintain the common areas within the site boundaries. This excludes
areas which are adopted by the Council and garden areas which are fenced off or

are dwelling specific. Should you have any queries relating to this, you should
contact Sovereign direct.
Landscaped Areas
The landscaped areas are a communal facility and will be maintained by Sovereign.
They form part of the planning conditions for the project and as such should not be
interfered with.
Gardens
The garden is yours to maintain and enjoy. It includes a shed and cycle storage.

a. Windows
All upper floor windows are fitted with restrictors which limit how far the window can
be opened under normal circumstances.
Restrictor engaged
Restrictor disengaged
The window can be opened further by manually disengaging the
restrictors. Once opened the window can be moved into a position
where the outside face of the glazing can be cleaned from within
the room.
To move the window into this position, you will need to depress the
purple plastic fittings located at the top and bottom of the window
frames and slide them along.

IMPORTANT NOTE: - The windows when fully opened will provide an
alternative means of fire escape. You should familiarize yourselves with this
to save time in the event of an emergency.
b. Shower and hot water
To meet Building Regulations, your hot water taps are fitted with a thermostatic
mixing valve (TMV) which is a valve that blends hot water with cold water to ensure
constant, safe shower and bath outlet temperatures, preventing scalding. The
temperature is pre-set to start blending at 48 degrees producing a water temperature
between 42– 44 degrees. This may be cooler than you are used to if you have
moved from an older property.
c. Smoke and heat detectors
The house is fitted with the following detection/alarm units:
A heat detector/alarm is fitted in the kitchen
.
Smoke detectors/alarms are fitted in the ground floor lobby and first floor
landing
These alarms are interlinked so that if a problem is detected in one area the
alarm will sound in both areas. The units have a battery back up in the event
of a mains failure.
See Section 2 for faults and Section 8 of this manual for user guides
Heat Detector
Smoke Detector
d. Carbon monoxide detector
A carbon monoxide detector is fitted in the kitchen

e. Doors and gates
Entrance doors are designed to Secured By Designs standards. This gives a high
degree of security.
Doors can be locked from the inside without a key.
If you close the door from the outside be aware it will lock and you will require a key
to gain entry. This is a security feature.
Keys will be issued to you, if you lose your keys or to obtain further keys you will
need to contact the Housing Association.
To ensure doors are sealed against weather and to fully engage the lock, be sure to
raise the handle fully.
Your shed has been provided with a hasp and staple lock with padlock, as has the
gate to your garden.
Communal gates, bin stores etc will need to be accessed by an electronic code
which will be issued to you.
f. Exterior lighting
Exterior lights which work on sensors have been installed as a safety feature. They
will only activate after dusk and by motion sensor.
g. Emergency Situations
Where to turn it off
Turn off the WATER using the stop cock under the kitchen sink.
:Turn off the ELECTRIC in the consumer unit located in the hall
Turn off the GAS in the meter box located against the front wall of the
property.
Water
Electric
Gas
Thames Water
Emergency Number – Leakline 0800 714 614
SSE Distribution (providing electricity to your supplier)
Emergency Number – 08457 708 090
National Gas
Emergency Number – 0800 111 999

If you smell gas:
Open all doors and windows to ventilate the property.
Do not turn on/off any naked electrical switches
Extinguish all naked flames, do not smoke, strike matches or do anything
which could cause ignition.
If there are any electrical security entry phones/locks, please open door
manually.
In the event of a FIRE:
If a fire starts inside your home the most important thing to remember is to get
out, stay out and dial 999.
If the smoke or heat alarm goes off or you discover a fire in your home, alert
everyone, follow your escape plan and get out of the building.
Make an escape plan and practice it regularly so all the family are aware what
to do.
The best route is the normal way in and out of your home
Plan for a second route in case the first one is blocked
Keep door and window keys where everyone you live with can find them
Make sure the way in and out of your home is kept clear of anything that may
slow down your escape
Review your plan if your circumstances change
Make sure everyone that lives in the house knows the escape plan
What to do if there is a fire in your home:
If your smoke alarm goes off, never assume it is a false alarm
Shout out to alert others in the home
Don't waste time investigating what's happened or rescuing valuables
Don't put yourself and others in danger by tackling fires yourself
Keep calm and get out
Close doors behind you to slow down the spread of fire and smoke
Before you open a door, check if it's warm with the back of your hand. If it is,
don't open it, there may be fire on the other side
If there's smoke, keep low where the air is cleaner
Call 999 as soon as it is safe to do so
Never go back into the building once you are safely outside, if someone is still
inside tell firefighters when they arrive – they will be able to find the person
quicker and more safely than you.

Teach your children what to do if there is a fire:
If you see smoke or fire, raise the alarm and tell a grown up immediately
Get out of the building as soon as possible. Go to the house next door if you
can and ask them to call 999
If there is smoke in the room, crawl low along the floor
Never hide in a cupboard or under the bed. Do all you can to raise the alarm
and get out
If the way out is blocked, go into a room with a window and put blankets or
towels at the bottom of the door to stop smoke getting in. If there is a phone in
the room, dial 999, otherwise open the window and shout for help
Don’t go back into the building, not even for pets
Escaping from a window:
You should only try and escape through a window if on the ground or first
floor, and your escape route is blocked.
Throw bedding or other soft materials onto the floor below the window to
break your fall
Don’t jump out of the window – lower yourself down to arm’s length and drop
to the ground
If you have any children, elderly or disabled people in the home, plan the
order you will escape in so that you can help them out.
Your windows are fitted with disengaging restrictors which
will
Enable the windows to fully open as an alternative means
of fire escape. You should familiarize yourselves with this
to save time in the event of an emergency.
For more information on fire procedures or your local FIRE
service. Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service - visit
www.rbfrs.co.uk
Your nearest Fire Station is:
Hungerford Fire Station
Church Street
Hungerford
Berkshire
RG17 0JG
IN AN EMERGENCY CALL 999 DO NOT CONTACT YOUR LOCAL STATION

In the event of a Crime
Your local POLICE service is: Thames Valley Police
For details of the service and your neighbourhood, visit www.thamesvalley.police.uk
Your district neighbourhood service is Hungerford & Lambourn.
Lambourne Information Point:
17a High Street, Lambourn, RG17 8XL
In an emergency please telephone 999.
If you are deaf, deafened, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment, a text
phone is available on 18000.
You should only use these numbers if:
A crime is happening right now.
Someone is in immediate danger, or there is a risk of serious damage to property.
A suspect for a serious crime is nearby.
There is a traffic collision involving injury or danger to other road users.
For all other non-emergency calls to the police in England, Scotland, Wales or
Northern Ireland please telephone 101.
If you are deaf, deafened, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment, a text
phone is available on 18001 101.
You should use these non-emergency numbers to:
Report a crime not currently in progress - for example a stolen car, burglary, or
damaged property.
Report a minor traffic collision.
Give information to the police about crime in your area.
Speak to the police about a general enquiry.
Contact a specific police officer or member of staff.
If you wish to report a crime anonymously contact:
Crimestoppers UK - Tel: 0800 555 111 or go online to www.crimestoppers-uk.org
If English is not your main language don’t worry, you can still call on the above
number.

If you need MEDICAL Treatment
Only call 999 or go to the Accident & Emergency Department (A&E) in a
genuine life-threatening emergency, such as:
loss of consciousness
acute confused state and fits that are not stopping
persistent, severe chest pain
breathing difficulties
severe bleeding that cannot be stopped
Your nearest Accident & Emergency Department is:
The Great Western Hospital
Marlborough Road
Swindon
Wiltshire
SN3 6BB
Tel: 01793 604020
Driving Directions (Bing maps) from RG17 0DJ to SN3 6BB
Approx 17.1miles - 23mins
1. Leave Northview toward Fairview Road
2. Turn Left onto Fairview Road 201ft
3. Left on to Park Street 0.2 mi
4. Turn Right onto A338/High Street 0.1 mi
5. Turn Right onto A4/Charnham Street 0.3 mi
6. At roundabout take 2 nd exit 0.1mi
7. Turn Left onto A338/Eddington Hill 0.1mi
8. At roundabout take 1 st exit on to sliproad 2.7mi
9. Merge on M4 0.3mi
10. At Junction 15, take sliproad left to A346/A419 towards
11.5mi
Marlborough/Swindon
11. At roundabout take 3 rd exit onto A419/Marlborough Road 0.3mi
12. At Junction Commonhead, take sliproad left to A4259 toward 0.7mi
Swindon/Aldbourne
13. Merge onto A4259/Marlborough Road 0.4mi
14. Turn Left on to road 0.2mi
15. Enter roundabout 438ft
16. Exit roundabout at 2 nd exit 137ft
17. Keep straight on to Coatside Way 95ft
18. Bear left onto road 0.2mi
19. Arrive at Destination 127ft

Urgent care centres can provide a variety of services and are an alternative to A&E
in non-life threatening situations. However, not all urgent care centres provide the
same services. You can also call NHS 111 for advice.
Your nearest Urgent Care Department is:
West Berkshire Community Hospital
London Road,
Benham Hill
Thatcham
Berkshire RG18 3AS
Tel: 01635 273300
Driving Directions (Bing maps) from RG17 0DJ to RG18 3AS
Approx 10.7 miles - 19mins
1 Leave Northview toward Fairview Road
2 Turn Left onto Fairview Road 201ft
3 Left on to Park Street 0.2 mi
4 Turn Right onto A338/High Street 0.1mi
5 Turn Right onto A4/Charnham Street 0.3mi
6 Pass through 4 roundabouts, remaining on A4 0.1mi
7 Bear Left and then turn Right on to A339/Western Avenue 8.5mi
8 Turn Left on to A4/London Road 0.2mi
9 At roundabout take 2 nd exit 0.6mi
10 Keep Left on to Rooke’s Way 0.5mi
11 Arrive at RG18 3AS 0.1mi

a. Design
The Main Fabric:
External Walls
The external walls are constructed in Traditional Masonry, Brick and Block Cavity
Wall Construction.
Internal partition walls
The internal partition walls are constructed from either metal frame studwork or
masonry block. The masonry block walls are load bearing.
All walls have been covered with Plasterboard. The plasterboard is about 12 - 15mm
thick.
The plasterboard has been fixed to the masonry walls via plaster adhesive and direct
to the metal frame. All walls are finished with Plaster Skim.
Ground floors
The ground floors are constructed using precast concrete beams with insulation fixed
on top of the beams. A concrete screed is laid on top of the insulation.
Upper floors
The upper floors are constructed in timber
The roof
The roofs are constructed in timber. The roof coverings are tiles.
Stairs and landings
The stairs and landings are constructed in timber

Ceilings
The ceilings are constructed using plasterboard. They are plastered and decorated
Insulation.
The house is thermally insulated to a high standard
Air tightness.
The house is constructed to a high standard of air tightness. Unless you leave a
window or your entrance door open, the dwelling will not be draughty
Fixings – How to Do It
Please be aware that in particular, the wiring from switches and sockets run upwards
and downwards in the wall in a vertical line behind the plasterboard.
It is therefore recommended that an area approx.. 150mm (6”) on either side of the
switch/socket is avoided when using fixings.
It is recommended that a Cable Tracker, available from most DIY shops, be used to
identify the position of all cables/pipes. Please note however, that the major
pipework in your home is made of plastic that cannot be detected by a cable tracker.
The system relies on 15mm or 22mm plastic pipework between fittings/equipment (in
the Airing Cupboard these are visible as copper pipes).
The Code for Sustainable Homes
The Code is the national standard for the sustainable design and construction of new
homes. The Code aims to reduce our carbon emissions and create homes that are
more sustainable.
The Code measures the sustainability of a home against key design categories,
rating the 'whole home' as a complete package. The minimum standards for Code
compliance have been set above the requirements of Building Regulations New
homes can achieve a rating on a scale of one to six 'Code Levels' depending on the
standard achieved.
The key design categories included within the Code are:
Energy
Water
Materials
Surface water run-off
Waste
Pollution
Health & Well-being

Management
Ecology
The Code builds on the EcoHomes system (the previous method for design
purposes), and apart from the above design categories, it also includes new areas of
sustainability design, and the inclusion of composting facilities. Homes are assessed
at design stage in a similar manner to that of the EcoHomes system, but additionally
require verification at post-completion stage.
It is now mandatory for all new homes to be rated against the Code and include a
Code or nil-rated certificate. By building to Code standards, we can make Britain's
homes more environmentally friendly for the future.
Your new home was assessed and graded in accordance with the Code for
Sustainable Homes Scheme.
The target for this project is level 4 under the CfSH scheme, and your house has
been deemed to comply with this level. This is a very high standard
A copy of the Certificate is available on request.
One section of the scheme is to monitor and ensure that a minimum of 80% of the
Timber used within the construction of your new home has been sourced from
certified responsible sources and the relevant certification has been obtained.
The government sets out the Timber Procurement policy and have stated that legal
timber and wood products are deemed to have been obtained from forests that have
met the following criteria:-
1 – The forest owner/manager holds legal rights to the forest
2 – There is a compliance by both the forest management organisation and any
contractors with local and national legal criteria including those relevant to
a- Forest management
b- Environment
c- Labour and Welfare
d- Health & Safety
e- Other parties’ tenure and use rights
3 – All relevant royalties and taxes are paid
4 – There is compliance with the criteria of CITES
Relevant documentation demonstrating the above must be provided or made
available upon request. Certification against any of the timber certification schemes
identified and sections 1,2 & 4 above demonstrate that timber has been legally
sourced

Based on the above, copies of the relevant accredited timber certification for the
various elements of construction within your new home are available on request
b. Heating & Hot Water Systems
Your home has been designed using modern technology with the specific view of
minimising running costs whilst maintaining comfortable living standards
The Heating is supplied by an energy efficient boiler which has a minimum SEDBUK
(Seasonal Efficiency of Domestic Boilers in the UK) rating of 91.1%
A shower is fitted over the bath. This operates from the bath tap.
Blending valves have been fitted to the shower and hot water taps to reach
maximum permissible temperatures.
c. Lighting
Where possible your home is fitted with 4-pin low energy
light fittings. 2-pin 2d fittings are used in the bathroom and
kitchen, you should find that they are long lasting and will
save electricity
“In most homes, lighting accounts for 10-15% of an electricity
bill. Each energy saving bulb HA have included can reduce
your household electricity bill by up to £7 a year. These energy
saving bulbs also last between 10 & 12 times longer than a
normal bulb”
d. Water saving features
Water Meter
Water used in your home will be provided through a meter. Thames Water insists
that all new properties have to be connected through one of these meters. You will
therefore pay for the exact amount you use in a similar way to electricity.
The meter is located in the footpath at the entrance to the development . The meters
can be read by the Water Company without the need to enter your property.
Water Butt
Your house has a water butt supplied which will help to minimise water charges.
Water from the butt can be used to water gardens, clean cars and outdoor items. It
should not be used for drinking.
W.C. and Bathroom
The bathroom and Cloakroom toilets (when applicable) have ‘dual action flush
cisterns’ which offer the choice of less water per flush than older systems. This
should help in reducing your water bills.

e. Refuse and Recycling
Information about your local Authority collection scheme – RG17 0DJ
Council web page: www.westberks.gov.uk
Contact: West Berkshire Council
Tel: 01635 42400
The collection of household waste and recycling takes place on alternate
weeks on a Thursday.
Recycling
Each household is provided with two green recycling boxes and a reusable sack.
You can recycle paper and card in one box and glass in the other. The sack
is used for all your plastic bottles, aerosols, drinks and food cans.

Recycling is collected every fortnight.
Your recycling boxes and sack need to be ready for collection by 7am on your
recycling day.
If your recycling hasn't been collected for some reason, you should be left
a note explaining the problem.
Reasons might include:
large cardboard - cardboard must be flattened and no bigger than 45cm x
45cm
tops left on plastic bottles - please remove all tops from bottles
wrong type of plastic - we only accept plastic bottles in your green sack
mixing your recycling materials - please separate the materials into the right
containers
shredded paper - this shouldn't be put into your green box; it can
be composted or reused for animal bedding (or alternatively put in your black
bin)
As long as the problem has been sorted out, your recycling will then be taken on
your next recycling collection day.
If you have not been left a note, there may be other issues affecting the service
which you can check online at www.westberks.gov.uk For more help, please contact
Customer Services – Waste – West Berkshire Council.

Food Waste Collections
It's simple to recycle your food waste - keep your caddy handy in the kitchen, add a
compostable caddy liner and fill with food waste. When your caddy is full or after
two-three days, tie the caddy liner and put it into your green bin (the same bin you
use for your household garden waste).
Compostable Liners
Please only use compostable liners for your food waste. The kitchen caddies we
have supplied are 7ltr and we recommend using 10ltr caddy liners. BioBag sell
packs of compostable liners at a discounted rate for West Berkshire residents, or
alternatively you can buy them at most major supermarkets.
Wash hands and surfaces after handling food and store it away from heat with the lid
closed.
Refuse Collections
Your black bin needs to be ready for the council to empty by 7am on your collection
day. Any rubbish you put in your black bin goes straight to landfill or Energy from
Waste (EfW). Please make sure you recycle and reduce as much as you can.
To make sure you get a great service, please:

leave your bin handles facing outwards, as this will make the collection
quicker for our crews
ensure your bin lid is closed and that there is no excess rubbish left next to
the bin
don't put liquids in your black bin
don't overload your wheeled bin with heavy items
Only household waste not collected for recycling should be put out for refuse
collection.
Garden Waste Collections
Your home has been supplied with a compost bin – see page 39 of this manual
on how to compost
Most households are provided with a green "wheelie" bin that you can use to place
your garden waste and food waste for recycling.
Collections
Your green bin is collected on the same day and week as your recycling, once every
two weeks. Please make sure your green bin is ready for collection by 7am on your
recycling day.

Green Sacks
If you have a green sack collection you can put out a maximum of five sacks for
collection at one time. They must be left open so our crews are able to view the
contents.
Please do not put food waste in these sacks - this should go in the kerbside caddy
you've been provided with. Please make sure all your food waste is contained in
a compostable bag.
Excess Garden Waste
If you have excess garden waste that you'd like to be collected, you can sign up to
the chargeable Extra Green Waste Collection Service.
Alternatively you can take your excess garden waste to one of the recycling centres.
Furniture and appliances Re-use
Instead of throwing usable unwanted furniture and household appliances away, a
number of charity shops sell donated good quality furniture alongside bric-a-brac,
books and clothing:
The British Heart Foundation for queries or to book a free collection visit
www.BHF.org.uk or call 0808 250 0130 - Before organising your collection please
check that:
All the goods are in good condition, clean and complete, and that they work
correctly
All upholstered furniture has a fire label attached. For sets, ie a three piece
suite, each individual item must have its own fire label.
The Community Furniture Project Ring Newbury to arrange to donate any good
quality surplus furniture, household goods, baby equipment or electrical items.
Larger items can be collected from your home by a van crew on weekdays. Tel:
Newbury 01635 43933.Collection is free of charge in West Berkshire.
Real Nappies - www.goreal.org.uk
Going real saves money for both parents and our
communities. For every year a baby is in nappies, he or
she will need nearly 2,000 nappy changes. With potty
training averaging at two and a half years, that is nearly
5,000 nappies per child!
At an average cost of 16p per disposable, between them
parents in England and Wales are spending approximately
half a billion pounds on disposable nappies every year.
Recent research by Go Real shows that parents can save anything from £150 to
over a £1000 over the lifetime of using nappies, depending on their choice of
nappies- those are huge savings for cash-strapped families. (And those savings
stack up even further when nappies are used on a second- and a third child...)
Better for the Environment....

Go Real also estimates, with the vast majority of the 813,000 (and rising) babies
born in England and Wales each year using disposables, that’s a staggering 3 billion
disposable nappies being used- which translates into over 355,000 tonnes of waste
produced and an annual disposal cost to local authorities (and tax payers) of £32
million.
It is not just our local community that benefits, but our wider environment as well.
Reports have shown that a 40% carbon saving can be made through using reusable
nappies compared to using disposables- and yes that includes the washing!
Stylish...Comfortable... Modern...
Modern real nappies are stylish, fashionable and come in a range of patterns,
designs sizes and colours. You can even buy bespoke!
If you are inspired to try Real Nappies, explore our website to find out more. You can
make the change to save and go real!
Love Food, Hate Waste
Are you wasting £50 a month by throwing away perfectly
good food? www.lovefoodhatewaste.com
cars off the road.
The food we throw away is not only a waste of resources
and money but some can end up in a landfill site, where it
will rot and release methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. If
we stop wasting food which could have been eaten, it will
have the same impact on carbon emissions as taking 1 in 5
While some of the food waste thrown away is peelings and bones, the majority is, or
once was, perfectly good food. The main reasons for throwing away food is due to
cooking too much e.g. cooking too much rice or pasta which gets left in the pan or
plate and not using food in time e.g. throwing out fruit or vegetables because they
have gone off.
We know there are a lot of reasons why food might not be eaten in time - our plans
change, we forget what food we have in the cupboard, forget to chill/freeze
something to use at a later date or we lack the confidence or knowledge on how to
use up our leftovers.
Using these simple steps can help you to reduce the amount of food you throw
away:
1. BUY the food you need
Plan your meals
Make a shopping list
2. EAT the food you buy
Store food correctly
Cook the right amount
Eat it all or store leftovers

3. RECYCLE the food you can't eat
Use your Food Waste Collection Service
Compost at Home - see later in this manual for composting tips
www.mpsonline.org.uk - Nearly 50,000 tonnes of junk mail hits regional door mats
every year. You can stop it landing on your doorstep by registering with the Mailing
Preference Service on their website. This is a free service set up 20 years ago and is
funded by the direct mail industry to enable consumers to have their names and
home addresses in the UK removed from lists used by the industry.
www.wrap.org.uk - WRAP works in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
to help businesses, local authorities, communities and individuals reap the benefits
of reducing waste, developing sustainable products and using resources in an
efficient way.
Established as a not-for-profit company in 2000, WRAP is backed by government
funding from Defra (Department for the Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs), Scottish Government, the Welsh Government, the Northern Ireland
Executive, and the European Union. WRAP is a private company limited by
guarantee, registered in England.
www.recyclenow.com
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Reduce
Avoid over packaged goods
Use old t-shirts or sheets as rags or polishing cloths
Keep equipment and tools well serviced to give them longer life and repair
what you can rather than throwing it away
Buy long lasting products that are energy efficient or reusable
Buy concentrated products and refills
Compost at home
Use the mail preference service to remove your name from mailing lists and
stop junk mail.
Reuse
Use a reusable shopping bag or re-use shopping carrier bags
Try to buy products in reusable packing - sweet tins for cakes or glass jars for
storage
Repair clothes and other goods rather than throwing them away
Use the backs of paper to make rough notes, shopping lists or for children's
drawings
Donate items in good condition to the Community Furniture Project
Advertise your item on your local Reuse group i.e. Freecycle and Freegle.
Recycle
Use your kerbside recycling scheme or Mini Recycling Centres
Take additional materials for recycling to your local HWRC

Recycling Centres:
Nearest mini-bank recycling centre is at Hungerford Wbc Car Park, Station Road,
Hungerford, RG17 0DY.
Cardboard – egg boxes; fruit and veg punnets; cardboard sleeves; cereal boxes;
corrugated cardboard; food and drink cartons, toilet roll tubes.
Electricals – cameras; home and garden tools; toys and games; hairdryers and
electric toothbrushes; table lamps; telephones/fax; toasters; kettles and vacuums.
Glass – bottles and jars.
Paper – brown envelopes; junk mail; magazines; newspapers; window envelopes.
Textiles – clothing; household linens; shoes and bags.
Nearest Household Waste Recycling Centre is Newtown Road, Newbury RG20
9AG
Newtown Road HWRC is located just south of Newbury on the A339. Tel: (01635)
519080 or visit www.westberks.gov.uk for full details of the site’s rules and services.
Opening Hours:
October to March: 8.30am to 5.30pm; April to September: 8.30am to 7.30pm;
Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day: Closed
This site offers West Berkshire residents a wide range of waste types that can be
recycled which include:
Paper and magazines, card, glass, plastic bottles, cans (including aerosol cans),
textiles, drink cartons* and garden waste. * Please wash and squash drink cartons
At the site you can also recycle:
Engine oil
Scrap metal
Fridges and freezers
Car batteries
Car Tyres
Waste electrical and electronic equipment (including light bulbs)
Fluorescent tubes
Household batteries
Reusable bric-a-brac
Wood
Plasterboard
Shoes
Books, CDs and DVDs
Soil and rubble
Household chemicals
Hard plastics
Paint
Gas bottles, General residual household waste and Asbestos can also be disposed
of here- please contact the centre for full details.
Pro-Grow - recycled soil conditioner is available to purchase at Newtown Road
HWRC:

Pro-Grow is a fine grade, peat-free soil conditioner, made from green garden
material generated by households. This product is rich in nutrients and essential
trace elements, providing plants with an ideal growing medium.
This soil conditioner has an open structure that will break down heavy clay soils and
add humus to light sandy soils. It complies with the rigorous standards of the Soil
Association’s certified product accreditation (Certificate Number I 4430) and is
entirely natural, containing no added fertilisers.
For more information about Pro-Grow, telephone 0800 072 2369 or email
organics@veolia.co.uk.
Community Furniture Project at Newtown Road HWRC
The Veolia-operated HWRC at Newtown Road works with the Community Furniture
Project to reuse waste items as much as possible.
You can donate items to the project at the HWRC (in recycling area 2)
These are the items that can and cannot be accepted by the Community Furniture
Project at all their locations:
Yes Please
Baby goods
Beds and bed
linen
Bicycles
Curtains
Chairs and
tables
Cookers
Fridges &
Freezers
Furniture
Electrical items
Mattresses
Microwave
cookers
Sofas
Stereos
Televisions
Tumble Driers
Wardrobes
Washing
Machines
Vacuum
Cleaners
Video
Recorders
No Thanks
Baby car seats / walkers
Baths, sinks or taps or any household fittings
Clothes
Electric blankets
Electric fires with open bars
Kitchen units including fitted ovens and hobs
Faulty electrical items
Gas appliances, including Calor
Glass-topped items
Glass-fronted items, where the glass is not labelled as safety
glass, and larger than an A4 piece of paper
Night storage heaters
Soft toys and games that do not have CE labels
Upholstered furniture - (anything with foam) - without appropriate
fire label, including: headboards, sofas, chairs, footstools,
pouffees, beanbags and scatter cushions
Flat packed furniture without instructions or fittings
Internal doors
Metal framed sofa beds
Electric beds
Foam backed carpet

f. Sustainable drainage
Your new home was assessed and graded in accordance with the Code for
Sustainable Homes Scheme, which is a piece of government legislation whereby
various categories are graded to form an overall grading as to the sustainable assets
of your home.
The target for this project was ‘Very Good’ which is level 4 under the CfSH scheme,
and your home has been deemed to comply with this level.
Composting
We have provided you with a compost bin, please refer to the Hints and Tips below
along with the “Home Composting Guide” which has been provided with your new
compost bin.
COMPOST HINTS & TIPS
Autumn leaves
These can be added to your compost heap but the best use of them
is to make leafmould. Stuff wet leaves into black plastic sacks (loosely
tied), or an open wire mesh container. The resulting leafmould is
ready to use after a year or two.
Grass Mowings
Mix well with browns to avoid a slimy mess. Alternatively, leave on
the lawn whenever possible – they will soon disappear and feed
the grass; this will not cause ‘thatch’. Can also be mixed into a leafmould heap, or
used directly as a soil mulch.
Diseased Plants
Plant materials suffering from soil-borne diseases such as
clubroot and white rot should not be added to a compost heap.
Anything else can be safely composted in a hot heap. Diseases
that don’t need living matter to survive, such as grey mould,
mildews, and wilts, may survive a cold heap. But heat is not the only factor that will

kill diseases: the intense microbial activity in a compost heap also helps to dispose
of them. Some diseases, such as tomato and potato blight need living plant tissue to
survive and will not last long without it. It is fine to add foliage suffering from these
diseases to your hot or cold compost heap.
If in doubt, leave it out. Problem materials can be sent to your local council green
waste recycling facility where the composting methods are hot enough to kill any
problem organisms.
Perennial weeds
Some perennial weeds will be killed in a hot heap; avoid really
persistent horrors such as celandine, docks, bulbous buttercup,
ground elder and bindweed. Don’t burn or dump these weeds –
they are rich in plant goods. Mix with grass mowings in a plastic
sack. Tie it up and leave for a few months until the weeds are no longer
recognisable, then add to the compost heap. Or send them to your local council
green waste recycling facility where the composting methods are hot enough to kill
them off.
Weed seeds
Weed seeds may survive a cool heap, but should be killed in a hot
one. If your finished compost tends to grow weeds, dig it in rather
than spreading it on the soil surface.
Hedge clippings and prunings
Chop or shred tough prunings and clippings from evergreen hedges
before adding to a mixed compost heap. Compost large quantities
separately; even unshredded they will compost eventually. Mix with
grass or other activating material; water well. Tread down the heap,
then cover. In anything from a few months to a few years you will
have coarse mulch which can be used on perennial beds.
Animal manures
Strawy horse and cattle manure composts well. Manure mixed
with wood shavings should be left to rot until the shavings have
decomposed. If it is dry, water well and mix with grass
mowings, poultry manure or other activating (i.e. green or nitrogen rich) material.
When rotted use as a surface mulch.
Small pets, like hamsters, don’t produce many dropping but you can still use their
waste as a strawy addition to the compost heap. Guinea pigs are marvellous – they
love eating weeds and convert them quickly to prime compost material!
Paper products
Newspaper can be added to a compost heap, but in any quantity it
should go for recycling into more paper. Cardboard, paper towels
and other paper items can be scrunched up and composted. They are particularly
useful where kitchen scraps make up a high proportion of the compost ingredients.
Glossy paper takes a long time to rot down. Coloured inks are quite safe to
compost.

Sawdust and wood shavings
Very slow to decay. Raw or uncomposted wood shavings
incorporated into the soil can lock up soil nitrogen, making it
unavailable for plants for a year or more. Add in small quantities;
balance with quick-to-rot activating materials. See also ‘Animal manures’ above. Do
not use if treated with wood preservatives.
Composting questions answered
Is garden compost the same as bagged ‘multipurpose’ compost?
No. Sowing, potting and multipurpose composts that you buy in garden centres are
mixtures of various materials such as shredded bark, sand, coir and fertilisers.
These are used for raising seedlings and growing plants in pots.
Will a compost heap breed pests?
Compost is made by a host of small and microscopic creatures. These are not pests
and will not overrun your garden. Slugs are often found in compost heaps – some
species feed on decaying organic matter and are a valuable part of the composting
process.
Do I need any special equipment?
A garden fork is the only essential item for turning and spreading compost. A
compost bin keeps everything neater but it is not essential.
Will a compost heap attract rats?
Rats may visit a compost heap if they are already present in the area but composting
does not generally attract the rats in the first place. If rats or mice are nesting in your
compost heap, this is a sign that the heap is too dry. Add water until it has the
consistency of a wrung-out sponge.
Is compost safe to handle?
Yes, if the usual garden hygiene rules are followed. Keep cuts covered, wash hands
before eating and keep your anti-tetanus protection up to date.
Does a compost heap have to get hot?
No. A medium-sized compost heap can heat up to 60° in a few days. The heat helps
to make quicker compost, and to kill weeds and diseases. But your compost may
never heat up, especially if it is made over a long period. The compost can be just
as good, but it will take longer to be ready for use.
Does compost spread weeds and diseases?
Some weed seeds and plant diseases will survive in a slow, cool compost heap – if
you add them in the first place.
Do I need a shredder to make compost?
No. A shredder can be very useful where there is a lot of woody material to be
composted, but it is not essential.
Can I compost poisonous plants?
Yes. The toxins from rhubarb, yew, laurel and other poisonous plants are all broken
down during the composting process and will not cause any damage to you or your
garden.
Ants are nesting in my compost heap. Help!
Ants do have some small part to play in the composing process but the presence of
nests in the heap is a sign that it is too dry. Water it thoroughly, or, if some parts are
wetter than others, give it a good mix or turn.
Every time I open my bin I am assailed by masses of tiny ‘fruit flies’ – why is
this?

These are part of the decomposition process but their numbers can be reduced by
burying any fruit waste among other ingredients. Flies are also a sign that the
compost is a little too wet or has too many ‘green’ ingredients. Make sure that the
bin has a lid and add ‘brown’ ingredients such as straw, cardboard or paper to rebalance
the heap. Mix it in well.
There’s a wasps nest in my bin – what shall I do?
There is no ‘organic’ way to get rid of wasps. However, they do not return to the
same nest every year so the problem will be over when autumn comes. If you can,
leave the wasps alone as they are useful predators for garden pests. If they cannot
be left (in a school garden, for example) then call your local council’s Environmental
Health Department for advice. To avoid the problem in future, make sure that your
heap does not get too dry – make sure it has a lid and that the sides are solid, with
no air gaps.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
g. Energy Saving Tips
Your home has been designed to reduce the amount of energy needed in heating
rooms and providing hot water.
All of the walls, roofs and floors are well insulated; the windows and doors are
double glazed and draught proofed. This will help in reducing the costs of heating
your home.
Homes have been arranged to make best use of the heating effect of the sun. Where
possible, windows on the warmer south facing walls are larger than the ones that
face to the North. During the winter you should allow the sun to help heat your home
by allowing it to shine into the south facing rooms. However, during warm summer
days some shading of windows will help keep rooms cooler.
Slatted or lightweight material blinds are a good way of allowing light into your rooms
whilst stopping direct sunlight.

General low cost tips:
Curtains
Heating
Water
Lights
Television and
Hi-Fi
Fridges and
Freezers
Washing
machines
Dishwashers
At night, pull the curtains to stop heat being lost through the
windows
You can save on running costs by heating your home for an hour
less each day
- Use the shower and you'll save time, money and
water
- Remember to put the plug in your basin or sink –
having hot water taps running is both wasteful and
expensive
- If you have a dripping tap ensure it is repaired
quickly. In just one day, you could waste enough hot
water to fill a bath
Remember to turn off lights when you leave a room for long
periods
Switch off your TV, video and Hi-Fi at the set. Standby can use as
much as 10%-60% of the electricity that would be used by the
device if it was switched on.
- Defrost fridges and freezers regularly to keep them
running efficiently
- Don't put hot or warm food straight into the fridge -
let it cool down first
- Where possible, position your fridge or freezer away
from cookers or heaters
- Where possible wait until you have a full load before
using your washing machine
- Alternatively, use the half-load or economy
programme if your machine has one
- Remember: modern washing detergents work
just as well at low temperatures
If you have a dishwasher use the low-temperature programme
unless you have very dirty dishes
Cooking - Use the right size pan for the food and cooker hob
- Keep saucepan lids on - this enables you to turn
down the heat
- Don't use more water than you need
- Use a kettle to boil water for cooking
- Use a toaster rather than the grill to make toast
- Avoid over-filling the kettle for just one drink but be

sure to cover the element
When choosing a new appliance refer to the Energy Saving Leaflet

Clothes Washing:
A rotary clothes dryer is provided in your garden, or if you are in a flat, an over-bath
dryer has been provided for energy efficient drying of clothes.
h. Sustainable DIY
Some DIY products contain chemicals which are hazardous to the environment and
to your health so think carefully before you buy. Avoid solvent based paints,
varnishes and glues. Water based are much better. When buying strong cleaning
agents, avoid chlorine bleach.
One further issue to be made aware of is Volatile Organic Compounds:
Volatile Organic Compounds are materials which evaporate readily from commonly occurring sources
such as vehicle exhausts, cleaning agents, furniture polish and fabric softeners. These also include
solvents used in coatings, as well as thinners and brush cleaners.
In the presence of sunlight, these VOCs can react with nitrogen oxides to create ground level ozone
and photochemical smogs. These in turn can contribute to pollution of the atmosphere. The UK
government and the coatings industry are committed to reducing VOC emissions under international
conventions. Although the impact of household coatings on atmospheric pollution is very small (less
than 2% of the total amount of VOCs emitted), manufacturers believe the amount of VOC s in
decorative coatings should be reduced and consumers given the choice of using lower VOCcontaining
products.
Coatings suppliers have introduced a labelling system to inform you of the VOC content of each
decorative coating product – a 5-band classification shows the VOC content as Minimal; Low;
Medium; High or Very High
In your garden; It is particularly important to avoid peat products. Peat is an
internationally rare and declining habitat of high conservation importance, many
species depend upon it. There are plenty of peat free alternatives. Avoid using weed
killers and insect treatments that contain pesticides and toxic chemicals, especially
around children and pregnant women.
i. Sustainable transport
Details of Cycle Storage
Your home is provided with a securely fixed bicycle stand which is permanently fixed
within the dedicated cycle storage facility provided for your new home.
Each house is provided with a timber shed in which a Sheffield
style cycle hoop is fixed to the rear of the shed, allowing for
provision of 2no. cycles to be securely fixed to the stand.

Why Cycle ?
Swap your car journeys for bike rides
Many car trips are under 3 miles. That’s bad for your car, bad for the environment,
and leads to unnecessary traffic.
For short trips, cycling is the most obvious alternative to driving: you can go where
you want, when you want, lock up your bike when you get there, and even carry
hefty loads of shopping if you fit panniers to your bike.
Top 10 reasons to cycle
1. It’s easy! Cycling is often the easiest way to get around– you can ride
quickly and directly to the shops, to school or to work, and not have to
worry about parking the car.
2. It’s fun! Cycling is a really enjoyable way to get around and spend your
time, whether you’re riding alone, or with your friends or family. Take a
picnic, go to a lovely country or canalside pub and make a day of it!
3. It’s fast! During the rush hour, cycling can be up to twice as fast as
going by car.
4. It’s free! With a bike there’s no fuel to buy (apart from your own food!),
no road tax or parking fees. Go where you want anytime, and enjoy the
freedom of your city.
5. It’s a great family activity. Sunday afternoons were made for cycling –
get all the bikes out, with stabilisers or trailer bike for learner riders, so
you and the whole family can feel the wind on your faces!
6. It makes you feel younger. Regular cyclists have the improved overall
fitness of someone up to 10 years younger, and can live up to 2 years
longer!
7. It helps you stay trim and healthy. Riding a bike is a great way to
protect yourself against heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and
stress! Twenty minutes of gentle cycling can easily burn 100 calories –
why go to the gym when you can work out in the fresh air?
8. It boosts the brain cells. Cycle to work, school, college or university,
and you’ll arrive feeling refreshed, motivated and ready to concentrate
on the day ahead.
9. There are safe, quiet and exciting places to ride! There is a growing
network of cycle lanes and traffic-free routes for safe and easy rides.
10. You can enjoy the freedom of your area. Best of all, more cycling
gives you a new perspective on your surroundings and helps reduce
traffic and pollution. More riders on the road generally means fewer
accidents.
Walking and cycling around the district is fun and easy, with a large number of
planned routes to help keep you safe, avoid busy roads, and get you to your
destination faster. There's a number of different walking and cycling maps to be
found on the West Berks council website (www.westberks.gov.uk/roads transport

and parking/ transport / walking and cycling - to help you find the best way of getting
around town, or to explore the area. They have been individually drawn to
show paths and routes which are open for you to use on foot or by bike.
The Newbury and Thatcham Cycle Map shows a number of colour-coded routes
which can help plan your journey in the way that suits you, whilst other cycle maps
on the website can help you explore the district by a number of leisurely routes.
In addition, Reading Borough Council have published Reading Cycle Routes, a
comprehensive cycling map of their area, extending into West Berkshire including
Calcot, Tilehurst and Purley.
The council also have a number of recreation cycle routes in and around West
Berkshire available in the digital GPX format, which can be uploaded onto a
compatible GPS device. These routes have been developed by members of West
Berkshire Spokes, and can be used in real time while on the move, a simple click on
each individual route will enable you to download direct from the website
(www.westberks.gov.uk)
The sustainable transport charity Sustrans can give you details of walking and
cycling along the Kennet and Avon Canal, and along the National Cycle Network
Route 4, linking London to Bristol and into Wales. The Newbury Visitor Information
Centre also provide a range of recreational walking and cycling maps within the
district and beyond via their Visit Newbury website. www.sustrans.org.uk;
www.visitnewbury.org.uk
For more information about cycling nationally, take a look at the British Cycling, CTC
(The National Cycling Charity), and Sustrans websites. They give advice on riding for
fun, to work or competitively. There's local groups in West Berkshire too, including
West Berkshire Spokes, and Newbury Road Club. www.britishcycling.org.uk;
www.ctc.org.uk; www.westberkshirespokes.org.uk; www.newburyrc.co.uk
All of thewalking and cycling maps are available to either download, or as hard
copies. contact West Berks Council if you'd like to request a printed copy.
Cycle Hire - You can reserve a bicycle for collection using the Newbury Cycle Hire
online form. Bikes are collected/returned to the Newbury Visitor Information
Centre during opening hours.
Planning your journey by bike - If you're looking to travel more by bike, either
locally or further afield, there are a number of online journey planners you can use.
CycleStreets.net provides good online cycle journey planning tools and directions
to help you to tailor a route to your specific needs.
West Berkshire Cycle Forum - The West Berkshire Cycle Forum meets on a
regular basis to help liaise with us regarding all things cycling. It's made up from
representatives across different organisations, with the needs of the cyclist at heart.
West Berkshire Cycling Newsletter - If you want to know more about recent
cycling activities taking place within the district, you can read about them and any
cycling related news by downloading from the council website.

Park & Ride Schemes
Park and Ride sites are provided to enable visitors to park their car on the periphery
of a city and travel onwards by bus to the city centre or other destination. There are
no park and ride sites in the West Berkshire district.
Car Parks
There are two council managed car parks in Hungerford:
Church Street which has 55 spaces
Station Road which has 104 spaces, two of which are for blue badge holders
For a full list of car parks in Lambourn, Newbury, Pangbourne, Thatcham and Theale
visit the council website. www.westberks.gov.uk
Car Share & Lift Share Schemes
Car sharing
Car-sharing is when two or more people share a car and travel together. Car-sharing
is a simple way to cut the costs of fuel and parking, reduce congestion and pollution,
and cut the stress of driving. Berkshire Car Share is focused on providing commuters
living and working within Berkshire, the opportunity to meet with others travelling
similar journeys to promote taking a single vehicle between them, rather than one
each. Berkshire Car Share is part of the National, shareAcar.com group and
promotes a safer environment for car sharing. Visit www.shareacar.com/berkshire for
full details.
Liftshare is an online scheme whereby you can create and manage your journeys
and also match up with someone to carshare with. You can also search for a BUDi to
share your bike, walking or taxi journey. www.liftshare.com/uk
Car Clubs - Carplus is the UK’s pioneering transport NGO supporting the
development of affordable, accessible and low-carbon car-sharing clubs and ridesharing
service.
Car clubs are about providing a car when you need it. Ideal for those require a car on
an infrequent basis for longer journeys. Instead of buying a car or considering the
need for a second car, join a car club and ‘hire’ from someone in your local
community. Hire charges include insurance. Cars can be hired for an hour, a day or
a week. If you have a car, but don’t fully utilise it, you can offer your car to others.
www.carplus.org.uk
Car clubs are a local solution to individuals or families who don’t need a car for all
their regular journeys; share with someone else. The benefits are financial and
reduce the number of cars in use, reducing emissions and congestion. For full
details, terms and conditions, please see the web site.

j. Sustainable shopping
By watching what we buy we can make a huge impact on the environment, wildlife
and on our own families’ health. Responsible purchasing isn’t easy, but here is a
guide to help:
Before you buy
Ask yourself if you really need it. Do you have something else you could reuse
or recycle? For example, you could make notepads from the blank side of
used paper!
Remember recycled
Try to buy recycled items, especially recycled paper and glass. For a good
selection try www.naturalcollections.com, www.recycledproducts.org.uk or
www.re-markable.com
The problem with plastic
Avoid unnecessary plastic items especially PVC - plastic isn't biodegradable
and can release hazardous chemicals when burnt. PVC has also been linked
to toxic carcinogenic chemicals.
Excessive packaging
Many items are sold with excessive packaging. Let your retailer know how
you feel about this by refusing to take excessive packaging with you and by
refusing to take plastic bags.
A question of sustainability
When buying wood products, ensure it is sustainably harvested by purchasing
items carrying the FSC logo (try B&Q and IKEA for a good range). Be
cautious about toiletries containing rosewood, sandlewood, musk &
eaglewood essence oil as they're all from endangered species.
Fairtrade
The Fairtrade Foundation exists to ensure a better deal for disadvantaged
third world producers (www.fairtrade.org.uk) and by purchasing Fairtrade
items you are helping these producers set up sustainable businesses which
support local communities! Fairtrade items are available from Oxfam and
many supermarkets.
Organics
Purchasing organics will help protect your family from the chemical residues
found in various food products. Organic items are grown without
petrochemical fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides and are GM free. Most
supermarkets do an organic range for you to choose from or visit the Farmers'
Market

Your Local Farmers Market:
On the 4th Sunday of the month there is a farmers' market in the High Street,
10am - 1pm
Wednesdays there is a street market in the High Street, Hungerford 8am - 3pm
For a full list of markets throughout West Berkshire visit www.visitnewbury.org.uk
Organic Box Schemes near you: www.soilassociation.org/boxschemes
The popularity of box schemes has taken off in recent years, with more and more
households now receiving a regular delivery of fresh organic produce, often
delivered not far from where it was grown.
Food that is grown closer to us has travelled a shorter distance to reach us –
meaning less environmental pollution. Locally produced food can also be
fresher,healthier and more nutritious having being spared lengthy periods of
storage,chilling and travel. And culturally, local organic food has its own story,
bringing a shared meaning at mealtimes and a deeper connection to the land and
the people.
Organic crops, fruit and vegetables are produced without the use of unnecessary
artificial pesticides or weed killers, benefiting your health and the environment.
Animal welfare is paramount on organic farms where animals are free-range and the
routine use of antibiotics and vaccines are not permitted. In addition, organic
standards prohibit the use of genetically modified ingredients in food as well as in
animal feed.
Many people choose a box scheme or direct delivery service because it’s an easy
way to ensure they get plenty of fresh, organic food in their diets.
Healthy Start Scheme
Many organic food suppliers have joined the Healthy Start Scheme. With Healthy
Start, you can get free vouchers every week which you swap for milk, fresh fruit,
fresh vegetables and infant formula milk. You can also get free vitamins. Healthy
Start replaces the Welfare Food Scheme. Click onto www.healthystart.nhs.uk and
follow the steps to see if you qualify.

d. Cracks
During the construction period, many buildings take in moisture and may take
up to 12 months to completely dry out. As the building dries out, the wood
and plaster in it will shrink and might cause small cracks to appear. Do not be
alarmed! These do not affect the structure of the building and can be filled
when the house is redecorated.
If there are any very large cracks, the builder will fill them in at the end of
the12 month defects period. Please do not re-decorate in the first 12 months,
as any wall repairs will be carried out by the contractor and any re-decoration
will be to original colours.
e. Condensation
Condensation is formed when steam or water vapour in a room touches a
cold surface – it then turns to water. This is a common problem in new
buildings.
These steps will help reduce the condensation in your home:
Produce less moisture:
o Some ordinary daily activities produce a lot of moisture very quickly
o Cover pans and do not leave kettles boiling
o Dry washing outdoors on you rotary line, or put it in the bathroom with the
door closed and the window open or fan on.
Ventilate to remove moisture:
o If you have a mechanical ventilation system built in, make sure it is on all the
time.
o Keep a small window ajar when someone is in the room, breathing creates
moisture.
o Ventilate kitchens and bathrooms when in use by slightly opening the
windows
o Close the kitchen and bathroom doors when these rooms are in use, to help
prevent moisture reaching other rooms.
o Ventilate cupboards and wardrobes, avoid putting too much in them to allow
air to circulate. Leave a small gap between walls and furniture, don’t leave
items leant against walls for long periods of time.
To kill and remove mould: wipe down frames and walls with a fungicidal wash which
carries a Health and Safety Executive ‘approval number’. Follow the manufacturer’s

instructions precisely. Deal with the basic problem of condensation and mould
should not then reappear.
f. Efflorescence
Another sign that a building is drying our may be the appearance of white
staining on the outside walls. This is caused by salts in the brickwork leaking
out and is known as efflorescence. This will eventually disappear.
g. Caring for your new home
Windows and doors
For cleaning the glass, just use a simple window spray cleaner with a cloth, or a
soap that mixes with water.
Whether you have uPVC windows or uPVC doors (or both), they do need taking care
of once in a while. Maintenance-free just means they will never need to be coated or
painted in order to stay in fine shape.
Like most surfaces, they will pick up dirt and dust in the air, especially during hotter
seasons. uPVC doors that are opened regularly will likely get dirty from being
constantly touched and letting dirt and dust in the air come through. This is
particularly the case for internal doors if you’re at home a lot.
For the actual frames on your uPVC doors and windows, just use a liquid soap or
mild detergent, mixed with warm water. Don’t forget to also wipe out the drainage
channels. The cleaning part really is that simple.
Vents
Opening vents on windows require an even push or pull when being opened or
closed. Where two handles have been fitted, both should be used together to avoid
damage to the friction stays. Vents left open for long periods may sometimes result
in an accumulation of windblown dirt on the stays, leading to clogging and restriction
action. If this should occur do NOT use force, but remove dirt and free the action
with WD-40 spray or penetrating oil.
Patio Doors & French Doors
Tracks should be kept clean for smooth running, and drainage channels kept clear.
For maintaining the functionality of your uPVC windows and doors, you need to keep
the mechanisms lubricated from time to time. It’s recommended that you use
periodic lubrication with WD-40 spray, whether it be for windows, external doors or
internal doors. The mechanisms to keep lubricated include the handles, lock
assemblies, hinges, letter plate springs and striking plates.
The overall cleaning and maintenance does not have to be done too often –
basically, if something is dirty, clean it, and if a mechanism is not up to scratch,
lubricant it!
Stainless Steel Sink:
This should only be cleaned with a non-abrasive cleaner.

Baths:
The Bath is made of pressed steel with an enamel coating.
To clean:
o If bath salts are used, add whilst the tap is running.
o Clean immediately after use, whilst the water is running out and the bath is
still warm. To preserve the surface use warm soapy water and wipe dry.
o Dripping taps should be repaired promptly.
o Cleaners should be non-abrasive.
Do not allow the following to come into contact with the bath:
o Cleaning agents.
o Paint strippers.
o Spirits or bleaches.
o Cigarettes, etc.
Wash Hand Basin and Toilet Pan and Cistern:
These are ceramic, and can be cleaned using a non-abrasive cleaner.
Make sure that only wastewater, toilet tissue and human waste goes down
your toilet and into the sewer – wrap up sanitary products, nappies, wet wipes,
cotton buds, dental floss and condoms and put them in the bin.
‘Flushable’ Products? – Even items that are marketed as ‘flushable’ or
‘biodegradable’ contribute to blockages. Although these items
disappear when you flush your loo, they do not break down in the
sewers, as they take a number of years to disintegrate.
Medicines, tablets, syringes and needles should be taken to a
pharmacist, local hospital or health authority for safe disposal.
Kitchen Units and Worktops:
These can be cleaned using warm soapy water or a mild detergent. Do not allow
water to stand on work surfaces or shelves.
Avoid Blocked Drains! -
Think not the sink – After cooking, fat, oil and grease should be left to cool – it
can then be disposed of in the bin or mixed with seeds and nuts to make a
feeder for birds.
Chemicals, solvents, engine oil and paint should be taken to your local refuse
site
Ceramic Wall Tiling:
These can be cleaned using a mild detergent or a glass-cleaning agent.
Floor Vinyls:
These can be cleaned using a mild detergent or a proprietary floor-cleaning agent.
Surplus water should not be allowed to accumulate and should be removed.
Fitting Carpet
The doors have been fitted with a clearance to allow for when your carpet is fitted.
Please be sure when choosing new flooring that you allow enough clearance
beneath the doors. Neither the contractor or the housing association are responsible
for re-fitting doors to allow for new flooring.

Your Garden
Your garden is yours to enjoy and maintain, but please do not remove any of the
turf, plants or trees that may have been planted in your garden without
consulting the Housing Officer. The planting scheme is a Planning Condition and
if we have to replace the planting that you have removed, you will be charged.
A shed has been provided in your rear garden, this is lockable and a key should be
provided at handover.
Please note that before carrying out any changes to fencing or paving
permission MUST be obtained from the Housing Association.
Maintaining your lawn
During the first few months after new turf has been laid, it is important to help
maintain it to allow the grass to establish its roots, try not to use the grass too heavily
in the first few months to allow the ground to settle.
In dry weather, frequent watering may be necessary to keep the new turf
constantly moist. During dry periods in mid- to late summer, water every five
to 10 days. At other seasons water during dry periods every 14 days.
Be careful not to over-water, as this can lead to shallow rooting and
encourages the weed grass, annual meadow grass.
Mow, with the blades set high, as soon as the grass has grown to about 5cm
(2in).
Don’t leave anything on the lawn for long periods.
Once established, mowing little and often is the recipe for success. Regular cutting
keeps the lawn thick, tidy and deters weeds. For most lawns, at the start of the year
set the mower blades to 3cm (1.25in) and cut the lawn about once a week.
When the grass grows faster during the spring and summer, lower the blades to 2cm
(1in) and you may need to cut up to twice a week.
During long dry spells, mow less frequently, let grass grow longer and don't
use summer feeds that will make lots of new growth. If you are in a drought
area your lawn may turn brown in summer, but learn to live with this rather
than using a sprinkler and it will soon recover when it rains in autumn
Removing weeds:
Learn to tolerate a few weeds in the lawn, but if small patches or single weeds
need to be removed, pull up by hand with the help of a daisy grubber tool or
similar device. This helps to get the deeper roots of perennial weeds out.
Alternatively spot-treat with a dab-on weed killer that can be bought in tubes.
Use a selective weed killer on lawns with large colonies of weeds, such as
creeping buttercup
Repairing patches:

If your lawn has a sunken patch, repair by making an H-shaped spade cut
across it with a half-moon edging tool and then peel back the two flaps of turf
over the hollow. Add some
topsoil, level and firm down the flaps. Fill in the gaps left by the cuts with more
topsoil.
Feeding:
Feeding regularly with a lawn fertiliser will make it greener and thicker, which
helps it resist weeds and moss. There are different formulations depending on
the time of the year you are feeding, and there are also feed and weed
products, which will kill moss, while providing nutrients to the grass.

a. A list of contacts and links
The Local Authority
www.westberks.gov.uk
West Berkshire Council
Council Offices
Market Street
Newbury
Berks RG14 5LD
Tel: 01635 42400
www.hungerfordcouncil.co.uk
Hungerford Town Council
Hungerford Library
Church Street
Hungerford RG17 0JG
Tel: 01488 686195
The company responsible for the construction of the property
www.egcarter.co.uk
E G Carter & Co Ltd
Bybrook House
Lower Tuffley Lane
Gloucester GL2 6EE
Tel: 01452 529194
The company responsible for the management of the dwellings
www.sovereign.org.uk
22-24 Bartholomew Street
Newbury
Berkshire RG14 5LL
Tel: 0800 587 2325 (all enquiries and out-of-hours emergencies)

Other useful Website &/or telephone numbers
For Local Bus & Train information
www.traveline.org.uk
T: 0870 6082608
Cycle Networks
www.sustrans.org.uk
T: 0845 113 00 65
E: info@sustrans.org.uk
Energy Saving Trust
www.est.org.uk/myhome
T: 0800 915 7722
Recyclenow
www.recyclenow.com
T: 0845 331 3131
Responsible purchasing guide
www.responsible-purchasing.org
Helplines: www.helplines.org
Age Concern 0800 169 6565
Disability Rights Independent Living 0300 555 1525
Childline 0800 1111
Womens Aid & Refuge Domestic Violence 0808 2000 247
Mankind (men suffering from domestic 01823 334244
violence)
Cruse Bereavement Care 0844 477 9400
Samaritans 0845 790 9090
NHS 111 Service 111
Alcoholics Anonymous 0845 769 7555
Gamblers Anonymous 020 7384 3040
Macmillan Support Line 0808 808 0000
NHS Stop Smoking Helpline 0800 169 0169
Talk to Frank (Drugs Helpline) 0800 776 600
Veterans Helpline 0800 169 2277
Citizens Advice Bureau
0300 222 5941
(Hungerford/Newbury)
Job Centre Plus 0845 604 3719
Crimestoppers 0800 555 111

Your Constituency is: Newbury
Your Electoral Division is: Hungerford
Your local Member of Parliament is: Richard Benyon MP
Your local county councillors are:
Paul Hewer (Cons)
James Podger (Cons)
www.westberks.gov.uk for contact details
A guide to your neighbourhood – local facilities
All local amenities listed can be reached by either: foot, cycle, car, train or bus.
Foodstore
One Stop Community Stores
32 Fairview Road, Hungerford, RG17 0BN
Distance:
Supermarket & ATM
Tesco Superstore
Everland Road, Hungerford, RG17 0DX
Distance: 0.3 miles
Postal Facilities
Post Office
6-7 High Street, Hungerford, RG17 0DN
Distance: 0.5 miles
Pharmacy
Boots Pharmacy
125 High Street, Street, RG17 0DL
Distance: 0.5 miles
Medical Centre
The Hungerford Surgery
The Croft, Hungerford, RG17 0HY
Distance: 0.6 miles

Dental Centre
ADP Dental Co Ltd
32b Fairview Road, Hungerford, RG17 0BN
Distance: 0.1 miles
Community Centre
Hungerford Youth & Community Centre
Priory Road, Hungerford, RG17 0AL
Distance: 0.5 miles
Library
Hungerford Library
Church Street, Hungerford, RG17 0JG
Distance: 0.5 miles
Leisure Centre
Hungerford Leisure Centre
Priory Road, Hungerford, RG17 0AN
Distance: 0.5 miles
Public House/Inn
The Borough Arms
77 High Street, Street, RG17 0NA
Distance: 0.3 miles
Primary:
Hungerford Primary School
Fairview Road, Hungerford, RG17 0BT
Distance: 0.1 miles
Secondary:
John O’Gaunt Community Technology College (11-19yrs)
Priory Road, Hungerford, RG17 0AN
Distance: 0.5 miles
Nearest Childrens Play Areas
Ramsbury Drive and Salisbury Road have play parks for 3-10 year olds.
The Triangle sports field in Priory Road is a multi-purpose sports field.
Parks, Gardens and Open Space
West Berkshire has two Green Flag Award winning parks:

Northcroft and Goldwell Parks are two attractive adjoining parks in Newbury. The
parks feature a mature landscape of trees, a play area and zip slide, BMX facilities,
outdoor sports pitches for football and cricket, woodland walk, River Kennet and
Kennet Canal links and cycle paths.
Holybrook Linear Park is a beautiful green space in Calcot with woodland, river
basin, meadow grassland, play areas, sports pitches, a basketball court and
changing rooms. Linear park has an active Friends of Holybrook Linear Park group.
Other areas of Local Beauty, Wildlife and Conservation
The Kennet & Avon Canal Path visit www.visitnewbury.org.uk to find maps and
information
Berks, Bucks and Oxford Wildlife Trust has over 80 nature reserves www.bbowt.org.uk
The following are within 5 miles of your new home:
Audreys Meadow, butterflies and wildflowers
Averys Pightle, for birdwatching, butterflies and wildflowers
Greenham, Crookham Commons for birdwatching, historical interest and reptiles
Bowdon Woods, for family days out, ancient trees, birdwatching, butterflies, fungi,
lichens and mosses, reptiles, spring flowers, wildflowers and getting away from it all!
Berkshire’s biggest woodland reserve.
Hosehill Lake, Theale – Wetland wildlife and wildflower meadow
Padworth Common – heathland birds, reptiles, butterflies,
Paices Wood Country Woodland, Nr. Aldermaston – tranquil wildlife haven, ancient
woodlands, waymarked woods and seven lakes for fishing.
Snelsmore Common, Newbury: Heather and gorse, woodland, wet bog, reptiles, home
to nationally rare wildlife such as the nightjar.
Wokefield Common, nr. Burghfield Common: Dragonfly Pond and Pullen’s Pond,
Heathland
Thatcham Reedbeds, for reedbed wildlife and birdwatching
Nature Discover Centre, Thatcham set in a peaceful lakeside setting offers a wide
ranging and varied programme of activities throughout the year, a great day out for
all the family
Useful websites: www.landscapesforlife.org.uk and www.naturalengland.org.uk
Allotments
There are allotments at Fairfields and Marsh Lane to enquire please contact the
membership secretary of Hungerford Allotment Holders Association via www.hahahungerford.org.uk
or by contacting the Hungerford Town Council.
Places of Worship
St. Lawrence C of E Church, The Vicarage, Parsonage Lane, Hungerford
RG17 0JB

Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church, Priory Road, Hungerford RG17
0AG
The Hungerford United Reformed Church, High Street, Hungerford RG17 0NF
Methodist Church, Bridge Street, Hungerford, RG17 0EH
St. Cassians Centre, Wallingtons Road, Hungerford RG17 9SR
Local transport
The following information provides details of the Local Transport Information
available to you as well as the methods of travelling to and from local amenities.
Please see the following websites for more details;
Bus network www.westberks.gov.uk ;
www.traveline.info/se
National Rail local train stations
Cycle network
www.nationalrail.co.uk
www.westberks.gov.uk/cycling
Your local bus services are as follows:
Connect Service 3 – Newbury-Hungerford via Hamstead Marshall, Kintbury,
Inkpen Operated by Newbury & District – Tel: 01635 33855
Thamesdown Service 20 – Marlborough – Bedwyn – Hungerford
Thamesdown Service 46 & 46A – Hungerford-Swindon via Ramsbury-
Aldbourne Operated by Thamesdown Transport Ltd Tel: 01793 428428
Hungerford Town Service H1 – via Priory Estate,-Sanden Close-Charnham
Park-Garden Centre. Operated under contract to West Berks Council.
To find most current local bus timetables download the District-wide Travel Guide
from the West Berks website www.westberks.gov.uk – roads, transport and parking
– documents
Or Telephone the Transport Services Team on 01635 503248 to request a copy.
For local cycle networks – see Section 5j of this manual for details on cycling.
Your nearest rail station is:
Hungerford (HGD)
Station Road
Hungerford
RG17 0DY
Managed by: First Great Western
Tel: 03457000125

Contact the station for current parking charges

a Heating, radiators and thermostats Copy across information
supplied by engineers.
b Showers and hot water Copy across information
supplied by engineers.
c Alarms Copy across information
supplied by engineers.
d Consumer Units Copy across information
supplied by engineers.
e Door entry systems Copy across information
supplied by engineers.
f Kitchen appliances Copy across information
supplied by engineers.

a
b
c
Boiler
Shower
Kitchen appliances

a - Electrical Installation Certificates
- TV aerial and satellite Certificates
- Ventilation Certificates
b - Gas Installation Certificates
- Benchmark Certificates
c - Energy Performance Certificate
d - Building Warranty Certificate/Cover Note