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Home Estate ServicesCaretaking

Caretaking

H & F Homes employs caretakers to look after its estates. The service is co-ordinated by the area housing office. All the larger estates have at least one caretaker living on them. The smaller blocks of flats usually have a visiting caretaker. Caretakers work in small groups and the service operates 7 days a week, 365 days of the year. Their hours of duty are approximately 8am to 4.15pm.

Caretakers wear uniforms with the company logo on them and are responsible for the general cleanliness of the estate. They have schedules of work to complete every day that includes:

  • Dealing with bulk and domestic refuse.
  • Checking communal lighting.
  • Washing lifts, mirrors, walls, doors and call panels.
  • Cleaning entrances, including door furniture and glass.
  • Sweeping and picking litter from external areas.
  • Rotating paladin bins and cleaning bin chambers.

There are also separate schedules for each individual block in the borough listing specific additional tasks to be completed on a particular day each week. These duties include:

  • Sweeping and washing stairs at a regular frequency.
  • High and low level dusting.
  • Wiping banister rails.
  • Washing lighting covers.
  • Cleaning refuse chutes.
  • Cleaning communal windows.

If you have a query about the services provided please contact your local housing office and ask to speak to the estates services manager or the working group supervisor.

Caretaking review

During the next few months a full review of the service will take place. At present the service operates over seven days per week with full staffing level working Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and a reduced service from Thursday to Sunday to allow caretaking staff to have a 2 day break in each week.

Response to the service by customers living on estates is generally positive but we feel that we can improve the service further by operating mainly between Monday and Friday with limited cover arrangements on Saturday and Sunday to deal with emergencies.

A Service Review Team is being set up to consider how best to provide caretaking and cleaning to our estates and blocks. This Team will include officers, caretakers and Trades Unions and we will be asking a number of customers of the service to attend to give their views.