Yes, skips will be provided for residents to get rid of their unwanted items prior to moving out of their existing homes. If you are going to struggle with the removal of large unwanted items, please let your Housing Officer know as soon as possible, and we can look at how we can best support you with this.  If you leave unwanted items in your property without prior agreement with Riverside, you may be charged.

James removals are the appointed removal company. They will complete an assessment prior to your moving date and will note if you have a dishwasher and/or washing machine, this ensures they can complete the disconnection and reconnection on the day of your move. Plumbing points have been installed to accommodate both a washing machine and dishwasher.

The housing team will provide you with prior notice for when garages need to be cleared, you will be given ample time and support with clearing your garage if you require.

Properties must be handed back to Riverside empty. If you need help with the removal of large unwanted items, please let your Housing Officer know as soon as possible, and arrangements will be made to support you. 

The removal of items comes at a cost to Riverside; therefore, any excessive items left without prior permission by your Housing Officer may be re-charged to you. 

Riverside agrees:  

• To hire a professional removals company with the appropriate insurance cover to guard against damage in removals transit. We will recruit, engage with the company and then settle the cost directly.  

• For the benefit of elderly and/or isolated, vulnerable tenants and/or tenants with a disability, we will ask the removals company to provide a full packing and unpacking service. Removal boxes will be dropped off at the home to be decanted one week before the day of removal. 

• To cover the cost of re-direction of mail. 

• On the new estate, gas will not be unavailable. Therefore, Riverside will replace cookers and/or hobs that rely on gas with an electric appliance. Should you be provided with a new cooker, this will be gifted to you. 

• To oversee the disconnection and reconnection of domestic appliances. All disconnections and reconnections will be arranged by Riverside. 

• To cover landline telephone and internet service transfer fees for change of property address, if a charge for moving like-for-like services applies (not for upgrade packages or change in provider). 

• Riverside will provide you with a contribution towards window coverings for your new home, the cost is calculated based on the number of windows in your new home. 

The new homes will have a fibre optic socket for landline telephones and a socket for fibre optic broadband connections (Wi-Fi) which we anticipate will offer a stronger service than what is available to you in your current home. Residents will be responsible for changing their address with their supplier.   

Riverside are not responsible for mobile phone reception. The equipment that provides mobile phone reception is not the responsibility of either Riverside or Countryside. 

If you have existing pets, you do not need to do anything. You can keep your current pets.

You will need permission from Riverside to have a pet. Please contact your Housing Officer if you would like a pet.

Residents will be expected to pack themselves, however for residents that inform us in advance that they require additional help for specific reasons (such as the elderly, vulnerable, or those with a disability), Riverside will provide help with wrapping and packing and the dismantling and disposing of unwanted items.

The Landlord Offer you voted on stated that we will work with tenants to identify their preferences regarding proximity to existing friends or neighbours and accommodate this where possible. This hasn’t changed and we will do our best to meet your preference with regards to proximity of neighbours and location within the new block where we can.

Homes that were not allocated in phase 1 (Samara House) will be offered to the subsequent phases in line with our allocations policy.

This is explained within the NOSP. Those on Assured Tenancies will receive NOSPs that require possession proceedings to begin within 12 months of service. Those on Secure Tenancies will receive NOSPs that require possession proceedings to begin within 12 months from the date we can start court proceedings (this date is listed on your NOSP). 

Residents that have moved off and kept their right to return will be allocated a new home but will not be served notice on their current home. However, if they do not move into their allocated home when required by Riverside, they will lose their right to return. To keep your right to return you must meet the Management Let criteria, which includes a clear rent account (at the time of allocation and on new tenancy sign up). 

We have been working with Countryside to accommodate residents’ preferences with regards to open/closed plan kitchens as much as possible; however, due to the structural layout of some of the flats, there may be instances where some layouts do not support both design options (closed and open). Further details will be provided at the time of your new home allocation.

For health and safety purposes Riverside is required to install a vinyl anti-slip flooring in the ‘wet areas’ of new homes (kitchen and bathroom). There will be some tiling to the shower/bath area and splash back to the sink.

Countryside will be boxing toilets/sinks but only to a point, to ensure pipework is easily accessible for the purpose of any future repairs and maintenance that may be required by Riverside, or our contractors.

You will be able to control your underfloor heating in each zone within your new homes; more than one room may be included in a zone. We will provide home demonstrations when you move in. 

Yes, all new homes will come with an extractor fan as standard, regardless of open/closed kitchen.

Downlights will be in kitchen areas only. 

We will either install blinds prior to you moving in (you will be given a choice of colour), or we will provide a payment towards the cost of purchasing new window coverings. This will be agreed prior to you moving and set out as part of our proposals nearer the time.

Our commitment is to existing residents who owned a vehicle at the start of our consultation.

If you are a secure tenant, we will ask you to sign a Riverside Protected Assured Tenancy Agreement when you move. Secure tenancies are no longer in place to issue as a new agreement.

The Protected Assured Tenancy is an Assured Tenancy which carries over all of the additional rights possessed under a Secure Tenancy. We will provide further information and advice for secure tenants on the process. Assured tenants will sign a Riverside Assured Tenancy.

The fold down chairs installed in the wet rooms will be made of polished aluminium, with a padded seat.

Slip resistant flooring will be fitted across the entire wet room, and as per the colour choice the residents have selected.

Residents will receive a call on their door entry phone when a visitor rings the bell, allowing them to see and speak with the visitor before granting access through the front door. After entering, the visitor will need to repeat the process to get through the lobby door. Visitors can then use the lift or stairs to reach the correct floor, where they will ring again to access the door leading to the resident’s front door.

Your fob will allow access to the building and to your floor. To visit a neighbour on a different floor, you will need to contact them using the door entry system. They will then be required to grant you access using their door entry phone within their home. 

Each resident will have a secure lockable post box, A4 size. This will be situated in the entrance lobby. Delivery personnel will need to call the intercom system from outside the building for larger deliveries. 

A bank of secure lockable letter boxes will be provided within the entrance lobby of the new block.

Residents will be advised their full postal address, including their postcode, at least 12 weeks before their confirmed move date.

Yes, there will be two lifts in each block, and they will service all floors, subject to authorised access. 

Yes, for added security fobs will be programmed to restrict residents to their floor only and to some communal areas, such as bin and bicycle stores.

Access to individual floors will be limited to permit fob-access only to those living on that floor. Amenities such as bin and bike stores will also be access controlled.

The area is well lit and is overlooked by residents from Lavisham House; these are the measures adopted in the new development as per Secure by Design principle, the official police security advice that we work to, to improve the security of buildings and their immediate surroundings. 

We appreciate that the request for CCTV has been raised previously in meetings, however at this stage we will not be implementing this in the car park. It may be something we can explore as an additional surveillance option if security becomes an issue. CCTV also comes with an added cost which may impact on service charges, and we would therefore need to consult with the estate fully on this matter.

Yes, there will be an opening window on each balcony.

Everyone will have their own private outdoor space along with shared outdoor space, for both the affordable and private tenure. 

Monday to Friday (8am-6pm), and Saturday (8am–1pm) for weekend works.

Due to the nature of the works, they are anticipated to be noisy. Noise monitoring equipment will be used throughout the duration of the build period.

A fireman’s hose will be used for dust suppression. This will minimise the spread of dust outside the hoarding line. Contractors will be monitoring dust levels on site to ensure safety.

We will notify you ahead of any works and let you know if they will affect any services to your homes.