Welcome to your latest update on our communal grounds maintenance service!
Our new cleaning contract started on April 1st and we’re continuing to work with Groundscapes to ensure they meet service standards. We’re still experiencing some delays with site visits as adjustments are being made to improve scheduling, but we’re actively addressing any missed blocks to ensure grounds maintenance work is carried out as soon as possible.
Progress is being monitored through regular site visits by our Estates and Facilities Team, and you can share feedback about your grounds maintenance service at any time. If you have any concerns about the new provider or missed site visits, please contact us.
We are happy for customers to join us on site visits where we can. This way, we can address your concerns whilst we’re on site. If you’d like to join one of the team on their visit, simply let us know and we’ll let you know when we’re popping by.
For more information about our new cleaning and grounds maintenance contracts, head to: thrivehomes.org.uk/new-cleaning-and-gm
Due to legislation protecting nesting birds, only minimal hedge trimming will take place until August. If any birds are spotted by Groundscapes, work will be paused and we will notify you. Any hedges that are encroaching onto pathways will be trimmed as necessary and more extensive work will be carried out in winter to prevent excessive overgrowth during this season. After August, further cutting will take place over multiple visits.
Groundscapes are also actively removing weeds by clearing them from plant beds and borders, as well as applying a solution that destroys the whole plant after being left for a while.
Please note that as part of our new contract, Groundscapes will not be collecting grass on the first cut of the season. Groundscapes use equipment which cuts grass into much smaller pieces enabling it to be returned the lawn as natural fertiliser. This process is known as grasscycling, which helps promote a thicker and greener lawn and means there will be no additional charge for collecting clippings.
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Communal Area Standards
We are in the process of reviewing our Communal Area Standards to make sure it’s clear what our new providers are responsible for and to give clear examples of our standards. The updated standards will be shared as soon as they are available.
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Are you interested in becoming a block representative?
As a block rep, you’ll join our team on inspections to report back on things like the quality of cleaning and grounds maintenance and any issues within communal areas around your home. For more information email: enquires@thrivehomes.org.uk or call us on 0800 917 6077.
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Monitoring visits
Our team has access to the Groundscapes portal so we can see when visits have taken place and view any work notes and photographs of the standard. This helps us to hold the contractor to account and monitor visits more closely.
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Listening to your feedback
We’re continuing to work closely with Groundscapes to ensure a seamless transition. We’re also continuing to act on your feedback and we’re working hard to make sure these services meet our standard.
Listening to your feedback, it’s clear you want to hear how we’ll make sure our current service meets our standards. As part of this, we are continuing to:
- have regular meetings with the contractor so we can tackle any emerging issues and keep you informed early on
- monitor visits, including carrying out spot checks. Listening to your feedback on areas to improve, we’ll be checking that contractors tidy up behind themselves, hedges are cut and that plants are not destroyed as part of grass cutting
- encourage consistent communication across all grounds maintenance staff so service standards and behaviours are consistent across all sites and visits.
- share Thrive’s policies and carry out structured training for grounds maintenance staff, including an induction and shadowing to make sure the standards on site are understood and being met. This will also help make sure staff understand the chemicals and equipment they are using, and that they have the correct horticultural knowledge of beds and shrubs
- carry out an estate inspection of each block every three months. Where there are problem sites, we increase these inspections to monthly or weekly where necessary.
Your feedback helps us keep things on track. You can see exactly when the cleaners will be visiting and what tasks they'll be completing online at: thrivehomes.org.uk/my-home-info.
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Your grounds maintenance calendar
You can now view your grounds maintenance schedule on the Groundscapes website at: groundscapes.co.uk/service-provision
Simply enter your postcode to see when your last visit was and when you next visit will be.
To give feedback on any previous visits, head to: thrivehomes.org.uk/my-home-info
We're always happy to hear from you, so if you have feedback to share with us about the service in general or if there is anything you’d like to hear about in my updates, visit: thrivehomes.org.uk/feedback
Adrian Anstee | Senior Estates Officer