Summer Tips

Summer in your Service Family Accommodation

This guide provides advice on how to prepare for the summer in your Service Family Accommodation, and how to respond should an issue arise.

Check window restrictors

These stop a window opening too far so accidents can be avoided. If they’re missing or broken in your upstairs rooms, contact the National Service Centre to arrange for them to be fitted or fixed.

Take action when going away

If you’re going away over the warmer months, you can put in place a few measures to reduce the risk of something going wrong:

• Ask a trusted friend or neighbour to look after your house keys so they can make checks on your home.
• Turn your water off. Hot weather can cause burst pipes so it’s worth locating your stopcock and turning the water off while you’re away. The stopcock is the little tap or lever on pipes, often found under your sink.
• Unplug electricals to reduce bills and minimise fire risks

Keep your garden tidy

Overgrown lawns, litter, food and pet waste can increase the chance of pests in or near your home.

Practice barbecue safety

Make sure your BBQ is on a flat surface away from any shed, trees and bushes.

Book your moves

Hundreds of military families move over the summer. If you’re moving, make sure you book this as early as possible to get an appointment that works for you.

Things to know

Bird nesting season

• Bird nesting season runs from March-August. This restricts some of the work that can be carried out on homes. In advance of nesting season, VIVO and Amey undertake grounds maintenance programmes including hedge-cutting and tree pruning.
• Even in nesting season, please do still report tree safety concerns so action can be taken to keep your family safe. Providing photos of the issue will help VIVO and Amey assess severity.
• Other issues, such as nests on a chimney, will be resolved following nesting season – unless they’re causing a serious health and safety issue.

Bees and wasps

If bees are swarming outside your property, it’s best to avoid the area as they typically move on within a couple of hours.

• If you find an active wasp nest inside or outside your property, call the National Service Centre. Wasps nests outside will be dealt within 12 working days, and those inside within 48 hours.
• If there’s an active bees nest inside your property, call the National Service Centre. This will be dealt with within 48 hours.
• As bees are endangered, VIVO and Amey cannot attend outdoor bee issues. However, if they are posing a serious risk, they will arrange for specialists to attend.

Ants, bugs and beetles

• The majority of cases of ants, bugs and beetles can be dealt with using off-the-shelf treatments available in supermarkets.
• If there is an active nest inside the property call the National Service Centre. Ants are typically dealt with within 12 working days.

Contact details

Something need fixing or need to report an issue?

Contact Pinnacle’s National Service Centre on 0800 031 8628. They will then book an appointment with Amey or VIVO to resolve the issue.

Download our Summer Tips leaflet here