Service charge special edition 2018/19 - A2Dominion
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Spring 2018/ Issue 30
Service charge
Making your charges clearer
We’re adding more detail to your service
charge estimate.
Fire safety
The measures we’re taking to prevent special edition
2018/19
fires from starting in your building.
Win £50
in shopping
vouchers!
Register for My Account now at a2dominion.co.uk/myaccount 1
Guard dog not cutting it? Introduction
Welcome
A2Dominion works with insurance
company Zurich Municipal to help you
feel more confident about your home’s
protection against unexpected
accidents and disasters.
If you’re a leaseholder or shared
owner with A2Dominion, we may
have arranged building insurance
as part of your service charge,
which means you’re covered for Welcome to Home Spring 2018, our special issue
losses arising from theft, fires, dedicated to explaining your service charge estimate.
lightning, flooding, and much more. Our feature article (pages 4-7) sets out two example
estimates, highlighting any new information and
Building insurance does not cover focusing on areas that you’ve previously asked about.
contents insurance. To protect your
furniture, belongings and decorations, On page 8, you can find our office opening hours and contact
why not sign up for the My Home information over the Easter period.
contents insurance scheme, arranged
in conjunction with the National Housing Don’t forget to answer our Home quiz! There are three
questions within the magazine, giving you three chances to win 04 Feature Article
Federation? We can help you get home
a £50 high street shopping voucher. You’ll find details on how Your service charge
contents insurance easily and at a price to enter on this page. estimate explained
that is affordable.
Enjoy the read!
Visit our website at a2dominion.co.uk/help
07 Fire safety
where you can find answers to your questions about
We’re continuing to work hard to
contents insurance and buildings insurance, and
keep your building safe from fire.
download up-to-date insurance documents.
08 Easter opening hours
We’ll be closed on Good Friday
and Easter Monday.
08 Building a stronger future
Make more time Margot Knight
On the cover: for our customers
(Left to right) Customers Lyn, Ann, How joining forces with Radian
for the things Editor Jeanette and Sue in Stanwell, Surrey will help us better serve you.
that matter
Pay your rent and service charge
Win our quiz!
by Direct Debit, the most We’re offering you three chances to win
convenient way to pay. £50 in high street shopping vouchers.
With Direct Debit, you’ll never Look out for three questions in this issue
have to worry about forgetting to and submit your answers online at
make a payment and can avoid a2dominion.co.uk/competition, or by
spending time in queues. writing to Communications, A2Dominion
Group, The Point, 37 North Wharf Road,
Set it up online at London, W2 1BD.
a2dominion.co.uk/directdebit
or call 0800 432 0077. Visit a2dominion.co.uk/competitionrules
for terms and conditions. The competition
closes on 30 March 2018.
Congratulations to Susan Latham, Nicola
Campbell and Lana Carrick for winning
the quiz in our last issue.
Feature Article
Frequently asked questions
Your service charge A Communal Repairs
Communal Repairs covers
day-to-day repairs to common parts
see the heading ‘Communal Repairs’
in their service charge estimate. The
amount you see next to this charge is
what we expect to spend on communal
is safe and complies with safety
requirements. Most commonly, lifts
need to be inspected, and this happens
twice a year.
estimate explained
of the building, such as repairing repairs throughout the year.
communal doors, minor painting and C Fire safety
decorating, plastering and tiling. B Engineering Insurance
Fire Safety is very important to us, so
Both tenants and leaseholders pay Engineering Insurance is a new we’ve dedicated an article to this charge
for communal repairs, but do so in heading, and covers charges for on page 7, to explain in more detail
In our feature article, we take a look at example estimates, addressing popular queries different ways. independent inspections of equipment what we’re doing for you in this area.
relating to your statement and highlighting any new items. or machines, which we are required to
Tenants pay for communal repairs do to make sure that the equipment
within their rent, while leaseholders will
If you would like any further information about your estimated service charge, please visit
our website at a2dominion.co.uk/rent-and-service-charge
EXAMPLE ESTIMATE (LEASEHOLDER)
Summary of Anticipated Service Charge Expenditure
Mr John Smith A2Dominion Homes Ltd
2 House
Road Estate Re: 2 House
London Road Estate
SW00 000
Date: 20 February 2017
Ref: 00000000/00
Service charge - Block
Service charge period: 1 April 2018 - 31 March 2019
Expenditure heading (£) Previous Anticipated Percentage (£) Anticipated
budget (£) expenditure (£) share due (£)
Block Cleaning 1,964.00 1,963.00 6.2500% 122.69
A Communal Repairs 1,997.00 1,997.00 6.2500% 124.81
Electrical & Lighting Testing 234.00 234.00 11.1111% 26.00
B Engineering Insurance NEW - 156.00 6.2500% 9.75
Management Fee 2,160.00 2,205.00 11.1111% 245.00
C Fire Safety 1,082.00 1,082.00 11.1111% 120.22
Insurance 1,080.00 738.00 11.1111% 82.00
Lighting and Electricity 610.00 539.00 6.2500% 33.69
Introducing new headings... For example, Bulk Refuse Removal
We want to be as transparent as was originally included in the Grounds
possible with your service charge, so Maintenance charge but has since been Quiz Question Total anticipated expenditure 9,127.00 8,914.00
we have introduced some new items, given its own category. Look out for Name a new service
which you may see on your estimated our ‘new’ sign within our feature article, charge heading. Total on account payable 764.16
service charge. which highlights any new headings.
See page 3 for how
Charge details
These new headings are not new, We hope that doing this will make it to enter our quiz
Monthly Block Service Charge in Advance
additional payments. They’re simply clearer for you to know exactly what Due on 1 April 2018 63.68
being presented in a different way. each charge covers.
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Frequently asked questions
D Bin Contamination E Bulk Refuse Removal F Tree Surgey Any questions?
Bin Contamination is a new charge, This is the cost of dealing with fly To learn more about both bin Tree surgey is done routinely and the You can find a full list of explanations about
which covers the cost of us having to tipping or the removal of bulky contamination and bulk refuse removal cost can vary, based on requirements the headings you see on your service charge
remove waste from recycling bins. In dumped items stored in communal in your neighbourhood, you can visit at the time. Professional tree surgeons estimate by visiting
2016/17 we spent over £60,000 on areas. Under the Environmental your Local Authority’s website. By conduct surveys in August to identify a2dominion.co.uk/rent-and-service-charge
decontaminating bins. Protection Act 1990, it is a criminal doing so, you should be able to find what work needs to be carried out
offence to fly tip. information about how to recycle over the next five years. Therefore, this
We have to do this because Local properly and refuse collection services. particular charge may not appear on
Authorities will not collect recycling bins Most Local Authorities offer a your esitmate every year.
which have been contaminated with refuse collection service, which also
non-recyclable items. This results in includes garden waste. If you have any
missed collections, which, in turn, leads suggestions or concerns around your
to an increase in the amount of waste bin stores or dumped bulky items,
Quiz Question
in communal bins and often causes pest please contact us on 0800 432 0077.
Name an issue bin
control issues.
contamination can cause.
See page 3 for how
to enter our quiz
EXAMPLE ESTIMATE (TENANT)
Summary of Anticipated Service Charge Expenditure
Mrs Jane Taylor A2Dominion Homes Ltd
5 Flat
Street Estate Re: 5 Flat
Bristol Street Estate
BS1 000
Date: 20 February 2018
Ref: 00000000/00
Service charge - Estate
Service charge period: 1 Apr 2018 - 31 March 2019
Quiz Question
Name a precaution you can
Expenditure heading (£) Previous Anticipated Percentage (£) Anticipated take to keep yourself safe
budget (£) expenditure (£) share due (£) from the threat of fire.
See page 3 for how
D Bin Contamination NEW - 36.00 3.3300% 1.20 Community Investment Co-ordinator to enter our quiz
Danielle with customers in Stanwell, Surrey.
E Bulk Refuse Removal 1,798.00 946.00 3.3300% 31.50
Grounds Maintenance 2,290.00 2,290.00 3.3300% 76.26
C Fire safety • Fitting all our homes and Meanwhile, please do
Lighting and Electricity 1,206.00 - 3.3300% - communal areas with at least one make sure to take your own
F Tree Surgery 120.00 1,305.00 3.3300% 43.46 We work hard to make sure that we smoke alarm. precautions, including:
maintain a necessary high standard of
TV Aerial or Satellite System 1,279.00 1,279.00 3.3300% 42.59 • Fitting all shared corridors in flats
fire safety for our customers. • knowing what the policy is in your
and supported schemes with smoke
Water charges (landlord) 106.00 106.00 3.3300% 3.53 building in the event of a fire
There are a number of ways we try to alarms, which we test regularly.
Administration Fees - - 15.0000% 29.78 • keeping corridors clear
keep your block or estate as safe from • Compartmentation - dividing
the threat of fire as possible, such as: buildings into ‘cells’, constructed • only opening fire doors
from materials such as fire walls and when necessary
Total anticipated expenditure 6,799.00 5,962.00 • Maintaining equipment and fire doors. This helps to contain a • testing smoke detectors in your
systems on a regular basis. fire in a flat for longer and prevent home regularly
Total on account payable 228.32
• Carrying out inspections on all it from spreading quickly. • reporting any damage or concerns
high-rise buildings (six floors, or you have to us.
Charge details 18 metres, and higher) annually. In the year ahead, we will continue
Weekly Service Charge - Estate in advance • Employing professionals to to prioritise fire safety in these ways
Due on 1st April 2018 4.57 conduct regular fire risk and more.
assessments of our blocks.
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Our opening hours over the Contact us
Easter period
Sign up to My Account to
access your rental account
Our main and local offices will be closed for Easter on Friday 30
online, wherever and
March 2018 and Monday 2 April 2018. We re-open at 8:30am on
whenever you like.
Tuesday 3 April 2018.
Think you’ll need to call us over the Easter period? Our customer contact centre
With My Account you can:
will be open on Thursday 29 March and Tuesday 3 April between 8:30am and
5:30pm. We will be closed for Easter on Friday 30 March and Monday 2 April. • Request repairs
During normal office hours, please call us on 0800 432 0077. If you have an • View repairs history
emergency when the contact centre is closed, please call us on 0800 316 9880. • Check statements
We expect to be busy on Tuesday 3 April. If your query is not urgent, you may • Pay bills online
want to call later in the week to avoid waiting in a queue. • Tell us about an issue
• Update your details
Register today for
instant access:
a2dominion.co.uk/myaccount
For all other enquiries, you
can contact us:
Online
a2dominion.co.uk/help
By email
customer.services@
a2dominion.co.uk
By phone
0800 432 0077
Monday to Friday,
8:30am to 5:30pm
(normal office hours)
You can write to us at
A2Dominion Group
113 Uxbridge Road
Ealing, London
W5 5TL
/a2dominion
/a2dominion
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