This will be discussed in the two pre-condition surveys that will be carried out for each property, approximately four weeks before the move. There will be a pre-condition survey attended by Higgins.
Higgins, through the removal company will carry out an assessment of any furniture that cannot be moved during the Pre-condition survey, these items can be highlighted during this survey. If they consider the furniture to be unsuitable for dismantling, NHG/Higgins organise for replacement in the temporary flats.
Higgins have made two flats available for viewing, one for each tenure type, we will allow residents to view the properties on 4 December 2025. They will also have a sample of a MVHR unit in the office if any resident wants to have a look at one prior to the open day for the decant voids.
Our expectation is that all items in your permanent home will be moved into the temporary homes, save for the washing machine, cooker and refrigerator – as these will be the only items in the temporary flats.
Anything else you may also be concerned about moving, for example large wardrobes or built in units, you must raise in the pre-condition survey with Higgins. Where agreed with Higgins and NHG, it will be recorded for the removal company not to touch. During the works, these items will then be professionally covered and then moved around the flat as the works progress.
Where residents do not find the electronic version convenient, they can get in touch with the relocation officer to get a physical copy of the license. Please email with the subject heading “Physical Copy of Licence”. Alternatively, residents can also come to the Oak Square office, and the relocation officer will print them a hard copy of the licence for you to review and sign. You will also be able to take the hard copy away.
No, the specialist removal company will be responsible for moving all furniture and items. We do not expect residents to do any moving themselves.
The removal company will also be responsible for dismantling and reassembling furniture in the temporary homes, as long as considered suitable for dismantling as per the above.
You will only receive a confirmed date and property after signing the licence. The schedule must be confirmed with Higgins, at which point the confirmed date and flat allocation will be communicated in writing. All residents will receive this notice at least eight weeks before they are due to move.
We understand that in our previous communications, all residents were sent a provisional period they were intended to move. Please note that while this will remain the case in most instances. Any residents who have specific concerns regarding their move date, should contact the relocation officer directly.
Several residents have asked if they can move to specific properties, they know are void, which are nearby and/or on their floor.
For clarity, there are a total number of 91 void properties across the estate, during the project. As previously communicated, there will be exactly 40 properties used for the decant project – these properties have already had the MVHR works, and necessary redecoration carried out.
The remaining 51 void properties will have the MVHR works carried out and remain void until the completion of the project.
Due to constraints of the site and nature of the programme, there is only capacity for five moves per week. With only 40 properties being used on a rolling basis, there is no scope for any further properties to be included as decant voids.
Finally, while it is true that there are decant voids across the estate, the majority of these are in Acacia Court and we only have a handful of properties being used in the other blocks.
I understand there were initially some issues with the compensation totals pulling correctly on Docusign and we apologise for this. We can confirm that the total in your initial compensation offers in August were correct and all current Docusign licences have been checked and are displaying correctly.
The compensation is calculated by 2.5% of monthly rent, multiplied by the number of months you have lived in Oak Square. For clarity, we have attached a document which has the breakdown for both how the compensation offer was calculated and how the compensation will be segmented and issued.
If any residents want further confirmation about their individual offer, please email the relocation officer with the subject “My MVHR compensation offer”.
I can confirm that Notting Hill Genesis will be paying for all council tax in the temporary homes and updating the council. Residents will only need to continue paying council tax in their permanent residence as normal.
In the pre-condition survey four weeks before the move, Higgins will take photos of everything in the property. This includes furniture, walls, ceilings, flooring and key items. An additional pre-condition survey will also be carried out immediately after you have moved your items out, just in case there was any further unidentified damage behind beds and wardrobes etc.
This is so residents’ property will be protected. It is an expectation that everything will be restored as a minimum to the condition in the pre-condition survey. If this proves not to be the case for any item, it will be repaired, replaced or you will be compensated accordingly.
The main expectation we will have before the move is that residents will pack all their items themselves. As per our previous correspondence, the specialist removal company will handle the removal and moving of household items.
Everyone who has previously stated that they require additional packing support and professional packers, has been noted and will be organised. The scheduling will be agreed at the pre-condition survey, four-weeks before the move, and a date will be confirmed with the resident as close to the move date as possible, to pack up the items.
A specialist cleaning company will be carrying out a deep clean, in between moves to each of the temporary decant flats. All areas affected by builders’ dust and debris will be properly cleaned. All areas where Higgins have removed plasterboards or drilled into walls will be painted. The carpets will be fully protected by an adhesive protective sheet throughout the works, and all areas will be vacuum cleaned. Painting of skirting boards will be carried out only where the works have damaged them.
We have included below a provisional breakdown of the cleaning specification below. This has been agreed with Higgins.
Flat deep cleaning specification
Entrance and Hallways
- Dust and wipe all surfaces including skirting boards, doors, handles, light switches.
- Clean inside and outside of front door.
Living Room
- Dust and clean all surfaces including shelves, radiators, sockets, switches.
- Clean windows (internal), sills, and frames.
- Wipe down walls if marked.
Bedrooms
- Dust and clean all surfaces including any item that remains in the property.
- Clean windows (internal), sills, and frames.
- Wipe down doors, handles, and light switches.
Kitchen
- A clean of the white goods oven, hob, extractor fan, fridge, freezer, microwave.
- Clean and disinfect all worktops, cupboards (inside and out), sink, taps, tiles and splashbacks.
- Clean windows (internal), sills, and frames.
Bathroom(s)
- Descale and disinfect toilet, sink, bath, shower, taps, and tiles.
- Clean mirrors and glass surfaces.
- Wipe down all surfaces including cabinets and towel rails.
- Cleaning of the grout and silicone
Additional Tasks
- Mop hard flooring or wash carpet throughout the whole flat.
- Dispose of any rubbish left in the flat.
The carpets will be professionally protected and will be returned as a minimum to the condition they were at the pre-condition survey.
Due to the tight schedule and nature of works, we will not be able to facilitate anyone to view the temporary home before they move in. I would encourage anyone interested in this to attend the example decant void flat viewing on 04/12/2025, as this will be to the expected level and standard, we would expect for all the temporary homes.
We have confirmed with Higgins that the internet speeds and it will have an 8Mbps upload and 1Mbps download speed, which is sufficient for home use.
All residents will be provided a copy of the Oak Square Estate Regulations, prior to the move, which clearly lay out our expectations for behaviour. This has direct reference to anti-social behaviour and unacceptable practices.
The relocation officer will also be carrying out a settling in visit for all residents within three working days of the resident moving in. This will ensure you know where the facilities are, for example where the bins are etc. Any residents with significant vulnerabilities or additional support needs will be noted and the relocation officer will provide additional follow up conversations, where appropriate.
We can confirm that there are no plans for any further remedial works after the relocation. The full scope of works relating to the MVHR relocation project, external work and making good have been communicated by the building safety team. We will continue to keep residents informed.
