Security & Safety

SECURITY AND SAFETY

1) Outer security doors leading to the common areas of the Flats should be kept locked unless under

observation.

2) No unknown persons should be admitted past the outer security door until their credentials have been checked.

3) Residents should be very careful about giving keys to the outer security doors to non-residents or leaving them where they may be likely to fall into wrong hands.

4) Flat front doors are fitted with five-lever mortice dead locks which should be used when the resident is not in the flat.

5) All doors in the common areas of the Flats, including the flat front doors, are Fire Doors. Fire Regulations stipulate that these must be kept closed when not in use.

6) Meter cupboard doors must be kept locked. Under fire regulations, nothing may be stored in these cupboards.

7) It is recommended that the original patio doors and windows of garden flats should be fitted with extra locks, bolts or other suitable security devices. New doors are automatically fitted with multi- lever locks. Advice is available from the Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator.

8) Strangers wandering around the Estate should be challenged and asked their business.

9) Residents wishing to improve the security of their garages should fit extra side locks. Details of the approved items can be supplied on request.

10) All gas central heating boilers should be serviced annually by a contractor holding a Gas Safe Register card to avoid risk of fire or explosion. This is mandatory if the flat is let.

11) Residents who plan to be away for a period of time are advised as follows:

a) Leave a key with a neighbour to keep an eye on the property in their absence.

b) For long periods of absence, especially during winter, electricity, water, gas and heating installations must be left in a safe mode.

c) If their absence is to be of more than 7 days the mains Water should be turned off.

d) Owners are reminded that there are restrictions in the cover provided by our insurance policy in respect of flats that are left unoccupied for more than 60 days. Easton Bevins can provide further details.

13) Emergency contact sheets are issued to all residents, these should be completed and returned to a Director.

14) Owners of tenanted flats should supply details of their tenants to Easton Bevins.

15) CCTV is installed on the site. This consists of four cameras installed on a vertical bracket mounted on the end of the three garages adjacent to the main site access from Knoll Hill. These cameras view the garages and associated roadways to the south east (Woodland Court garages) and north west (Bishop’s Court/Orchard Court garages), and also the main site access. The system is installed for the prevention, reduction, detection and investigation of crime and other incidents within the above listed areas, and to ensure the safety of residents and visitors within the above listed areas.

In its administration of its CCTV system, the Management Company must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. The system is operated by named Authorised Persons. In order to comply with the above Regulation and Act, these Authorised Persons are not at liberty to show footage to anyone other than someone who has a legitimate right to look at their own image or a representative of the criminal justice system in the

course of investigating a recorded incident.

Any person appearing on the CCTV system can ask for their recorded images to be provided to them and a copy shall be retrieved from the system and provided to the person requesting them within 30 days. Requests by individual data subjects for images relating to themselves need to be submitted in writing to the Management Company. 

More information about the operation of the system (including the names of the Authorised Persons) can be found in the Bishop’s Knoll Management Company CCTV Policy.

Police Advice

Police have visited the site to review security. Without turning the Estate into a ‘compound,’ their view is that the site is reasonably secure with satisfactory level of lighting. Crime in our area is still relatively low – and we want to keep it like that.

1) Take photographs of your bike and make a note of the frame number etc.

2) Garage security can be improved easily by fitting of twin locks lower down on the garage door. The Company is prepared to do this for you, free of charge, on application to one of the Board Directors.

3) Take note of anyone suspicious lurking around the Flats or garages – they are likely to be looking around to see where there are bikes. If you are working in your garage, keep the door shut if there is a bike on show.

4) Make a note of the registration number of any suspicious vehicles hanging around or take a photograph of any suspicious characters seen loitering on or around the site.

✓ Most local crime involves cars and bikes.

✓ Don’t leave items on view in your car.

✓ Fit your wheels with special locking nuts.

✓ Better still, put your car in the garage

5) When using a navigation app in your car or on your bicycle it is advisable not to obviously identify your home address on the app. Modern tracking devices can easily be hacked to identify an owner’s home address and when the owner is away from his/her home.

6) The Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator is Chris Byrne, 16 Bishops Court, Tel: 0117 962 6521. The police can take action if they have information.

7) The police thought the Flats themselves look reasonably secure, but suggest that, if you are away, someone has the key to empty your post box.

8) Ground floor flats should not leave patio doors open in the summer when the lounge is unoccupied.