Meeting +House Management Committee Minutes 2024-04-30

+ + Meeting +House Management Committee Minutes 2024-04-30 + Convenor: Henry S. Thompson + Tuesday 30 April, 5:15 p.m., in 7 Victoria Terrace + + +

+ Attendance + + + + Rachel Fitzgerald (RF), Miranda Girdlestone (MG), +Jacqueline Noltingk (JN), +Henry S. Thompson(HST), Neil Turner (NT) + Sue Sierra (SS) + + + Susie Harding + +

+ Matters Arising +

2.1 Wrt 2024-04-16_2.1 CVenues + ACTION: HST Include a briefing about this in his report to AM. + Will do + ACTION: MG Check with City of Edinburgh about a) the validity span of + an EICR; b) the need for emergency lighting to be checked to + a standard. + See 3.1 below + 2.2 Wrt 2024-04-16_2.5 Period products + ACTION: MG Contract with Hey Girls. + Done. + 2.3 Wrt 2024-04-16_2.6 Flat 3F2 at 6 Upper Bow + ACTION) HST 1) Check with City re Short term lets regulation 2) Check + with Clan Gordon (CG) about whether they would manage. + See 3.4 below +

+ Project updates +

CVenues +

HK visited on 27/4, surveyor in as well wrt floor loading, happy, + further years lighting fixtures mentioned, would need approval from + us. Showed him the flat. No actual reply wrt Licencing Venue. Not + particularly happy about Hideout bailing, we've got fealers out to a + Mimi's Bakehouse and Susie's (Kitchen?). Summerhall? + 30/5 prevu for arrangements on what gets taken away and to where. + EICR valid until 9/24 per CEC. + We've self-tested lighting, all over 2 hours. + Never been asked by Fire/CEC/... +

Lighting +

MG reverted to Gunn/Alexanders: Carbon is horrendous. Timetabled for + 1st week in July. + We need a decision about cool/warm/... + + ACTION HST: Contact Jean Carletta about more replacable fitting? + If no, or not quickly, then + ACTION HST&JK to put a request to Trustees for approval.

Carpets +

Our two guys both said no allergy or smell issue. No difference in + risk of lifting. 75% recycled is available for <10% change. + + ACTION HST&JK: to put a request to Trustees for approval. + +

Flat 3F2 at 6 Upper Bow +

HST proposed that we add the use of 3F2 by CVenues to their licence + agreement. As a one-off private agreement between us, it means + it's not a "short-term let". + + MG looked briefly at advertisements for August lets in the centre, + and reported + + It could be anything from £5,000 per month to £10,000 per month, I think, + on location alone. + One room and shared spaces is £1,500 per month, at the lowest. And that is + quite a way out. + Even allowing for it being a bit scruffy, anything under £2,500 per month + would be underselling it in August, I think. + One chap I found is charging £4,500pm for a double room on the other side + of the Meadows... + + MG has asked Hartley for 7KGBP/mo + + We AGREED to go ahead on this basis. +

+Time without staff +

We have had time without staff.

+ Branding +

+ Signage +

We have a new sign in the Office window advertising room lettings. + Work on interior branding is progressing +

+ Publicity more generally +

Facebook page is now getting regular updates from Ellie + + Possibility of something in the windows themed around 400th + anniversary of George Fox, who did preach _somewhere_ in Scotland. +

+ Lettings trajectory +

Occupancy is up over 2023, from 1 Jan up thru mid-July + Income is up by more 10% increase in prices. + Expenditure is also up, mostly because of the end of energy cost + subsidy +

+Date of next meeting +

30 April 2024 1715, 7 Victoria Terrace

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