Common Bathrooms and Common Kitchens

Residents who reside in a Bannockburn Suite (BBS), Loft Suite (LFS), or Scots Suite (SCS) at Bannockburn Village share bathroom facilities with one neighboring suite occupied by one to two residents of the same gender. These shared bathroom facilities are referred to as Common Bathrooms and contain the shower and toilet for the two adjacent suites. Locking devices on both sides of Common Bathroom doors allow for the complete privacy of the resident using the Common Bathroom and the neighboring resident’s suite room. Residents of suites sharing a bathroom are mutually responsible for keeping the Common Bathroom clean and in good repair. Upon the move-out of any suite resident, the Common Bathroom facility will be checked for cleanliness by Housing staff. Any charges levied for discrepancies in cleanliness or maintenance will be equally divided between all residents who occupied the related suites prior to the move-out.

Residents who reside in Bannockburn Suites (BBS) at Bannockburn Village share kitchen/dining facilities with four neighboring suites occupied by residents of the same gender. The shared kitchen/dining facilities, referred to as a Common Kitchen, are centrally located among the four private and individually-keyed suites. The Common Kitchen is accessed by each suite member using a main door to which each suite member of the related "quad" has a key. The Common Kitchen contains a stove/oven, stove exhaust hood, sink with garbage disposal, counter tops for meal preparation, cupboards for storing dried and canned foods and cooking utensils, and a dining room table with chairs. When cooking, residents must be present at all times. The Common Kitchen does not contain a refrigerator. However, each individual Bannockburn Suite is furnished with a small refrigerator. No refrigerator of any size, including standard suite refrigerators, should be installed in or moved into the Common Kitchen area. Residents of suites sharing a kitchen/dining area are mutually responsible for keeping the Common Kitchen clean and in good repair. Common Kitchen areas are inspected by Housing staff once a quarter unannounced. If discrepancies in cleanliness or maintenance are discovered, each suite will be notified and given a timeframe during which the discrepancy should be corrected. Failure to correct the discrepancy within the allotted timeframe will result in equal charges to all suites to cover the cost for Housing staff to correct the discrepancy. In addition, upon the move-out of any suite resident, the Common Kitchen facility will be checked for cleanliness by Housing staff.  Any charges levied for discrepancies in cleanliness or maintenance will be equally divided between all residents who occupied the related suites prior to the move-out.

Following are some suggested guidelines for keeping the Common Kitchen area clean and pest-free. Because all four suites are responsible for the Common Kitchen area, it may be prudent to use the following guidelines to create a cleaning schedule. It is our hope that these guidelines will help you create a clean and pleasant living environment for all, as well as prevent arguments and unnecessary charges.

 

DO:

  • Mop vinyl floors and vacuum carpets weekly
  • Clean stovetop, oven, and stove hood weekly or as needed (NOTE: DO NOT SPRAY ANY CLEANERS DIRECTLY INTO ELECTRICAL OUTLETS OR RECEPTACLES.)
  • Change the foil on the bottom of the oven interior regularly
  • Dust cobwebs from the walls and corners of the room near the ceiling. (NOTE: PLEASE BE CAREFUL NOT TO SCRAPE OR BRUSH THE CEILING.)
  • Scrub the sink weekly or as needed
  • Dust furniture weekly
  • Wipe grease from walls and counters weekly or as needed
  • Empty trash daily

DO NOT:

  • Store recyclable items (i.e. paper, cans, glass, etc.) as they create a home for pests and create a serious fire hazard
  • Store furniture or other personal items from your room in the common area
  • Store bicycles in the common area
  • Place saran (plastic) wrap on or around the stove or range hood

It is crucial to keep in mind that Housing Services cannot verify resident claims to sole responsibility for Common Bathroom or Common Kitchen upkeep or abstinence from use of the facilities. It is important that suite residents work together to devise a cleaning schedule and be prepared to share equal responsibility for any discrepancies.  If you are having difficulty coming to a mutually agreed upon cleaning schedule, please contact the ARD for assistance.