To ensure that we’re delivering the best possible service for the best possible price, we review our contracts and specifications for communal area maintenance at the end of their term to make sure the service charges you pay are fair and reasonable.
As a result of this review, we’re changing the grounds maintenance, communal cleaning, window cleaning contracts in some regions as of 27 May 2024. If your region is affected, you will already have had a letter to let you know about this. The only change you’ll see under the new contract is that we will follow a ‘cut and mulch’ process for garden waste rather than ‘cut and collect’.
You can find out more below about what’s included in your cleaning and grounds maintenance services below.
Our grounds contractors will visit the majority of our sites 26 times in a full year, some areas have 24 visits per year. This means they will carry out two visits per month, with approximately 15 days between each visit.
During the visits, we carry out the works below:
We mainly work on shrub beds during winter. During the summer, we only carry out containment pruning on shrubs where it’s required. This means flowering shrubs are allowed to reach their full potential.
All cleaning activities are carried out every two weeks as standard, at a minimum. There may be some variations to this where there is a static cleaner, or if we’ve agreed other arrangements with you for an additional service charge. Fortnightly cleaning generally consists of the following tasks:
If there is an additional cleaning issue not covered by the above, this will be reported, and then addressed as necessary.
Only external communal windows are included in this service. It includes:
These can’t always be accessed, and bad weather such as ice, snow or strong winds may also restrict our contractors’ access.
We clean all windows in Independent Living, Extra Care and Supported Living homes. We can include any conservatories or glass roof areas by arrangement.
We clean the glass and frames of external windows, and window ledges, where accessible.
These can’t always be accessed, and bad weather such as ice, snow or strong winds may also restrict our contractors’ access.
Our own teams and contractors deliver these services, and you can find out more here about the standards of service you should expect from them.
As your safety is our top priority, we strive to ensure communal areas are kept free of any items that may be seen as a fire hazard or impact a possible escape route. You can find out more about what you need to ‘Keep it Clear’ here.
