Married Quarters (MQ) Residents

Sparky29

Rainbow_Butterfly wrote: »

We were downgraded last summer to a D. I dont think we have much loft insulation at all.. whenever my hubby has been up there he says its absolutely freezing, and the things we have put up there have ice on them. Add that to the 1960's boiler and im sure this is one of the least effiecient houses going!

xx

Not being warm in the loft is a good thing, it means you are not heating it up with the heat from the house. Same as if you have got ice/ frost on your roof shows that escaping heat isn't melting it.

NewbieMoneySaver**

just been on the phone to mhs again.

Has anyone else got damp in their house? I have lived here for six years and I have always had it.

Can I have the house downgraded and also maybe even backdated.

EmmEve

I wouldn't hold your breath. Damp and mould seem to be common issues in a lot of MQ's. They never seem concerned with fixing the underlying issues. But hey if you don't ask you don't get. Depends how far you are willing to push them!

EmmEve

Ooo kitchpoo i have a question for you if thats ok?

We have a VERY large shrub over our front window. Mhs first said they couldn't trim it becase it was nesting season, then said they would only do it if its a healh and safety risk, and are now telling me its not their responsibility, only on move in/out. Can you tell me where i stand? As ever DE say it is their responsibility regardless.

MoneyHoney

EmmEve wrote: »

Ooo kitchpoo i have a question for you if thats ok?

We have a VERY large shrub over our front window. Mhs first said they couldn't trim it becase it was nesting season, then said they would only do it if its a healh and safety risk, and are now telling me its not their responsibility, only on move in/out. Can you tell me where i stand? As ever DE say it is their responsibility regardless.

Did MHS state the 'nesting season' reason when you moved in? If so, it should/could have been noted on your march in form and then could be classed as an outstanding work ticket. Is it too big/high to trim easily?


Also for info to other MQ occupants: all occupants are entitled to request a re-grade within 3 months of the date of March in. The re-grade form is quite restrictive and IMO does not consider internal condition nearly enough (more to do with sockets and closest shop ).
If there has been a recent re-grade on that quarter within, say, the past 18months this can be a bit trickier but always worth a try (and of course, put everything in writing and keep copies ). Sometimes a street of same quarters will be re-graded by using a 'selection' and as we know, every quarter can vary massively, even from neighboring properties.

kitchpoo

NewbieMoneySaver** wrote: »

just been on the phone to mhs again.

Has anyone else got damp in their house? I have lived here for six years and I have always had it.

Can I have the house downgraded and also maybe even backdated.

Dampness wont result in downgading unless it results in a loss of facility - sorry - DE rules.

Damp can get trated by MHS, you need a fungicidal scrub on the area and a repaint if required. The age old answer is "its due to lifestyle, open the window" And in most cases this is true. Dampness will occur on a cold wall, usually the coldest wall and especially if there is little air flow to it. I had a number of properties where an inherant build design resulted in a cold point along a wall to roofline junction, to which there is no practical construction solution without spending mega bucks.

The only angle you could argue is on your loft insulation, as your property would be graded taking in to account the depth of insulation, if it is a ceiling or a wall on the first floor you could reqest the regrade and inspection. Its a bit of a long shot though.

kitchpoo

EmmEve wrote: »

Ooo kitchpoo i have a question for you if thats ok?

We have a VERY large shrub over our front window. Mhs first said they couldn't trim it becase it was nesting season, then said they would only do it if its a healh and safety risk, and are now telling me its not their responsibility, only on move in/out. Can you tell me where i stand? As ever DE say it is their responsibility regardless.

There may be many reasons for this -

1) True - DE imposed a long nesting season rule that had to be observed originally, and could only be overturned on health and safety or access, if branches touch the house this would be also considered as a possible reason to lop/cut back. This is now been relaxed - any hedge can be cut, as long as a competant person first investigates and checks the hedge prior to works. I had this confirmed by an MHS zone manager and MHS Arborist - but this is only on the above reasonings. Shrubs and trees are not removed if the plant is healthy and there is no health and safety risk.

2) It might not be on the MHS Footprint - the frontage could be on the base's land and not the Annington Homes area - I have had half hedges cut before now where this line on a map states the contract starts/stops.

3) Money - Its that time of year again, and one of the items that gets pushed to one side is trees and shrubs. And guess what - nesting season starts up after the fiscal year!

4) If the front garden is not your responsibility (Do MHS come and cut the grass?) then MHS landscape are responsible for it, but that means maintaining what is there. Maintaining means annually removing a year's growth - any more than that has to be paid for by DE.

5) Look in your handbook towads the back - is a table showing the responsibility of gardens, including heights you are responsible for maintaining - it is around 2m in height. So if you moved in and it was below 2m high, you should keep it below that height. If it is above - then MHS should bring it down to a manageable level.

Plan of action - I suggest moving fast before nesting season, but depends which of the above condition fits the bill.

EmmEve

kitchpoo wrote: »

There may be many reasons for this -

1) True - DE imposed a long nesting season rule that had to be observed originally, and could only be overturned on health and safety or access, if branches touch the house this would be also considered as a possible reason to lop/cut back. This is now been relaxed - any hedge can be cut, as long as a competant person first investigates and checks the hedge prior to works. I had this confirmed by an MHS zone manager and MHS Arborist - but this is only on the above reasonings. Shrubs and trees are not removed if the plant is healthy and there is no health and safety risk.

2) It might not be on the MHS Footprint - the frontage could be on the base's land and not the Annington Homes area - I have had half hedges cut before now where this line on a map states the contract starts/stops.

3) Money - Its that time of year again, and one of the items that gets pushed to one side is trees and shrubs. And guess what - nesting season starts up after the fiscal year!

4) If the front garden is not your responsibility (Do MHS come and cut the grass?) then MHS landscape are responsible for it, but that means maintaining what is there. Maintaining means annually removing a year's growth - any more than that has to be paid for by DE.

5) Look in your handbook towads the back - is a table showing the responsibility of gardens, including heights you are responsible for maintaining - it is around 2m in height. So if you moved in and it was below 2m high, you should keep it below that height. If it is above - then MHS should bring it down to a manageable level.

Plan of action - I suggest moving fast before nesting season, but depends which of the above condition fits the bill.

Ok well....

We were told the front of the house was not our respsonsibility and yes they cut the grass. As we were told it was not our repsonsibility we have never touched the shrub but nor have they! Wondering if its partly my own fault but i can only go on what i am told :mad:

The shrub covers our entire front window touches the window and walls and is a good 6ft+ high.

So should i take it i can insist they trim it? I'm assuming as it blocks our window it would be considered a health and safety risk with regards to blocking an exit in a fire? Therefore nesting would be a totally invalid reason to refuse?

EmmEve

Oh its all sorted now :j Estate manager is going to arrange it for me. He said he would ages ago but nothing happened but oh well, should be sorted soon.

And i'm getting some new carpets :j albeit all in oatmeal! Oh well beggars can't be choosers :rotfl:

NewbieMoneySaver**

My damp is in the downstairs toilet. Its outside the house and the wall and I also have a big bank of mud/grass in front of the house. In the downstairs toilet there is also a crack along the wall and also on the ceiling.