Details

The Cottage
2, Skimmel Bridge
Tremethick Cross
Penzance
TR20 8UG

Tel: (+44) 01736 351882

Upon Arrival

Access via front door (NB: the bolts on the back door are locked) and the alarm needs to be unset.
Open windows and doors to air the cottage. 
Switch on immersion heater (set timer!).
Switch on cooker (set clock)
Storage Heaters (if required).
Explore…..

Detail stuff…inside

Cooker / Oven – Main switch is on wall to right of hob. Saucepans are stored in cupboard immediately to right of oven.  Oven dishes are stored in corner cupboard to the left of the sink unit.
Dish Washer – Plug located on wall to right of dishwasher. Leave door ajar upon departure.
Washing Machine – Plug located in under sink cupboard. A washing basket, pegs and a drying rack is also located in the Utility Room. Leave door ajar upon departure.
Fridge – Please empty the fridge after your visit in case no one is visiting after you for a while.
Food – There is some food in the cupboards e.g. coffee, tea, sugar, olive oil etc. Please feel free to use it, but please replace if you finish or nearly finish something.
Breakages – These happen, don’t worry. Please leave a small donation (say £1-£3 depending on the item) to cover any replacements in the money box on the windowsill.
Beds / Bedding & Laundry – Duvets, pillows and tea towels are available. However, visitors should bring their own duvet covers, sheets and towels.  Beds should be stripped and left tidily upon departure.
Iron – Located in lower cupboard to left of kitchen sink. Ironing board is stored in the Utility Room.
Cleaning – We don’t have a cleaner – please clean up before you go and leave it as you found it – cleaning materials are in the cupboard under the kitchen sink.
Hoover – There is a Dyson upright vacuum cleaner inside the airing cupboard. There is also a Vax bagless vacuum located in the downstairs bedroom. The main bit extends so you don’t have to crouch whilst cleaning! Empty canisters of both into dustbin when full. 

Communication

TV + BT Broadband – Located to right of fireplace.  TV, BT box and aerial booster need to be switched on at wall, then use remote control. Best to use the BT Broadband TV box as your source (HDMI 1). There is also on HDMI/DVI a Google Chromecast device (called Living Room) so you can stream content to the TV with sounds from your laptop, tablet or smartphone device. To use the TV as a receiver the BT box still needs to be switched on. 
Phone – It’s on BT as well. Please feel free to use but please leave a donation if used extensively (e.g. modem / long distance etc). There is a 1571 answer service for missed called and messages. Note, all the phone sockets have small white filters attached so that the telephones can share the line (you can ring people whilst surfing the internet using broadband). 
Mobile Phones – not too much of a signal from any provider in the Skimmel Bridge Valley but take your chances. Instead, walk up the hill to junction of Sancreed Road for good signal (and views) for EE, 3, Vodafone and O2. If you have WiFi calling (ThreeInTouch & EE Anywhere) use that, it’ll save your battery!
BT Superfast Broadband Internet & Wireless – The property now benefits from FTTP (Fibre To The Property) which c/o of BT Broadband gives about 100 meg upstream and downstream (enough for everyone). If you have a wireless enabled device, connect to the network ideally to Skimmel (5Ghz) or Skimmel 2.4GHz. There is also a ethernet over power network extension called SkimmelTop based in the upstairs study which you can access better outside to the rear of the property. We can tell you where to find the various passcodes.

Detail stuff – Garden

Gas Barbecue – Barbecue stored in garage. Please exercise caution on blustery days. Gas bottles are available from Morrison’s garage.
Gardening – If it looks like it needs some help, give some!! Most likely this will be limited to cutting the grass which if done regularly will benefit most visitors (see Lawn Mover).
Lawn Mower – You have to cut the grass!! A Mountfield petrol-engined self propelled mower stored in garage. To start – check oil with dipstick. Check fuel (unleaded stored in green plastic can – filling the tank will cover the whole garden). Turn on petrol switch on side (turn off when finished). Set the throttle to fully choke. Squeeze the upper cut off handle and pull the rip cord. It normally starts well. Adjust the throttle down to required speed. Use the other black handle to make it go forwards! Easy huh? Works best by moving in strips.   Empty grass box as required onto compost heap right at the top of the garden. To stop, turn ease the throttle then as soon as you let go of the cut off  handle it should.
Garage & Parking – Will accommodate a large family car (including estates IF empty) but mind the bikes. It is best to reverse into the garage from further up the hill. Additionally, it is possible to park on hard gravel either in front or immediately to left of garage. Please avoid driving beyond line of concrete path.

Rubbish / Dustbin & Recycling – Full rubbish sacks should be put in the ‘Wheelie’ Dust Bin which is kept next to the garage.  Rubbish is collected every two weeks on a TUESDAY.  The Dust Bin need to be left visibly next to the road in front of the garage either late on a Monday or early on a Tuesday morning. After it has been emptied it needs to be moved back to it’s original location. There is also a complex system of recycling. The blue bag (kept in the study) is for paper. The recycling box is for glass bottles and textiles. The orange bag is for cardboard. The red bag is for cans and plastic bottles.  Leave it in front of the garage as above. There is an explanatory leaflet in the kitchen. Uncooked food waste can go into the compost bin at the top of the garden. Please try and recycle as much as you can!
Recycling Centres – Located in supermarket car parks for bottles, cardboard, clothes, paper, plastic bottles etc. There is another nearer one on the seafront (Western Promenade Road) opposite the Carlton Hotel.

Other Info & Contacts

No Smoking
For the consideration of us (and other visitors), please refrain from smoking inside the property.

Emergency Telephone Numbers
Emergency Number    999  Police, Ambulance, Coastguard or Fire
NHS Direct 111
Hospital (Penzance) 01736 874000 West Cornwall
Utilities
South West Water 0345 776677
BT
E-ON (Electricity) 0800 365900 

Neighbours
Simon & Debbie live across the road at Number 1, Skimmel Bridge.
Rachel & Peter James live up the hill at Little Sellan Farm (and also own Easonwood at the bottom of the hill).

Keys & Security – available from us (plus ex neighbour Francis Potts who now lives in Penzance has a spare set for emergencies).  There is a modern sophisticated burglar alarm with multiple sensors, and the property is protected by video surveillance cameras (CCTV including infra-red nightime motion capture). Contact us for details as to how to set and unset the alarms.

Light & Heat

Light Switches:  Kitchen – Bank of three (1) spotlights (2) not in use (3) Back Door” outside light (do not turn this off as it is controlled by Alexa)
Living Room – Bank of three (1) Stair side (2) Front door Outside light – again do not turn this off as it is controlled by Alexa (3) Fireside 
Lamp by telephone is controlled automatically by Alexa. Do not switch off.
Landing – Bank of three (1) Stairs (2) Landing light (3) Outside bathroom
Outside Halogen Lights – Both on a automatic motion sensor when dark. Switch located outside in side shed and other in garage
Front Door Light Operated by switch in Living Room (2) – Alexa
Back Door Light Operated by switch in Kitchen (3) – Alexa
Garage – light plugged into socket at rear of garage
Fuses – Fuse box located in upper kitchen cupboard by back door. Spare fuses and bulbs located in downstairs Utility Room in box on shelf.
Instruction Books / Manuals – Located on top shelf in kitchen cupboard next to fuse cupboard.

Storage Heaters – Located in Kitchen, Living Room, Study and all three bedrooms. These work by heating up overnight using cheaper electricity and then releasing their warmth slowly during the day.  The left dial controls when the heat is emitted – 1=morning 6=evening. The right dial is how much heat is emitted: 1-2 for the summer 3-4 for the spring/autumn and 5-6 for the winter. 

Please note that given the construction of the property it may take a day or so for the optimum temperature to be achieved. During cold spells leave all of them switched on. During summer period it is recommended that only the Kitchen Heater is used if at all.  Please ensure all are switched off at the wall before vacating the property.

IMPORTANT: Do not cover or use to dry clothes as this is very dangerous.

Wood burner – Please burn dry wood only. Works best with the burner doors closed. Draught is adjusted by using the sliders on the front. It is possible to dry out wood by placing it on the bricks inside on each side of the fire. Please store fire lighters outside in the Side Shed. Kindling can be purchased from local garages. Wood is stored in log store around back of cottage adjacent to outside / garden WC. Please empty ash by putting cold contents into a plastic in the dustbin before leaving. Please keep doors closed and mind the carpet.

Immersion Heater – Is located in the airing cupboard next to the bathroom. Switch on mains switch upon arrival and off at departure. Check timer dial to set it to the correct time of day. Please do not change on/off time-settings. 

Hot Water – See Immersion Heater

Heated Electric Towel Rail – Located in bathroom.  This is not linked to Cheap Rate Electricity etc. Switch is the lower switch on the left hand side in the airing cupboard. Please turn off when not required.

Upon Departure

Departure time is 12:00 (Noon), unless previously agreed with Hugh and Caroline. Clean and leave as tidy as possible.  Empty and clean fridge. Leave washing machine and dishwasher doors ajar. Check all window locks are in place. Switch off immersion heater. Switch off cooker, washing machine and dishwasher. Switch off ALL storage heaters. Switch off TV, aerial booster and stereo sockets at wall.  Check security timer light in living room is switched on properly and that time is correct.
Put all three bolts on and lock back door. Leaving Utility Room door slightly ajar, set the alarm and exit via front door securing mortice lock.
Check that the both side shed and both main and rear garage doors are locked. 
Don’t leave dustbin & recycling box in view of road if no one else is visiting immediately afterwards.
Get depressed about leaving…