Information Folder

Health & Safety Information

Whilst we have taken reasonable steps to ensure your stay is as safe as possible we would draw your attention to the following potential hazards:

Outside

Natural stone paving can be a little uneven and / or slippery when wet. Please take care when using the stone paths to the front and rear of the property.
Access to the rear garden is via narrow stone steps
Unprotected drops are present in the back garden and it is therefore unsuitable for children. Please take care next to the unprotected walls.
BBQs should only be used outdoors in well ventilated areas and should not be left unattended. Do not empty ash or move indoors until completely cold as warm coals can continue to emit carbon monoxide fumes which are invisible, odourless and lethal. In the event the fire gets out of control replace the lid to help reduce the flames. A fire extinguisher is located in the kitchen.

Inside

Storage heaters can get hot. Please do not place anything on top of or too close to the storage heaters or the portable radiator.
Cleaning products are located in the kitchen cupboard under the sink. Please ensure children do not access this cupboard.
Fire – the property is fitted with 2 smoke detectors and a fire extinguisher & fire blanket are located in the kitchen on the wall. Please familiarise yourselves with the instructions “What to do in case of fire” which are located on the rear of the bedroom doors. The property also has a carbon monoxide alarm in the lounge.
Stairs – please note that there are no stair gates for young children. Therefore, please do not leave children unattended.

What to do in case of fire

Alert everyone

Make sure everyone in the house knows about the fire – shout and get everyone together.

Get everyone out

Escape routes to the garden are available via:

Lounge / porch external door
Dining room external doors to front and rear
Garage front and rear doors

As you escape, remember:

don’t delay to save valuables or look for pets
don’t investigate the fire
crawl on the floor if there’s smoke - the air is cleaner near the floor
on the floor, put your nose as low as possible - remember, smoke is toxic and can kill you
as you go out, only open the doors you need to and close any open doors you can to slow the spread of the fire
feel doors with the back of your hand before you open them, if they’re warm, don’t open them – the fire is on the other side
if you’re escaping with others, stay together if you can

When you can’t get out via the escape route

If your escape route is blocked:

if you’re on the ground floor, go out of a window – throw bedding or cushions onto the ground outside to break your fall
if you can’t open the window, use a heavy object to break it – cover any jagged edges with clothing, a towel or a blanket
lower children as far as possible before letting them drop – get an adult to break their fall if you can
lower yourself by your arms from the window ledge before dropping

If you can’t get out, get everyone into one room:

choose a room with a window, if you can
put cushions, towels or bedding at the bottom of the door to block smoke
open the window and call for help

Call 999 - The nearest public phone box (red) is next door – 50 yards towards Masham

Once you’re out and safe, phone the emergency services - 999 calls are free.

When you speak to the operator:

give your whole address: Rowan Cottage, Healey, Ripon, HG4 4LH
tell them what is on fire, eg 'a two-storey house'
explain if anyone is trapped and what room they’re in – give as much information as you can so they can help you

Alert any neighbouring properties.

Don’t go back in

You should find somewhere safe to wait near the building. If there's someone still inside, wait for the fire and rescue service to arrive. You can tell them about the person and they will be able to find them quicker than you.

If you go back into the building, you will slow down the firefighters' efforts to rescue anyone else missing - and put your own life in danger.

How to operate the open fire

Warnings

Keep matches out of reach of children.
Always beware of fire, it is very dangerous.
Beware when removing the ashes and cinders from old fires, they can stay very hot for 12 hours or more. For this reason, always use the metal bucket to remove them from the fireplace.
Do not place hot ashes or cinders in a plastic rubbish bin/trash can.
Always use a fire-guard, which should be kept in front of the fire at all times.
Never use lighter fluid or any other combustible liquid to assist in lighting the fire, it is too dangerous to use in an enclosed area.

Key safety considerations

Although the fire is confined to a fireplace, it still can present a fire hazard. Some key safety considerations:

Keep furniture and furnishings a safe distance from the fireplace. Do not leave plastic furniture of any kind near the fireplace.
Use the fire-guard provided around the fireplace at all times to prevent embers from sparking.
Fire-guards are very important when young children are around.
Avoid using flammable materials or chemicals near to the fire
Avoid throwing things in the fire, as they can burn and or explode and possibly set the house on fire.

Making a fire

Clear out the ashes and cinders from the last fire and empty into the metal ash bin provided, leaving a light layer of cinders on the grate.
Place two firelighters near the front of the cinders.
Roll up tightly a newspaper page, then bend it in half, and twist it tight around itself again until it is about 8 or 9 inches in length.
Repeat this with a total of 5 or 6 pages, and then place them over the firelighters in a pyramid pattern.
Place the kindling over the rolled-up newspaper, also in a star-shaped/pyramid pattern.
Place the pieces of coal around the outer edges of the fire, working inwards and towards the top of the pile.
Strike the match, and insert in the gaps at the front to light the firelighter. Once the firelighter ignites, the paper should light quickly, which will then light the sticks, and in turn will generate enough sustained heat to light the coal. Within 10 to 15 minutes, your fire should be blazing.
Add coal or wood periodically to maintain a suitable fire.

Useful Information About the Property

Alarm – There is no burglar alarm in the cottage.

Breakages – please report all damage and breakages.

Cash Machines – the nearest cash machines are as follows:

Masham (COOP - inside, HSBC - near town hall)
Bedale (HSBC, Natwest & Barclays)
Ripon (COOP, Lloyds, Santander, Yorkshire Bank and Natwest)

Cooking – an electric hob, oven and microwave are located in the kitchen. The hob has an extractor fan above (please use the extractor fan when using the hob for cooking). To operate the microware press “micro power” for high, medium or low power followed by the heating time and then press “start”. Full user instructions can be found in the Instruction Manual Folder below.

Kitchen under cupboard lighting - the switch is on the wall to the left of the hob.

Clothes Washer / Dryer Machine – wash and drying programmes are described on the front and full user instructions can be found in Instruction Manual Folder below.

Clothes Drying – in addition to the washer / dryer machine there is a washing line in the rear garden and a portable clothes airer is located in the garage. Clothes pegs are in the cupboard beneath the kitchen sink.

Departure – we would appreciate it if you could leave the cottage by 10:00 on the day of departure. We would also be grateful if you could leave the cottage in a tidy condition and place all waste in the black dustbin or recycling bin as appropriate.

Dining Table – Table mats and coasters are contained in the drawer in the table.

Electricity – the electricity outlets in the cottage are UK 3-pin 240v (50Hz), and the consumer unit is located in the lounge. In case of emergency there is a torch located in the kitchen cupboard under the sink. There is a shaver unit in the bathroom.

Entertainment – CD, radio, IPod dock, TV, Freesat, and DVD player are located in the lounge.

Fridge / Freezer – the fridge / freezer is located in the kitchen.

Garage – the garage is accessed from the dining room. The following amenities are located in the garage:

Vacuum cleaner
Ironing board
Clothes airer
BBQ
Garden Furniture
Access to rear garden

Heating – the storage heaters are usually turned off during the summer months. If you would like them turned on or adjusting please ask. A portable radiator is available which is located in the garage. An open fire is also available in the lounge. There is a heated towel rail in the bathroom controlled automatically.

Hot Water / Shower– hot water is heated via an immersion heater which is on an automatic timer. The control panel is the HORSTMANN box located near the bottom of the stairs. If additional hot water is required please press the “1Hour” boost button.

Ironing – the iron is located in the cupboard under the sink and the ironing board is located in the garage.

Outside Light – the switch for the outside floodlight on the side of the porch is the right hand switch in the lounge next to the porch door. Please leave this switch turned on. The outside floodlight is on a sensor which should turn on/off automatically.

Open Fire – metal ash bucket, firelighters, kindling, newspapers and coal are located in the garage. User instructions are available in this folder.

Refuse – the dustbin for non-recyclable waste is located in the garage.

Recycling – the recycling box is located in the garage. There is a leaflet in the garage which identifies what materials are accepted. Please place all black box or blue bag items in the recycling box.

Supermarkets – the nearest supermarket is in Masham (Coop). Other larger supermarkets are available in the surrounding area as follows:

Tesco (Catterick Garrison or Thirsk)
Sainsburys (Ripon)
Morrisons (Ripon)
Booths (Ripon)

Telephone – the nearest public payphone is located next to the adjoining cottage (approximately 50 yards towards Masham).

Water – in an emergency the water stop tap is located in the garage next to the rear door.

WiFi – Wifi is available within the cottage and is provided on a fair usage basis to allow guests to check emails and normal internet browsing. (Please note it is not suitable for extensive downloading or streaming of video type services).

By connecting to the guest WiFi you agree that you will not use the premises broadband facilities for unlawful purposes. Please note that web-filtering may be in operation on this router, however, like all web-filtering tools it isn't perfect. Therefore we would recommend that you monitor any websites that your children may visit and exercise caution when visiting sites requesting personal or financial information.

Connection details are located in the cottage.

Guidance on the use of the Bathroom

The bathroom has recently been re-fitted to a high standard.

If any of the fittings are unfamiliar the following guidance may be helpful.

1. The lights and fan are operated on a sensor and will come on when entering the bathroom (except in bright daylight). If the light goes out when there is no movement while someone is in the bathroom please move to reactivate the light. When leaving the bathroom please close the door and the lights will automatically turn off after a short period of time. Please note that the fan is both timer and humidity controlled, so when higher humidity is detected it may run for longer than normal. There should be no need to adjust the switches which are located next to the heater in the back bedroom. To increase ventilation please open the skylight using the long pole located in the bathroom.

2. The towel rail is timer and temperature controlled automatically and the controller behind the bathroom door should not be changed. Please do not turn off the switch serving the bathroom which is located in the back bedroom as it resets the timer control.

3. The shower controls are as follows: - left side of the horizontal bar operates the fixed head or moveable head. The right hand side controls the temperature. To increase the temperature beyond the recommended 38degrees press the button and turn to the required level. Please supervise any children using the shower or bath to keep the water temperature at a suitable level.

4. The bath tap and filler spout are fixed to the wall - lift the lever on the tap to turn the water on and move it left or right to adjust the temperature. Do not get in the bath when empty. To avoid any instability always fill the bath first. Please do not hang onto the filler spout when getting in or out of the bath, as any damage could lead to a major water leak.

5. Toilet - Large push button gives a long flush and the small one a short flush.

6. The LED Mirror is not controlled by the sensor - The light is operated by passing your hand under the right hand side of the mirror, close to it. The demister switch is on the right of the mirror and the shaver/electric tooth brush socket is under a small flap on the left side of the mirror. Please turn off the mirror when not in use.

7. Hot water is provided by electric immersion heater and tank located in the loft which operates at various points throughout the day and night. There should be plenty of hot water, however, if for any reason it runs out please press the 1 hour boost button on the control panel located at the bottom of the stairs.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY THE WATER STOP VALVE IS LOCATED IN THE GARAGE NEXT TO THE REAR DOOR AND TAP.

If you have any problems please contact the owner for advice.

Hospital, Doctor, Dentist & Vet Contact Details

Hospitals

Ripon (13 Miles) Minor Injury Unit: Ripon & District Community Hospital, Firby Lane, Ripon, HG4 2PR 01765 602546
Harrogate (25 Miles) A&E: Harrogate District Hospital, Lancaster Park Road, Harrogate, HG2 7SX 01423 885959

Doctors

Masham The Surgery: Market Place, Masham, Ripon, HG4 4DZ 01765 689317

Dentist

Bedale (7 Miles) Bedale Dental Practice: 18 Sussex Street, Bedale, DL8 2AL 01677 422865

Vets

Masham Forrest House Veterinary Ltd: 5 Little Market Place, Masham, Ripon, HG4 4DY 01765 689 219
Masham (High Burton) Linscott Vets: The Veterinary Surgery, High Burton, Masham, Ripon, HG4 4BS 01765 689422

Guest Information

Information Folder

Health & Safety Information

What to do in case of fire

How to operate the open fire

Useful Information About the Property

Guidance on the use of the Bathroom

Hospital, Doctor, Dentist & Vet Contact Details

Instruction Manual Folder

TV Instructions

Appliances

Activities

Walks

Places to Visit