Regular upkeep
La Batonniere requires a series of regular tasks to ensure that the house continues to function as it should.
When La Batonniere is empty.
We requite a weekly/bi-weekly house & pool check.
A walk around the exterior of the property, including the out buildings to check for any signs of forced entry or other damage;
Checking all the rooms downstairs paying particular attention to signs of damp or water damage. Any evidence of leaks will need to be investigated swiftly.
Open the log room and check the wine cellar.
Upstairs all the rooms should be checked for signs of damp or leaks.
The attic should be checked through and the room and beams should be inspected to signs of water damage to the boards or beams.
Note: Occasionally dead birds have been found in the attic.
During the winter the heating is set to absence mode (8c). If the temperature outside is cold, confirm that the heating is on at this low level.
In all areas, check for signs of rodents. Note: WE DO NOT LAY DOWN POISON ANYWHERE IN THE HOUSE owing to the variety of pets who stay at La Batonniere.
The windows should be washed at lease twice a year.
POOl. The pool house should be opened and the cover to the pool opened. The pool should be inspected for cleanliness and if necessary the robot should be used to prevent a build up of dirt and debris.
The chlorine should be administered as necessary depending on the season, as should a back wash and rinse cycle of the filtration system. If in doubt, please ask us.
The pool gets winterized by specialists at the end of summer and then brought into service in spring. Nonetheless, we require the pool to be maintained during the off season. It is important to identify any pool/filter issues early given the time it can take to arrange an intervention.
When La Batonniere is in use.
We require the house managers to visit the house every Wednesday (which should be explained to the guests on arrival). The pool should be cleaned with the robot and brushes if necessary.
Chlorine should be added to the skimmers.
pH test done to confirm the water quality.
Any additional gardening tasks should be undertaken if they are deemed necessary. I.e hedges, grass cutting and tree maintenance.
Rear Terrace
The rear terrace should be regularly weeded and raked to remain in good condition.
The mail box should be checked during every visit to the house. We often receive time critical correspondence such as bills and tax invoices that need prompt attention.
All mail should be opened, photographed and sent to us via email or WhatsApp.
In addition the growth around the mail box should be kept back to allow the postal service unfettered access.
Japanese Knotweed
We have had a periodic problem with Japanese knotweed which was dealt with by filling the hollow stems with Glyphosate and burning the cuttings. It may come back from time to time so may need to be treated again. If the knotweed starts to come back, it would be best to spray it at an early stage rather than cutting it to avoid having to burn the cuttings. It’s important to spray only the knotweed, as the glyphosate will kill other plants too; the small spray bottle is a good way to do that.
Citronella at rear of house
The citronella at the back of the house needs to be kept under control and especially cleared away from the four young rose plants that are planted there. They are located under each of the lights to the left of the centre door. The roses should be trained up the wall as they grow, as they are climbers.
Water and Water Heaters
The main valves for water in the house are located in the garage under a wooden hatch. The hatch is located at the end of the workbench.
Instructions for turning water/heaters on and off
The water heaters are all set to heat water overnight. The tank for the new ensuite is large enough that it should not run out of hot water, but the other two might. The renters can manually set them to heat during the day by raising the switches on the panel in the utility room (marked with a coloured dot). This temporary override will work for the day but the timer setting will reset itself overnight. So each day that they want to heat during the day, they will need to push the switch.
Light Bulbs
There is a box of light bulbs in the attic with extras for the fixtures in the house and outside. We’ve left a few in the cupboards in the utility room for ease in case renters need to change something. There are also batteries in the attic for remote controls.