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Housing & Accommodation
Services
Administration of Service Families Accommodation (SFA)
The Housing & Community Support Office (HCSO) of HQ Elmpt Station administers approximately 894 federal quarters located in Javelin Barracks and Wildenrath for all families posted to or from Elmpt Station. The turnover of accommodation, with all the attendant problems, represents a sizeable task, prompts many questions and causes a great deal of correspondence. Allocations of accommodation are confirmed and agreed by the HCSO Committee, which meets monthly. Following the meetings the minutes and waiting lists are published, with copies being held by Unit Welfare Offices. Anyone who considers that the committee has not fairly and properly handled his/her case may appeal through his/her chain of command.
Take-Over of SFAs
Once SFA is allocated, the intended occupant will be notified of the date and time of hand-over in writing, when he/she will be personally be expected to check, sign and be responsible for it. Any problems with the date or time notified should be discussed as soon as possible with the UWO of their new unit. A HEM will check all accommodation stores, constructional fittings and condition of decoration, in addition to the cleanliness of the SFA and the state of the garden. He will read electric meters and where necessary take oil readings. It will be in the interests of the incoming occupant to check all items at the same time. On completion of the check a list of deficiencies and damages found will be prepared, as will a schedule of repairs required to the building and its fittings, copies will be given to the incoming occupant as a personal record. It should be noted that the majority of faults will have already been placed into the system from the previous hand-over. Should further faults be discovered within 14 days after occupation they should be reported to the HEM for investigation. (Please note that cellars of many of the SFAs are damp, and the storage of personal effects in these areas is at the occupant’s own risk. The MOD will not accept liability for damaged personal possessions stored there). All deficiencies and the exchange of unserviceable accommodation stores will be completed as soon as possible after the take over.
Handback SFAs
On receipt of a Posting Order the individual concerned is required to advise the Unit Welfare Office and the HCSO of the date on which it is proposed to vacate his/her SFA. The LTA date of the posting will be accepted until a firm date can be arranged. Where possible at least eight weeks notice must be provided, a pre hand-over inspection will then be arranged at the six-week stage. This information and inspection is required, as it is the deciding factor in the arrangements for the re-allocation of the SFA.
To facilitate the hand-over of accommodation, the following procedure should be adopted:
a. Contents should be cleaned before being laid out for checking.
b. All furniture should be in the room in which it normally stands.
c. All keys should be in the locks of the doors, cupboards and drawers to which they belong. Keys to front, rear, patio and garage doors are to be labelled.
d. Garden tools and lawnmowers (where provided) must be cleaned, oiled and placed in a shed or cellar.
In addition the following action should be taken:
a. Carry out a preliminary check of all items and where necessary obtain replacements from the Station Store, Building 200, Javelin Bks so that holdings will be in accordance with the Inventory at the time of hand-over. This replacement must be done a clear three weeks prior to hand-over to allow for accounting procedures.
b. Check all DE FM fittings for serviceability and notify those needing repair. The garden and fenced area should be in a tidy condition, paths and beds clear from weeds, hedges trimmed to a maximum height of two metres and the lawn mown.
Cleaning of SFAs
The onus is on the out-going occupant to leave accommodation clean and tidy and charges will be raised if this is not the case. There is now an option for outgoing families in BFG to have SFAs cleaned professionally by a MOD contractor after a limited hand-over. The current rates and bookings may be obtained from the Contract Cleaning Clerk on Elmpt Mil 2541.
Garages
a. Application for Garages - If you would like a garage and one is not part of your SFA, you should approach the Inventory Clerk who is located in the Housing & Community Support Staff office during your take-over who will then process your application.
b. Waiting Lists - Waiting Lists for all public garages are maintained by the Inventory Clerk in the respective housing locations.
c. Charges - Charges commence on the date that garage keys are collected from the HEM's Office. Keys for garages are to be handed back to the HEMs (on hand-over of accommodation), on departure from Elmpt Station.
d. Repairs - Repairs required to public garages are to be passed to the DE FM
Helpdesk on Elmpt Mil 2284/2285 or Civil (02163 972284/2285).
Defence Accommodation Stores
Situated in Building 200 in Javelin Bks the stores supply furniture, carpets, curtains and many consumable items to SFAs within Elmpt Station. The first point of contact before visiting the Stores is the HEMs office as they hold a limited number of small items for issue. The store also provides a service for the issue and exchange of consumable items such as shower curtains, curtain hooks etc. There is also a laundry facility for service supplied curtains and loose upholstery covers which when authorised (by a HEM) can be cleaned at public expense. Curtains authorised for cleaning should be handed in five weeks prior to hand-over.
Get-U-in/Out Packs
It is possible to borrow certain items of Defence Accommodation stores (DAS) including cooking equipment, cutlery, crockery and bed linen, for use while your furniture is in transit. The loan period is normally 6 weeks for incoming occupants and 4 weeks for outgoing occupants. For incoming occupants please ensure that your application for SFA is clearly annotated and for outgoing occupants please consult your HEM if you would like to use this service. It should be noted that refrigerators and vacuum cleaners are no longer provided to SFAs in BFG.
Work Services and Occupants Responsibilities
Help Desk. All requests for work in SFAs should be passed to the DE/GWA Helpdesk by telephone (Elmpt Mil 2284/2285 or Civil 02163 972284/2285). It must be accepted that once a fault/request for work has been submitted that tradesmen will require access to remedy the problem. Occupants are to ensure that access is provided to tradesmen when requested.
Emergency Call Out Procedure
Emergency call out is normally necessary for burst pipes, serious electrical faults, severe storm damage and lack of heating during very cold weather. Occupants must call in the first instance the Guardroom, Javelin Barracks on Elmpt Mil 2535 or Civil 02163 972535 to start the correct call-out procedure.
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