General care and maintenance

To maintain the integrity of the apartment, including the appliances, systems and services, residents should observe the guidance provided on this wiki and the manufacturers’ appliance manuals which have been provided.

Residents are advised that no structural or electrical alterations to an apartment should be undertaken without the prior written approval of the landlord, and attention is drawn to:

• The covenants contained in the lease
• The latest regulations relating to procedures for carrying out electrical work, see Making changes to your home.

In the event of any doubt or queries concerning repair and maintenance matters, residents should contact the Management Company for guidance.

Ventilation and temperature control

When cooking the kitchen hob extractor should always be used to:

• Minimise the effects of condensation on the decorations and reduce the risk of mould
• Reduce the circulation of cooking odours
• Minimise the risk of the apartment smoke or heat detector alarms sounding unnecessarily

Drying out

The presence of water in construction materials means that it is essential to allow the property to dry out as naturally as possible. Adequate natural ventilation is the best method of achieving this. When feasible, windows should be opened to allow a through flow of air to all rooms.

Movement and shrinkage

Materials used in the construction of the apartment will expand and contract due to changes in temperature and moisture and as the drying out process occurs - this may cause small cracks to appear. These cracks are not structural defects and can be filled and covered in the normal process of periodic redecoration. Minor cracking of this nature is normal and is not classified as a defect to be rectified by Urban Splash.

Decoration

Emulsion paint is a breathable product and has been used to allow walls and ceilings to dry out before redecoration - this should take between 3 to 6 months and it is advisable not to redecorate until this period has elapsed. Any minor shrinkage cracks should be left for this period and then filled with a DIY product such as ‘Polyfilla’ or a flexible decorator’s caulk before redecoration.