This section is aimed at helping residents find what they need, whether it be car park information, finding a plumber or sourcing a replacement original kitchen cabinet door. Please let us know if you have any comments or anything useful for other residents.
Alterations Pack – This pack gives lots of tips to being a Good Neighbour when having property alterations. Produced by the Barbican Estates Office (BEO). Click Here for Alterations Pack. This is the latest Alterations Pack updated in 2019.
Animals – Pets should not be kept on the premises and are not allowed in the communal gardens. Please do not feed the wild life (especially the rather pesky squirrels!). See Bird Life below.
Baggage Stores (to rent) – Are offered to Barbican Estate leaseholders as a convenient and secure storage solution to help maximise urban living space. They are payable via residents’ services charges and are not available for pre-paid fixed terms. Baggage stores are popular with residents and are nearly always fully subscribed – The BEO has a waiting list.
Baggage store tariffs are:
-
Standard stores (approx approx 13 square feet) £331 per annum
-
Larger transportable stores £640 per annum
-
Large stores £820 per annum
Prices and sizes for newly built transportable storage units in Breton, Bunyan and Willoughby Car Parks.
For residents
- Large (H-1.9M x W-2M x L-2M – 43 square feet) – £873 per year
- X Large (H-1.9M x W-2M x L-3M – 61 square feet) – £1,238 per year
- XX Large (H-1.9M x W-2M x L-4M – 86 square feet) – £1,746 per year
For non-residents
- Large (H-1.9M x W-2M x L-2M – 43 square feet) – £1,745 inc VAT per year
- X Large (H-1.9M x W-2M x L-3M – 61 square feet) – £2,476 inc VAT per year
- XX Large (H-1.9M x W-2M x L-4M – 86 square feet) – £3,490 inc VAT per year
*Presently only large stores are available in Bunyan and Breton car parks.
Key Deposit for all stores: £170
Baggage Stores (to buy) – Stores were available for leasehold purchase until 2106. The annual service charge for a sold store was then £18 per annum.
Purchase prices are :
-
£6,850 for standard stores, (including £350 legal fees)
-
£10,350 for the large stores at Thomas More House (including £350 legal fees)
Transportable stores and the large stores at Brandon Mews are not available for purchase.
If you would like a baggage store, please contact the Estates Office on 020 7029 3958.
Balconies – Serve as fire escape routes and are subject to formal rights of escape in case of emergency as set out in each long lease so must not be obstructed. It is prohibited under the terms of the lease to hang washing on your balcony.
Barbican Estates Office (BEO) Out of Hours Service – is available Monday to Thursday 5 pm to 9.15 am and 5 pm Friday to 9.15 am Monday.
The Duty Manager will be responsible for providing the out-of- hours estate management function including attendance at emergency incidents, lift trappings, and dealing with incidents of nuisance.
Residents phoning out of hours will initially speak to the Car Park Attendants or Lobby Porters who will assess the issue. If necessary they will seek the advice/assistance of the Duty Manager who will respond a number of ways.
It is important that contact is made through the concierge staff because at any given time the Duty Manager could be otherwise engaged on Barbican Estate business.
Barbican Life Magazine – The quarterly magazine for London’s premier ‘urban village’. Not only are copies delivered to ALL the Barbican’s 4,000+ residents, but also a substantial number of additional copies are available from Estate Agents specializing in sales of Barbican properties. Circulation is around 2,800 copies to one of the United Kingdom’s largest concentrations of high earning residences.
For advertisers, Barbican Life is a prime marketing resource for goods and services due to the huge buying power of residents in the complex. Editorial articles focus on the unique lifestyle of Barbican residents and the facilities and associations available within the complex and in the surrounding area, as well as more general articles written by local authors. The magazine is thus very much Barbican centric and thus commands extremely loyal readership by the residents of the Complex as well as from others in the area.
Regular sections review local restaurants, preview forthcoming theatre productions, give updates on the Barbican property market, cover what is coming up in the local arts scene, give advice on personal finance and investment, give pointers to ways of maintaining fitness and health and cover Barbican-related news and business activities. If you would like a copy please contact barblifeedit@gmail.com.
Bird Life – Most residents welcome the annual arrival of the ducklings but in some cases nests are constructed in areas which give residents concern and cause problems for the ducklings on leaving the nest.
The BEO has to comply with the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and nests and eggs may only be removed (for very specific reasons) between certain dates and/or under a special or general licence (depending on the bird species) issued by DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).
Residents can assist by telephoning the BEO at first signs of Feral Pigeons nesting on their balconies. Effective management controls have kept the Feral Pigeon numbers low which in turn keeps maintenance costs down.
To assist in the control of pigeons and seagulls do not feed the birds on the lawns or in the lakes, and especially not from your balcony.
Herring Gulls nesting on high buildings can sometimes cause a problem when the adult birds protect their nests. Providing that it can be established that the Herring Gulls are causing a health and safety hazard by their behaviour (and not just a nuisance) then eggs/nests can be destroyed under a General licence from DEFRA.
Contractors visit weekly to control pigeon nesting and use a Harris Hawk to control pigeon numbers.
Building Work/DIY – Please make sure that:
- Get the right permissions – If you are planning on alterations/building work you need to get the Landlord‟s consent via the Estates Office.
- All works are carried out during the normal working week (9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday).
- Noisy works such as drilling, are further restricted to between 10am and 4pm and please recommend that your contractors refrain from noisy work between 12pm and 14pm.
- If you are doing any DIY or having contractors in, it is a good idea to inform your neighbours of any possible disruption.
- On Speed House Lawn
- Underneath Seddon House adjacent to Thomas More Lawn.
They are for the use of Barbican Estate residents and their accompanied guests.
The play equipment is designed for younger children to enjoy. At the Thomas More play area there is also a hard surface area marked out for Tennis, Basketball and Football.
If you are likely to be unavailable when a delivery arrives you can arrange to have items delivered to the nearest car park box to your flat, or to the lobby if you live in a tower block. This service is at your own risk and the CoL cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage.
The Lobby Porter or Car Park Attendant will notify you via a card that you have an article to collect. Please collect deliveries promptly as there is limited storage space available.
The concierge service for the terrace blocks is provided as follows:
|
Block Name |
Car Park |
Access Route |
|
Andrewes House, Gilbert House, Wallside and Postern |
Andrewes Car Park |
Fore Street |
|
Breton House, Frobisher Crescent and Ben Jonson House |
Ben Jonson House / Breton Car Park |
Golden Lane |
|
Bunyan Court, Bryer |
Bunyan Court Car Park |
Fann Street |
|
Defoe House |
Defoe Car Park |
Westbound Carriageway of Beech Street |
|
Speed House |
Speed Car Park |
Silk Street |
|
Thomas More House, Lambert Jones Mews, Mountjoy House and Seddon House |
Thomas More Car Park |
Southbound Carriageway of Aldersgate Street |
|
Willoughby House and Brandon Mews |
Willoughby Car Park |
Moor Lane (Southbound) |
Concerns about access to your property should be forwarded to the BEO. If you have an Occupational Therapist (OT) assisting you and you consider that alterations are necessary to help you with daily living requirements, then please discuss this with the OT.
In addition, all documents can be produced in alternative formats upon request. This includes large print, audio tape or Braille. Please ask the BEO if you require anything in these formats.
Access to podium level for wheelchair users is via the nearest block lift for holders of Barbican Estate keys. There are a number of access points for visitors:
- Lift near 1 London Wall
- Lift at entrance to the Museum of London located on the roundabout at the end of London Wall and Aldersgate Street
- Turret lift near the entrance to Thomas More car park on Aldersgate Street.
- Ramp at White Lyon Court / Fann Street.
- Ramp at Ben Jonson House junction with Whitecross Street.
- Lift at junction of Moor Lane / Ropemaker Street
- Lift at corner of Gilbert House on St Giles Churchyard.
Most Barbican Estate flats have bathrooms without windows, which have been identified as a safe area. Should it be necessary to take refuge in an emergency it would be advisable to take a radio with you to listen for news updates.
You should be familiar with the nearest access route to your block so that you will be able to advise the emergency services where to attend.
Numbered Ambulance access points have been agreed with the London Ambulance Service and should be quoted if you call an ambulance.
|
Access |
Ambulance Point |
Block |
|
Andrewes Car Park |
6 |
Andrewes House, Gilbert House, Wallside and Postern |
|
Breton Car Park |
2 |
Breton House and Ben Jonson House |
|
Bunyan Court Car Park |
1 |
Bunyan Court, Bryer Court and John Trundle Court |
|
Cromwell Tower |
3 |
Cromwell Tower |
|
Defoe Car Park |
8 |
Defoe House and Shakespeare Tower |
|
Lauderdale Tower |
8 |
Lauderdale Tower |
|
Speed Car Park |
4 |
Speed House |
|
Thomas More Car Park |
7 |
Thomas More House, Lambert Jones Mews, Mountjoy House and Seddon House |
|
Willoughby Car Park |
5 |
Willoughby House and Brandon Mews |
If you are expecting the emergency services you are advised to inform your Car Park Attendant or Lobby Porter in order that they can give access and arrange parking if necessary.
Entryphones– An entryphone system is in operation for most of the flats on the Barbican Estate.
- Visitors can use the control panel located at podium level block entrances to speak to residents via the intercom located in the flat.
- After verifying the identity of the visitor, residents can give visitors access to the block by releasing the lock from inside their flat.
- Residents should be cautious about giving access.
Name labels on the control panel can be updated by contacting reception at the BEO.
Visitors to the Tower Blocks will gain access via a similar system with the assistance of the Lobby Porter.
Repairs to the entryphone system are carried out by specialists who visit the Barbican Estate approximately every two weeks. You should report any defect to the Repairs Reporting Line.
Fire – The advice from the Fire Brigade is:
The Barbican has been built to protect residents in the event of a fire, so do not automatically assume you must leave your flat. The emergency services will decide whether the building needs to be evacuated. If it does, use your front door and stairs unless the fire/smoke prevents this, in which case use your balcony.
Basic Advice:
- Familiarise yourself with the escape route from your flat before an emergency. For most flats this is using a staircase (NEVER A LIFT) or your balcony.
- Keep all emergency access routes clear: your life or those of your family or neighbours could be endangered if you do not – Large plants or furniture should not be stored on balconies for this reason.
If the fire is in your flat:
- Do not stay to fight a fire unless you can extinguish it immediately.
- Evacuate everyone in the flat.
- Close all doors behind you.
- Call the Fire Brigade.
- Call your Lobby Porter/Car Park Attendant.
If you detect a fire in another part of your building:
- Stay in your home unless evacuated by emergency services.
- Call the Fire Brigade, do not tackle the fire yourself.
- Close all doors and windows to restrict the spread of smoke.
- If you become affected by the heat or smoke, leave the flat,as described above.
- It is worth while investing in a smoke alarm. The battery should be renewed each year to ensure the alarm is working effectively.
- Avoid calor gas, paraffin or electric bar fires wherever possible. Instead use plug in radiators with safety electric plugs.
- Do not block access points in your flat or the communal areas of your block.
- Do not use rooms for storage or as workshops.
- Do not overload electrical sockets, cover convector heaters or leave lit candles and heaters close to curtains and furniture.
- Ensure electrical equipment is regularly serviced.
Flat Details and Layouts – The website Barbican Living gives detailed descriptions of all the individual blocks, including flat layout plans
- If blockages occur they should be reported at once to the Repairs Reporting Line and do not use the garchey until the blockage has been cleared.
- A number of residents have removed the garchey unit and installed alternative waste disposal systems. In these cases whilst the maintenance of the existing garchey pipe work remains the responsibility of the CoL as Landlord, any new installation within the flat becomes the responsibility of the long lessee who will nonetheless remain liable to contribute towards the maintenance of the garchey system via the service charge under the terms of the long lease.
- The garchey must not been used between 23.00 and 07.00 to prevent noise disturbance to other people.
- At regular intervals (once a month) the unit should be dismantled and cleaned. You can request a free demonstration of how to do this by calling the Repairs Reporting Line. A guidance note is available from the BEO detailing how to clean your garchey.
- When leaving your flat unoccupied it is good practice to insert the garchey key provided for dismantling the unit into the slots located at the top of the garchey unit. (Do not turn). This will reduce the risk of flooding should a blockage occur in the system.
- It is not possible to recover items deposited in the garchey Refuse Disposal Unit once flushed away. However if something valuable is inadvertently deposited in the garchey unit then it should NOT be flushed and you should notify the Repairs Reporting Line immediately. An attempt can then be made to recover the item, but no guarantee or responsibility can be accepted by the COL. Remember – if the sink is flushed, recovery is impossible
Items which are not disposed of via the garchey system will be collected on weekdays for disposal or recycling. See Refuse section.
Please note: A garchey cleaning service is not provided as this is the responsibility of residents.
Gardens and Lakes – The gardens and lakes are managed by the Open Spaces Department on behalf of the BEO.
The Speed House, Thomas More and Fann Street gardens are for the use of Barbican residents and their accompanied guests only.
- Young children playing in the gardens or play areas should be supervised.
- BEO would prefer larger numbers of teenagers not to play in the garden to avoid noise nuisance.
- Dogs and barbeques are prohibited.
- Ball games are not allowed on the lawns as there is a children’s play area in the Thomas More Play Area.
- Please do not feed birds.
- Fishing in the lakes is prohibited.
- If uninvited users are found they will be asked to leave, as will residents found abusing the garden facilities.
The fountains in the lake in front of the Barbican Centre will only operate out of City of London School for Girls hours and in school holidays. Their hours of operation will vary according to the time of year.
The approximate working hours are as follows:
Summer – Weekdays 16.00 to 19.30 Weekends 10.00 to 19.30
Winter – Weekdays 16.00 to 18.00 Weekends 10.00 to 18.00
Guest Flats – on the Golden Lane Estate are currently available for Barbican Estate residents via the Golden Lane Estate Office.
- The minimum booking period is one night and the maximum booking period is one month.
- Bookings should be made in advance particularly for busy periods such as bank holiday weekends. Contact nthe BEO for current prices.
- Towels and bed linen are provided.
- Payment will need to be made in advance. A cheque made payable for the full amount should be forwarded to the Golden Lane Estate Office.
- Keys can be picked up from the Golden Lane Estate Office during office hours only.
Insurance – Long lease provides for insurance of the Barbican Estate (including each flat) by the CoL. The premium is billed annually and usually appears on the December service charge invoice. The policy covers the full rebuilding cost of the flat. The fact that it is an ‘Estate wide’ policy means that there can be no question of under insurance.
The interest of the owner of each flat and the mortgagees of any of them is automatically noted on the policy without the need to be specifically recorded.
The buildings policy also covers fixtures and fittings such as sinks and toilets, but residents are strongly recommended to take out their own contents policy because furnishings and personal items are not covered.
You will be responsible for any damage you cause to other residents property that results from your negligence, e.g. if you allow your washing machine to overflow and damage the furnishings and possessions of the flat below. You should check that your own contents policy is extended to cover this risk.
If you require a claim form or general advice, please contact the BEO.
Keys – Keys to Barbican Estate properties give you access to the majority of access points on the estate including entrances to the blocks at car park and podium levels and also gives access to the Speed House and Thomas More House gardens.
Keys to Barbican flats can be lodged at BEO Reception for safe keeping at the leaseholders own risk. Leaseholders can arrange for their visitors or contractors to have access to the flat in their absence during BEO opening hours.
When authorising BEO staff to release the keys (key permission) to your visitor e.g. contractor, Reception will require full details of the person visiting the flat. You will be asked to provide the following:
- Visitor’s name and if a contractor their company name
- Visitor’s contact telephone number
- Your name
- Your address
- Your contact telephone number
- The period of time that key permission is required
Residents and their visitors will be asked to present identification e.g. driving licence, when collecting keys from BEO Reception.
Orders for Additional Keys – The ASSA keys for Barbican locks cannot be obtained from elsewhere and must be specially ordered by the BEO.
- Additional keys orders will only be accepted from CoL tenants, long leaseholders or, with written authorisation from their landlord, registered subtenants.
- Keys must be paid for in advance – The current cost is available from the BEO.
- Additional keys are delivered to the BEO within 10 days and you will be contacted when your keys are ready for collection.
- Additional Keys will only be released on presentation of identification e.g. Driving licence, Utility Bill, Credit Card.
- If your keys are being collected by someone else, please confirm who will be doing so, so that their identification can be checked.
Those residents living in corridor blocks do not have access to their meters as they are located in a single locked switch room at the end of each corridor and only authorised personnel are permitted access.
Those residents wishing a meter reading must contact the TSD enquiry line and the results will be provided to you within seven working days.
Parking – The Barbican has over one thousand seven hundred car parking bays across various car parks. Parking needs to be authorised by the Car Park Attendants who are based in boxes near to the entrance to each car park. Please contact the BEO for more information.
- Temporary car and motorcycle parking – Each Barbican Estate property is entitled to an initial 5 hours free visitor parking. For longer periods, residents are then charged £10.45 per 24 hours and invoiced.
Use RingGo to pay for visitor/temporary parking
RingGo is widely used in all on-street parking areas in the City of London and other London Boroughs, so you and your visitors may already have an account that you can use for temporary parking.
If you have not used the automated payment system by RingGo before, you will need to set up an account.
RingGo location numbers
When paying to park you will be asked for a Location Number. Estate concierges (Car Park Attendants) can provide you with a personalized wallet card for your parking location.
| Number | Car park | Address | Concierge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 79370 | Andrewes House | Fore Street | 020 7029 3928 |
| 79371 | Breton House | Golden Lane | 020 7029 3938 |
| 79372 | Bunyan Court | Fann Sttreet | 020 7029 3940 |
| 79373 | Cromwell Tower | Beech Street | 020 7029 3924 |
| 79374 | Defoe House | Beech Street | 020 7029 3939 |
| 79375 | Speed House | Silk Street | 020 7029 3925 |
| 79376 | Thomas More House | Aldersgate Street | 020 7029 3934 |
| 79377 | Willoughby House | Moore Lane | 020 7029 3931 |
- Permanent car parking – is a facility offered to Barbican Estate leaseholders and their sub-tenants who wish to park their cars using long term or permanent car parking licences.
Leaseholders are charged an initial administration fee of £62 to obtain a permanent parking licence. Leaseholders are then charged £355 per quarter. This is added to their quarterly service charges.
Sub-tenants are permitted to park for fixed-term durations with the written consent of their landlord or managing agent. These are non-refundable and payable in advance at the Estate Office as follows:
-
A three month licence @ £355, (excluding £62 administration fee).
-
A six month licence @ £710, (excluding £62 administration fee).
-
A nine month licence @ £1,065, (excluding £62 administration fee).
An annual licence @ £1420, (excluding £62 administration fee).
- Mobility Vehicles – Areas in some of the car parks have been set aside for Mobility Vehicles, as these should not be stored in communal areas. These bays are located near the main staircases of blocks and also provide charging facilities. Please contact the BEO to arrange the allocation of a Mobility Vehicle Bay if required. For the current charge for Mobility Vehicle Bays see BEO.
Barbican Estate Windscreen Decals (Barbican logo window transfers) are available for all Barbican Estate car park licensees. This is to assist Car Park Attendants when identifying residents. These are available from your Car Park Box, one per registered car. Place the decal on the car‟s windscreen in a location that will be most visible for your attendant on entry to the car park.
Moving in or Out – When planning your move to the Barbican Estate it is advisable to contact the Car Park Attendant or Lobby Porter who can give advice on the following essential details:
- Parking for your removal van
- If the van cannot be accommodated in the car park you can apply for special dispensation to park in the street. See the BEO (Parking Dispensation).
- Height restrictions in car parks
- The times of day during which you can arrange for removals. Usually this is between 8am and sunset.
Fuse boards are generally located in a service cupboard in the hall area and in a high level cupboard in the kitchen.
For meters see Meter Readings section.
There are also several authorities who should be informed:
- Your Electricity Provider
- Thames Water
- The Council Tax Department
- Your telephone company
- Your internet provider
If you are moving from the Barbican Estate and you have a licence for any of the following, the BEO will need to be contacted and given three months notice of your surrender for any of the following:
- Car Bay licence
- Bicycle Locker licence
- Baggage Store licence
If you have a long term agreement in respect of a car parking bay or baggage store, you may be able to sell it on to the purchaser of your flat, or (with the consent of the BEO and in accordance with the terms of the agreement) to another long lessee.
If you have recently purchased a flat on the Barbican Estate, the transfer of the long lease of your flat (together with any mortgage of the flat which you have taken out) must be registered with the Comptroller and City Solicitor (with the relevant registration fee) within one month in accordance with the terms of the lease. This should normally be dealt with by your solicitor. The transfer of any long term car parking or baggage store agreement should also be registered with the Comptroller and City Solicitor.
If you own the long lease of a flat and decide to move out and sublet the flat, any tenancy which you grant must also be registered with the Comptroller and City Solicitor. See BEO for Subletting / Registration Fees section.
Noise
- Refrain from using the Garchey between 11pm and 7am.
- Do not install wooden flooring, as it is prohibited in the lease and is a frequent cause of noise disturbance to neighbours!
- Try not to slam your doors or windows.
- Try not to make noise that can be heard outside your property. Remember – if you can hear your neighbours, your neighbours can hear you!
Noise – General Advice
The long lease and tenancy agreements contain restrictions on music/noise being heard outside your premises and on behaviour amounting to a nuisance. In order to establish grounds for the CoL as landlord to take proceedings against a long lessee for alleged breach of these restrictions, satisfactory evidence of the alleged breach must be gathered before legal proceedings can commence and such proceedings can themselves be lengthy.
- If a noise problem is caused by your neighbour, a courteous approach to them to explain the problem may provide a satisfactory solution. If this does not help, please contact the BEO.
- If the problem is from another source (e.g. road works) or the above does not provide a resolution contact the BEO. Outside normal office hours (Monday to Friday, 9.15 to 17.00) contact your Car Park Attendant or Lobby Porter.
- The Car Park Attendant may be able to investigate and if possible witness and/or resolve such problems. Alternatively they can contact the Out of Hours Service for further assistance.
If a combined response of the Car Park Attendant/Duty Manager does not resolve the situation, the Duty Manager may contact the Duty Environmental Health Officer via the Keeper at the Guildhall. Alternatively, you may wish to contact the Duty Environmental Health Officer at night-time, Weekends or Bank Holidays.
The Duty Environmental Health Officer may discuss the problem with the Duty Manager and if necessary contact complainants by telephone to determine what action is essential and may:
- Deal with the matter by informal/formal action the next working day
- Contact other agencies to gain further information/action
- If serious and urgent, attend in person.
The Duty Environmental Health Officer is presently only intended to respond to an ’emergency’ or the most urgent situations.
A booklet on noise pollution is available from the BEO.
Noise – Wooden Flooring – The CoL does not give consent for the installation of wooden flooring. The lease states that residents should “carpet all the floors in the premises from wall to wall”. The purpose of this restriction is to minimise any footfall noise being heard in neighbouring flats. The laying of wooden floors may also have detrimental effects on the operation of the under-floor heating.
The CoL may be prepared to take proceedings for breach of this obligation, if neighbours subsequently report a noise nuisance which relates to the flooring residents have chosen. The residents in question may then have to carpet their floors.
Payments – All payments over the counter (rents/ service charges/ temporary car parking etc.) should be made to:
Bank: Lloyds TSB Bank PLC
Sort code: 30 00 00
CoL income account No: 1 00312592
Please quote both the account number and the invoice number. Cheques should be made payable to the City of London.
Police
PC Christine Phillips
PC Mark Murphy
DWO.BarbicanCluster@city-of-london.pnn.police.uk
| Barbican Police Office | 020 7601 2456 |
| Snow Hill Police Station | 020 7601 2406 |
| General COLP Switchboard (skateboarding) | 020 7601 2222 |
| Emergencies – landline | 999 |
Rechargeable costs to residents – The following information is to clarify the procedure and reasoning for recharging for certain aspects of work carried out by contractors working on behalf of the Barbican Estate Office.
- Water penetration – When water penetration (i.e. water ingress to a flat) is reported, the Repairs Service Desk will raise an order for an investigation. This is usually the same day and involves our contractor making safe and isolating the water supply. It is only when the inspection has been carried out by the contractor, that the Repairs Service Desk will be advised on whether their investigation is rechargeable to the resident. If the leak is from plumbing which the leaseholder is responsible to maintain, e.g. shower, washing machine, dishwasher etc, it will be recharged. Both this resident and the resident who has suffered water ingress will be notified by way of a letter from the Repairs Service Desk. The former resident will be advised in the letter that the investigation is rechargeable to them. The resident will also be asked to carry out any necessary repair work. If repair work is not carried out within a reasonable timeframe the estate office will review requesting access to carry out the work and recharging the cost to the resident. If a leak affects City Corporation tenants’ flats, and if it is from one of their appliances e.g.
washing machine it will be the tenants’ responsibility and they will be recharged for the contractor’s visit. They will also be asked to fix the appliance. If the leak is from their bath or sink, i.e. any of the fixtures inside a tenanted flat, the Barbican Estate Office will arrange for our contractor to fix this and there is no recharge made to the tenant. - Broken windows – Broken windows should be reported to the Repairs Service Desk and the officer will ask how the damage was caused, and if the crack is internal or external. If the crack is internal and accidental, the resident may be able to reclaim the cost on the building insurance. If the damage is external the Barbican Estate Office will arrange the work as a service charge item. Most damage to windows is accidental. and this can also include damage to privacy screens which can get broken during periods of high winds. Residents should be encouraged to report broken windows/privacy screens as soon as possible, to avoid accidents to themselves and contractors.
- Blocked sinks – Both City Corporation tenants and leaseholders are charged for these blockages. The exception is if there is a blockage in the communal stack and this goes against the service charges for the block. It should be evident if there is a blockage in the stack as usually more than one resident is affected. If there is a blockage in the stack, the estate office contractors will be asked to attend and deal with it.
- Lock changes – Both City Corporation tenants and the leaseholders will be recharged for lock changes if they lose their keys. The estate office will not arrange for the lock changes for Chubb and other security locks which always remains the responsibility of residents.
Recycling – Recyclable refuse should be recycled in clear sacks provided by your Estate Cleaner. Further stocks are available from the nearest car park box or lobby.
If you have any questions regarding the recycling service please contact the Recycling Team.
Refuse Collection – Please place your rubbish bags in the refuse cupboard at the side of your front door or outside your front door for collection every Monday to Friday before 08.15 as there is only one rubbish collection per day. In some blocks resident representatives have agreed a variation to the standard service. Contact your House Group representative or House Officer for details.
- If you do not use the refuse cupboard at the side of your front door for rubbish removal, please do not leave rubbish outside your front door at the weekend as it will not be collected until Monday and will look unsightly and may generate odours.
- If you need to dispose of rubbish at the weekends or Bank Holidays, please take it to your bin compound or see your Car Park Attendant or Lobby Porter for directions.
- Please wrap any broken glass up securely before placing in rubbish and label the bag for cleaners to beware of broken glass.
- Clear plastic bags are provided for recycling only. Black plastic bags are for wet waste if you do not have a garchey. At weekends or out of office hours, contact your Car Park Attendant or Lobby Porter for extra rubbish or recycling bags, which are delivered daily during the week by your cleaner.
- Do not discard leaves, flowers, twigs etc. which have been dead-headed over balconies. Please collect them in a plastic bag and put the bag in your black refuse sack.
- Do not leave rubbish in baggage stores such as, wood, cardboard boxes, broken furniture or bags of old clothes.
Large/bulky items– If residents have any bulky rubbish or household items they wish to dispose of, they should contact the City of London’s Cleansing Division
Please do not abandon the bulky items in any of the communal areas of the blocks.
Washing machines, dishwashers, fridges and freezers must be emptied and dried out before being removed from flats to ensure water does not leak from these items during removal.
Residents can if they wish take their bulky household items to any of the collection points around the Barbican Estate at the following Car Parks, next to the compactor skips: Andrewes House, Thomas More House, Bunyan Court, or garchey layby in Beech Street.
Repairs – Any resident who wishes to report a repair for which the BEO is responsible (see SLA booklet), should contact the Repairs Reporting Line where a member of the Repairs Team will deal with the request between the hours of 09.15 – 17.00, Monday to Friday on 020 7029 3909.
In case of emergency out of office hours, please contact your Car Park Attendant or Lobby Porter who will contact the Duty Manager who will deal with the request.
Salvage Store – Has been established on the Barbican Estate by a group of volunteer residents who collect and maintain a stock of old fixtures and fittings removed following renovations to flats. Please see contact list for email and web address.
The Store is located under Willoughby House where all the collected items are catalogued by volunteers. The store stocks an array of fixtures and fittings from taps and light switches to vegetable racks and complete sink units, all of which are available free of charge to long lessees. The Store saves items going to landfill but also lowers disposal costs and allows other long lessees to benefit.
It is possible to swap items and donate directly to each other by using the online forum. Simply visit the site and register your details.
The Salvage team will collect items directly from flats and for long lessees replacing their entire kitchen or bathroom the team request that they be contacted in advance so that they can assist in removing items in a way that fits in with contractor schedules.
The Salvage team are being particularly careful in monitoring items coming in and out and would like to ask those donating items to ensure that they contain no asbestos. So far asbestos has been found in items such as bathroom cabinets (although if removed with no damage to the outer casing these should pose no risk) and some kitchen fittings such as hotplates.
If long lessees are looking for specific items, contact team members via email, as all requests are logged in one central point and therefore dealt with swiftly.
Underfloor Heating
- Under-floor background heating is supplied by off-peak reduced tariff electricity using electric cables installed in the floors generally from 1 October to 30 April, but some flexibility is allowed in exceptional weather conditions.
- The permanent window vents are essential and to prevent condensation must not be blocked.
- Residents do not have individual control over the level of background heating in their flats. In order to achieve individual levels of comfort, controls known as ‘trimmers’ have been installed to adjust heating levels and some extra heating has been provided with storage heaters where minimum levels of heating could not be reached.
- In order to achieve comfortable temperatures it may be necessary for residents to supply additional top-up heating by means of their own appliances.
- Should there appear to be any failure in the system this should be reported at once to the Repairs Reporting Line during office hours only. Out of office hours contact your Car Park Attendant or Lobby Porter who will contact the Duty Manager for you.
- Residents must on no account make any fixings which involve penetration of the floors as damage could result to the electrical cables in the floor screed. If you intend to fit a new carpet, the fitter should be informed that under-floor heating is installed so that suitable underlay can be supplied.
To apply, write to Thames Water via the address on the back of your bill.