A further update on our grounds maintenance service

We wanted to provide a further update about the grounds maintenance service that some of our customers receive.

To ensure all customers receive a service that provides better value for money, we’ve appointed new grounds maintenance contractors.

Following the conclusion of the procurement process, we’re pleased to confirm that we’ve appointed Tivoli Group Ltd to deliver the service in our east and west regions, with Grounds Care Group Ltd responsible for the south.

Affected customers will shortly be sent a letter confirming which contractor will be delivering their services.

We’d like to sincerely apologise for the time it’s taking to get to a fully functioning service.

We recognise that some schemes have received a significantly reduced service which has fallen well below the standards we expect and that our customers deserve and we’d like to thank affected customers for their patience during this time.

Now that the contract has been awarded, we’d like to confirm that any missed visits or work will be rescheduled before the end of the financial year to ensure customers receive the full service they’ve paid for via service charges.

Below is a summary of what the new contract includes:

• Grass cutting – Between March and October, we aim to cut the grass every two weeks (weather dependent). The grass will be cut with the mulch being dropped evenly over the grassed area. These clippings should disappear within a couple of days. This feeds the lawns, provides a significantly better value service and improves our environmental impact.
• Hedge cutting – This will typically be done once per year. This will take place outside of the bird nesting season, which is between February and July.
• Shrub pruning – All shrubs in communal areas will be pruned to a reasonable height. Some shrubs will require hard pruning, which may impact their appearance for a short period. Pruning is yearly, unless the shrubs create a health and safety hazard.
• Shrub beds – These will be kept weed-free through a combination of treatment and hand weeding.
• Weed control – Hard standing areas will normally receive four sprays during the growing season between March and October.
• Leaf collection – This will be done monthly between October and January.
• Hard areas – These will be swept monthly, with any litter being picked and debris removed.
• Trees – These aren’t covered by the regular grounds maintenance service. Instead, a periodic tree survey informs us of any required health and safety work.

To view the new specification in full, including a guide to when visits will take place and what work will be done, please visit our grounds maintenance page.

We’re currently working with our contractors to develop an online customer portal, which will allow you to check when your contractor is scheduled to visit. We're also looking to provide schedules to customers in alternative formats. More information about this will be provided soon.

Once fully up-to-speed, we’re confident that this change will deliver a better grounds maintenance service. We’ll continue to work closely with your contractor to ensure that happens as soon as possible.

Of course, we want to hear your feedback about how things are going, too. We’d encourage you to sign up to The Hub – our customer engagement platform or visit our website.

There, you’ll find all the information you need to know about the new service, answers to any questions you may have and the chance to share your views.

To register, simply visit The Hub.

If you have any further questions, please get in touch on 0800 111 4013 or fill in our online contact us form.

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