looking after your neighbourhood

Looking after your Neighbourhood

www.cch-online.org.uk

Your Estate Standards

Looking after your Neighbourhood - Your Estate Standards

• We will respond to any reports of Anti- Social Behaviour or neighbour nuisance in line with our Anti-Social Behaviour Policy and Procedures.

• We will offer advice and (where appropriate) assistance if you are finding it hard to keep your home or garden in good condition.

• We will take action against tenants who do not look after their property/ garden/ communal area or estate and recharge for the removal of any dumped rubbish;

Neighbourhood ManagementCoast & Country are committed to “providing homes that people chooseto live in” and this includes looking after our estates and communal areas.

This booklet tells you what we do in your neighbourhood to help keep your environment looking clean, maintained to a good standard and attractive. It also tells you how you can help us improve your neighbourhood.

Estate ManagementEstate Management is about working to make sure your neighbourhoodis maintained and outlines the work undertaken by the team at your local area office:

• We will tell you who your Tenant Advisor is and how to contact them.

• We will visit your estate weekly.

• We will carry out an estate inspection a minimum of every 12 weeks to check that your neighbourhood is clean, tidy and well maintained and will deal with any problems identified.

• We will encourage you to report any issues or concerns that you have to your Tenant Advisor and then let you know what action we have taken. This may be reporting it to the correct person or agency.

• We will outline to all new tenants their responsibilities when they get their keys to their home.

• We will visit all new tenants within the first week of their tenancy starting.

• We will carry out an inspection of all gardens every year.

• We will investigate any report that a property is abandoned the same, or the next working day that you tell us about it.

Coast & Country Tenant Advisor out visiting tenants

• We will respond to any reports of Anti- Social Behaviour or neighbour nuisance in line with our Anti-Social Behaviour Policy and Procedures.

• We will offer advice and (where appropriate) assistance if you are finding it hard to keep your home or garden in good condition.

• We will take action against tenants who do not look after their property/ garden/ communal area or estate and recharge for the removal of any dumped rubbish;

Neighbourhood ManagementCoast & Country are committed to “providing homes that people chooseto live in” and this includes looking after our estates and communal areas.

This booklet tells you what we do in your neighbourhood to help keep your environment looking clean, maintained to a good standard and attractive. It also tells you how you can help us improve your neighbourhood.

Estate ManagementEstate Management is about working to make sure your neighbourhoodis maintained and outlines the work undertaken by the team at your local area office:

• We will tell you who your Tenant Advisor is and how to contact them.

• We will visit your estate weekly.

• We will carry out an estate inspection a minimum of every 12 weeks to check that your neighbourhood is clean, tidy and well maintained and will deal with any problems identified.

• We will encourage you to report any issues or concerns that you have to your Tenant Advisor and then let you know what action we have taken. This may be reporting it to the correct person or agency.

• We will outline to all new tenants their responsibilities when they get their keys to their home.

• We will visit all new tenants within the first week of their tenancy starting.

• We will carry out an inspection of all gardens every year.

• We will investigate any report that a property is abandoned the same, or the next working day that you tell us about it.

Coast & Country Tenant Advisor out visiting tenants

Grounds MaintenanceThis is the work undertaken by our grounds maintenance team whomaintain all open spaces and land, to communal blocks of flats, which are owned by the Company.

This team work in close partnership with the Council to make the best possible arrangements to maintain all open spaces.

Open Spaces

Our grassed areas are maintained at regular intervals between the months of March and November (weather permitting) when::

• We will cut open space grass.

• We will apply herbicide twice during the growing season to shrub beds and hard surface areas..

Shrub beds

Our shrub bed maintenance is planned on a rolling cycle throughout the year when:

• We will litter pick shrub beds.

• We will cut back overgrown shrub beds and remove shrubs where necessary.

• We will recycle the chippings and put them back onto the shrub.

Communal blocks of flats

Communal area maintenance is planned on a rolling cycle. We will:

• Cut any grass in and around communal areas.

• Maintain any shrub beds and hedges.

• Apply herbicide.

Grounds Maintenance Team at work.

Grounds MaintenanceThis is the work undertaken by our grounds maintenance team whomaintain all open spaces and land, to communal blocks of flats, which are owned by the Company.

This team work in close partnership with the Council to make the best possible arrangements to maintain all open spaces.

Open Spaces

Our grassed areas are maintained at regular intervals between the months of March and November (weather permitting) when::

• We will cut open space grass.

• We will apply herbicide twice during the growing season to shrub beds and hard surface areas..

Shrub beds

Our shrub bed maintenance is planned on a rolling cycle throughout the year when:

• We will litter pick shrub beds.

• We will cut back overgrown shrub beds and remove shrubs where necessary.

• We will recycle the chippings and put them back onto the shrub.

Communal blocks of flats

Communal area maintenance is planned on a rolling cycle. We will:

• Cut any grass in and around communal areas.

• Maintain any shrub beds and hedges.

• Apply herbicide.

Grounds Maintenance Team at work.

Communal Area CaretakerThe Communal Area Caretaker looks after our high-rise blocks of flatsand carries out weekly inspections incorporating:

• Health & Safety checks.

• Energy meter readings.

• Changing the bins over.

• Litter-picking and sweeps.

• Communal window cleaning.

• Minor repairs / small jobs to the communal areas.

• Minor shrub bed maintenance.

CleaningThis is the work undertaken by our cleaners to communal areas in blocks of flats where there is a service charge payable.

• We will clean blocks of flats a minimum of 52 times a year (unless otherwise specified).

• We will provide a copy of the cleaning specification upon request.

• We will carry out checks on the standard of cleaning every 12 weeks.

The cleaning undertaken is:

• We will remove all litter and debris from floors.

• We will sweep and mop all floors.

• We will clean all skirting boards, sockets, window ledges and stair rails.

• We will report any damage or vandalism to the local area office.

You can help by:

• Keeping all hallways and landings clear at all times as cleaning may not be carried out if there are bags of rubbish, bikes, furniture, carpets and mats. Items left in communal areas are a Health & Safety risk and could be a breach of tenancy.

Our cleaners also clean all community centres and empty properties.

Communal Area Caretaker

Helen Dunning, Cleaning Operative

Communal Area CaretakerThe Communal Area Caretaker looks after our high-rise blocks of flatsand carries out weekly inspections incorporating:

• Health & Safety checks.

• Energy meter readings.

• Changing the bins over.

• Litter-picking and sweeps.

• Communal window cleaning.

• Minor repairs / small jobs to the communal areas.

• Minor shrub bed maintenance.

CleaningThis is the work undertaken by our cleaners to communal areas in blocks of flats where there is a service charge payable.

• We will clean blocks of flats a minimum of 52 times a year (unless otherwise specified).

• We will provide a copy of the cleaning specification upon request.

• We will carry out checks on the standard of cleaning every 12 weeks.

The cleaning undertaken is:

• We will remove all litter and debris from floors.

• We will sweep and mop all floors.

• We will clean all skirting boards, sockets, window ledges and stair rails.

• We will report any damage or vandalism to the local area office.

You can help by:

• Keeping all hallways and landings clear at all times as cleaning may not be carried out if there are bags of rubbish, bikes, furniture, carpets and mats. Items left in communal areas are a Health & Safety risk and could be a breach of tenancy.

Our cleaners also clean all community centres and empty properties.

Communal Area Caretaker

Helen Dunning, Cleaning Operative

Impact Team• Fly-tipping is anti-social and Coast &

Country work in close partnership with Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council to tackle fly-tipping. If there is a health and safety risk caused by the fly-tipping then this will be removed within one working day of being reported other fly-tipping will be removed within one week.

• Litter-picking is carried out when required.

• We will remove offensive graffiti within 1 working day and other graffiti within 2 weeks.

• Our Handyman Service will carry out some rechargeable work (payable in advance) including void clearances, one-off garden clearances and rubbish removal.

Impact TeamWe offer a Pest Control service to deal with problems that tenants are experiencing with pests or vermin.

If you are experiencing any problems, please contact your local area office for further details.

Some jobs may be rechargeable.

Arborist TeamTrees in open spaces are surveyed to identify damage, disease, restricted visibility and lack of light to properties. The trees will be pruned to an acceptable standard.

Coast & Country’s Impact Team Ronny Harris, Assistant Chief Executive, with our Pest Control Team

Impact Team• Fly-tipping is anti-social and Coast &

Country work in close partnership with Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council to tackle fly-tipping. If there is a health and safety risk caused by the fly-tipping then this will be removed within one working day of being reported other fly-tipping will be removed within one week.

• Litter-picking is carried out when required.

• We will remove offensive graffiti within 1 working day and other graffiti within 2 weeks.

• Our Handyman Service will carry out some rechargeable work (payable in advance) including void clearances, one-off garden clearances and rubbish removal.

Impact TeamWe offer a Pest Control service to deal with problems that tenants are experiencing with pests or vermin.

If you are experiencing any problems, please contact your local area office for further details.

Some jobs may be rechargeable.

Arborist TeamTrees in open spaces are surveyed to identify damage, disease, restricted visibility and lack of light to properties. The trees will be pruned to an acceptable standard.

Coast & Country’s Impact Team Ronny Harris, Assistant Chief Executive, with our Pest Control Team

We welcome your feedback:If you are unhappy with the service you have received or would like to get more involved in the care of your neighbourhood and environment, then please contact your local area office.

How you can helpCoast & Country encourage Resident Involvement and your help is needed in keeping your estates clean, tidy and attractive.

You can do this by:

• Keeping your garden tidy and free from rubbish, cutting your grass and cutting back any large shrubs or hedges.

• Putting your rubbish in your bins and recycling.

• Putting your rubbish and recycling out on the correct day and putting your bins back in your garden or bin store as soon as possible.

• Contact us about any issues or concerns you may have, for example dumped rubbish, graffiti, abandoned cars or an abandoned property.

• Cleaning up after your dog.

• Letting us know of anything on your estate needs improving as we have a small estate improvement budget could consider your suggestion to be funded from this money.

• Looking after any fencing at your home.

• Letting us know if you are interested in getting involved and supporting any projects.

Spencerbeck Office

Spencerbeck HouseEllerbeck WaySpencerbeckMiddlesbroughTS7 9PZ

Tel: 01642 836009Fax: 01642 326687

Grangetown Office

Barbara Bowater HouseKingsley RoadGrangetownMiddlesbroughTS6 7PW

Tel: 01642 836010Fax: 01642 458835

East Cleveland Office

1A Woodhouse RoadGuisboroughTS14 6LH

Tel: 01642 836004Fax: 01287 203223

Redcar Office

14 Ennis SquareDormanstownRedcarTS10 5JR

Tel: 01642 836005Fax: 01642 771305

South Bank Office

11/13 Steele CrescentSouth BankMiddlesbroughTS6 6QJ

Tel: 01642 836072Fax: 01642 457137

Please let us know if you require any information in large print,another language, or help reading this information.