Cleaning
In a shared flat or house, some of your co-tenants may have different views about the level of cleanliness the property should be kept in. Some tenants are cleaner and tidier than others and have very different expectations on how they can live.
Unipol has a clear view on levels of cleanliness required in a property. When we carry out our inspection, we will tell you if your property is not up to standard. In a shared house or flat each tenant should do an equal share of the cleaning and other household chores. There is room for specialisation though, so if you can negotiate exemption from washing up in favour perhaps of cleaning the bathroom – good luck.
Between inspections, it is up to the tenants to agree between them about what level of general cleanliness a property will be kept in. It is not fair to leave all the chores to one person but it is equally not fair to refuse to help (even if you have decided to not use the communal areas.) – after all it is your home and most tenants are jointly liable for the communal areas.
We do however have minimum standards to ensure the health and safety of the occupants, staff and contractors working in the property.
Step One:
If you are unhappy with the level of cleanliness within your house or flat, you must talk to the other tenants and see if you can all agree to improve the situation. A rota may be a useful tool to ensure that each tenant is clear about how much they should contribute to the overall running of the house. (download an example cleaning rota). Your Tenancy Support Officer would want some written information about what steps you have taken to try and resolve the situation yourself.
Step Two:
If you try this and it doesn’t work, your Tenancy Support Officer can arrange a meeting between everyone in the house to try and agree a rota and ask all tenants to sign to agree to this arrangement. You will need to provide some information in writing if you wish to have some intervention with disputes over cleaning.
The information you provide should include: -
- Your name and address and a daytime telephone number.
- The area(s) where the problems are occurring.
- The type of problem (for example inter-tenant conflict).
- When and for how long the problem has occurred.
- The way the problem affects you (for example if it is distressing for you).
- Anything you have done to try to deal with the problem yourself (for example speaking to the person(s) directly, introducing a cleaning rota.).
Unipol will do what they can to make sure that we keep your name and address in confidence. Occasionally however, especially with disputes over cleaning, the person(s) you have made a complaint about can guess who has complained or may approach you to ask if you have made the complaint.
Step Three (bold text). Once your written information is received, the Tenancy Support Officer will contact you to arrange a meeting to discuss the options available to you.
Options that may be available to you will include:
- Mediation, or a joint meeting with all tenants in your accommodation.
- Unipol writing to your flat-mates on your behalf.
- Unipol arranging a formal meeting with the tenant(s) ‘not pulling their weight' on your behalf.
- A mutual exchange with another tenant in a Unipol property.
- An agreement to carry out more inspections of the problem area’s and further joint meetings to check on the progress.
- Possibility of moving to another Unipol property that is available. (Please note, there is an administration charge for this option if tenants wish to relocate without trying any of the other options above. Relocation would also only be available to Unipol tenants on individual contracts).
Links
“when flat-mates go wrong” the hitchhikers guide to picking your flat mates - advice for choosing who to live with for your next accommodation
Leeds
Drop-in services at Unipol Student Homes.
Nightline - a telephone support and information service run for students by trained student volunteers. The phone lines open between 8pm and 8am every night of term, offering confidential listening and information to all students studying in Leeds and at Bretton. Tel: 0113 3801380
Leeds Metropolitan University student services, counselling, debt management etc
Leeds Metropolitan University Student Union.
The University of Leeds, support, guidance, welfare
The University of Leeds Student Union
Leeds College of Art and Design
The Northern School of Contemporary Dance
Leeds Community Mediation Service - offers a range of services including help to neighbours in conflict.
Samaritans - offer confidential non-judgemental emotional support 24 hours a day. Tel: 08457 90 90 90
Bradford
The University of Bradford student services
The University of Bradford Students Union
Samaritans offer confidential non-judgemental emotional support 24 hours a day. Tel: 08457 90 90 90
