HOUSING

The Housing and Community Support Office administers 1,900 federal houses and 48 flats for all families and single civilians posted to or from Rheindahlen.  Not all personnel can be accommodated in JHQ and, in addition to housing personnel in Wegberg and Moenchengladbach, it is also sometimes necessary to house families in Elmpt or Wildenrath which are approximately 8 miles from JHQ.

Housing Services

Administration of Accommodation

The Station Housing and Community Support Office (SHCSO) is located in Building 143 (The Horseshoe).  It is located approximately midway along Queens Avenue, in the Rheindahlen Military Complex.  It administers 1,900 Federal properties for all families and single UK based personnel posted to Rheindahlen.  The turnover of accommodation, with attendant problems, represents a sizeable task, prompts many questions and causes a great deal of correspondence.  The Housing Allocation Committee, which meets monthly and when required, allocates accommodation.  Accommodation is allocated by the Rheindahlen Allocation Committee which meets as the need arises.

Housing Staff

Application for SFA should be submitted using Mod Form 1132 and once completed, forwarded to the Unit Welfare Officer of the gaining unit.  The Application will then be forwarded to the Housing Officer for registration.  An acknowledgment, which includes an information pack, will then be despatched to the applicant.

Housing Locations

There are 5 main RSU Housing Areas, which are administered by the Housing Office.  There are properties on the RMC and Wegberg, in addition to off base areas including Mönchengladbach, Viersen and Waldniel.  All off base areas are serviced by a shuttle bus service and non-driving spouses do not necessarily have priority for on-base housing, especially whilst there is an acute shortage of on-base properties.  Additionally, personnel may be allocated houses in the nearby Elmpt or Wildenrath areas when shortages occur in the Rheindahlen Housing Area.

Official Single Housing (OSH) Accommodation

There are 2 main OSH sites for Officer (D grade and above) UKBC’s: these are at Ayrshire Barracks in Mönchengladbach and on the RMC. Additionally, many D grades and above are located at Wildenrath (administered by Elmpt Station) as some UKBC’s were relocated there and occasionally there is no accommodation available in the Rheindahlen areas.

There are 2 main sites for OR 9E grade): these are located at Ayrshire Barracks and in White City Mönchengladbach.

Application for Service Families Accommodation

Application for SFA should be submitted using Mod Form F1132 (Which should be stamped by the losing Unit Housing Office) and once completed, forwarded to the Housing Office for registration.

Disabled Persons

Occasionally, applicants SFA may have a member of their immediate family (dependant husband/child) who is registered disabled.  In addition, in other families, there may be dependants who have an infirmity which also require modification to a property.  Heads of Household should therefore advise the Housing Office in writing stating any special requirements as soon as possible.

Entitlement

Your eventual allocation will be made by the Housing Allocation Committee.  Although preference for location/area will be taken into consideration, the allocation will be made in accordance with the regulations contained in Joint Service Accommodation Regulations (JSP 464).  In cases where the entitlement is decided by numbers of children, only children who accompany the parents,  (and those of the marriage currently attending boarding schools) will be taken into account.  All changes of circumstances should be notified to the Housing Office in writing.  Only in exceptional cases (especially given the acute shortages of accommodation) will personnel receive an allocation above entitlement.

Prior to Allocation

Although every effort will be made to provide an allocation to meet the required (or posting date) there are no guarantees this will be achieved.  It is important therefore that no action is taken by personnel to arrange removals, family move, book a march-out, or incur any connection with the move until a firm allocation is received either by fax or post.  If you have requested a date earlier than 14 days prior to your posting in date, you will be requested to submit a written request to the Housing Office giving full details of the requirements for early allocation.  Such requests will be forwarded to the Garrison Headquarters, or UKSC (G) who will consider the request under the guidelines given in JSP 464. 

Awaiting Allocation

As stated it is not always possible to meet the required/posted in dates.  In reality, apart from the peak movement periods this is not a regular occurrence.  However, given the increase in the numbers of short notice postings it is possible and therefore important that you are aware it may happen.  This will mean that you may be required to travel to post unaccompanied.  As a consequence your family and removals will follow at a later date.  If this is the case you should contact your (appropriate Mess) or Unit Welfare Officer as soon as possible to arrange for single accommodation.

Actual Allocation

Application submitting a correctly completed SFA Application (MOD Form 1132), within 4 months of their posting date, will receive within 15 working days, an offer of accommodation, to include an address.  The address will be confirmed 4 weeks prior to the day of move-in.  If this cannot be achieved through non availability of SFA or other reason a letter will be forwarded to the application advising of the situation.

The Handover

The actual handover will be planned and arranged to meet the earliest date the property can be made available, tempered by posting in date.  This will take into account several different factors; these include: the departure of the current occupant, maintenance, preparation of the property and the Housing Estate Manager’s programme.  In summary, the allocation date will be the earliest it can be made available to ensure the quarter is handed over in the most presentable/ satisfactory condition.  Requests to bring forward an allocation will, in the main, be difficult to achieve.  It is important that the incoming occupant (licence holder) is personally present at the handover to receive a comprehensive brief on the quarter.  Proxy march-ins will only be considered where there is an operational reason or in extreme compassionate or welfare cases.  Proxy requests must be staffed through the appropriate Unit Welfare Officers.

Short Notice Postings

If you are unfortunate in being given a short notice posting, the appropriate Unit Welfare Officer at your receiving unit should be the first point of contact.

Temporary Accommodation

In order to reduce problems associated with family travel, incoming or occupants and their families may utilise temporary in Cassels House on JHQ.  It is emphasised that this is not a long stay facility and accommodation is only available immediately prior to the take over of the SFA and check-out will be the day of march-in.  It should be clearly understand that this facility is limited to those who have a confirmed march-in.  Applicants for such accommodation are to be made by letter or fax (JHQ Mil 3516).  This provides proof of the requirement and will ensure there are no misunderstandings which may occur in telephone calls.  Payment is made directly to the hotel receptionist by the individual in cash.  Claims may then be against Unit Admin Office’s (RAO’s).  Payment for any periods in excess of the period immediately prior to march in is the individual’s responsibility and will not be at duty rate.

Summary

Every effort will be made to provide accommodation to meet a posting/required accommodation date.  That said, shortages of SFA, postings in at short notice and other unexpected problems occasionally occur which have an effect on availability.

Garages

There are insufficient garages for all occupants to be allocated one, therefore waiting lists for public garages are maintained by the Garage Clerk.  If on arrival you find your garage is not integral to your SFA you can apply to the Garage Clerk in the Housing Department.  Garages will be maintained in arrival date order.

It is emphasised that only one public garage will be allocated per household.

Work Services and Occupants Responsibilities

Help Desk

All requests for work in accommodation should be passed to Defence Estates (E) (DE) in writing or by telephone (JHQ mil 4001 or Civil 02161 472 4001).

Emergency Call out Procedure

Emergency call out is normally necessary for burst pipes, gas leaks, serious electrical faults, severe storm damage and lack of heating during very cold weather.  Contact the Detention Rooms on JHQ Mil 2082 or MG Civil 02161 472 2082.

Frost Precautions

Occupants of accommodation and hiring with individual boilers equipped with automatic heating controls are responsible for ensuring duringperiods of absence in the cold months that the heating system is left in operation and set to 6 deg C (frost control) to prevent freezing.  German central heating systems are separated from the cold water mains, and top up water is not automatically fed into the system, so it is recommended that the cold water mains should also be turned off during periods of absence.  Then should the heating system break down and the system freeze only the water present in the domestic hot water system will drain into the dwelling, greatly minimising the damage.  Occupants should also take precautions against frost damage to any external tap fittings.  The internal valve should be turned off, the drain cock adjacent to it should be open and the external tap should be left open.

Outside Areas

Residents in houses are required by Stadt by-laws to keep footpaths (front, side and rear of their married accommodation) free from weeds.

General Maintenance of Areas

Occupants are responsible for ensuring that the fenced area at the back of their accommodation is kept in a tidy condition.  Paths and beds are kept free from weeds; lawn is to be mown and hedges trimmed.  In cases of neglect charges may be raised on handover.  Private cars are not to be parked on grassed areas.

Litter including weeds, dead plants and grass cuttings, is not to be dumped outside gardens in roads and lanes, nor in the open areas between accommodations.  You should contact Estate Management (JHQ Mil 2097 or Civil 02161 472 2097) who will arrange collection.

Bushes are not to be removed from the garden without the permission of DE; trees may not be felled.  Flower beds are not to be created in front of married accommodation, other than along side the walls of houses.  The erection of any kind of temporary building such as a carport or lean-to shed anywhere in the RMC is not allowed, as is the erection of any fencing outside the area of the garden.

Utilities

Fuel and light

X/Y Scheme – Living Accommodation Fuel and Light Charges 

As a general rule, we in Germany occupy larger Federal accommodation, endure more severe winters and face higher fuel costs than our United Kingdom counterparts.  In order to redress the balance, the x/y scheme was introduced to ensure that, despite these factors we are not obliged to pay more on fuel and light than we would expect to pay at home.

Briefly, the X factor is the amount of money, which the occupant of the accommodation would normally expect to pay annually on fuel and light if living in the United Kingdom.  The Y factor is a fixed assessment of fuel and light for a particular accommodation.  This assessment varies with the size of the accommodation and it is expected that most occupants of accommodation will consume fuel and light up to the quantities allowed for the Y factor.  Annually, on 1 October and at handover all X/Y accounts are balanced.  Those who have consumed less than their allowance will receive a rebate and conversely those who exceed their allowance will be debited for the excess.  In order to alleviate the burden of a huge bill at the end of the annual balancing, the amount of the X factor is deducted from your salary on a daily basis, there being a different rate for the summer and winter months.

Waiver of charges

Occupants of accommodation with shared facilities i.e. heating and domestic hot water can apply for a waiver of charges when vacating their married accommodation for periods in excess of seven days.

Keeping a Check on Consumption