Estate and grounds maintenance
This service is primarily provided to sheltered schemes and blocks of flats, but costs may also apply to individual homes that benefit from the service. It provides (where relevant) grass cutting, maintenance of flower beds, litter picking, shrub maintenance, play areas, dog bin emptying, maintenance and repair of electric vehicle (EV) chargers (where these exist), and maintenance of car parks and access roads. Grit/salt spreading may sometimes be provided within this service. We also complete tree maintenance and sometimes the maintenance of unadopted pathways, however this is on an ad hoc basis and may include additional charges dependant on the individual case.
Door entry systems
This generally applies to blocks of flats and includes the costs of servicing and maintenance. Door entry system replacement is listed separately in your tenancy agreement, as the cost is not eligible for being covered by housing benefit.
Fire alarm systems, extinguishers and smoke/heat/carbon monoxide detection
This generally applies to sheltered schemes. This covers the cost of providing equipment, repairs and servicing, and callout costs (for example where there has been vandalism). Fire alarm system replacement and fire sprinkler system maintenance are listed separately in your tenancy agreement, as these costs are not eligible for being covered by housing benefit.
Emergency lighting systems
This covers the cost of repairs and servicing and callout costs (for example where there has been vandalism). Emergency lighting system replacement is listed separately in your tenancy agreement, as the cost is not eligible for being covered by housing benefit.
Communal aerial
This charge covers the cost of the provision and maintenance of communal aerials to some sheltered schemes and blocks of flats.
Communal services
This covers a range of potential communal area costs and will vary from scheme to scheme/from one block of flats to another. It may include, for example:
- the cost of replacement light bulbs
- energy costs for lighting including emergency lighting
- energy and servicing costs for communal area heating
- communal water supply
- legionella testing for communal water tanks
- PAT and other electrical testing
- common room and communal kitchen costs
- communal laundry services
- maintenance of dry risers, smoke ventilation, and mansafe protection systems
- maintenance of photovoltaic (PV) panels
- maintenance of lightning protection
- supply of grit for winter use.
Communal cleaning
Our sheltered schemes and some of our other blocks of flats have a cleaning service provided for all internal and some external communal areas. This also includes the cleaning of internal communal windows and glass, and litter picking of surrounding areas.
Window cleaning
Most sheltered scheme flats, some Aged Persons Dwellings, and most of our other flats have communal windows, which are cleaned on a scheduled cycle. Most sheltered scheme blocks also have the windows of their individual homes cleaned. This is listed separately in your tenancy agreement, as the cost is not eligible for being covered by housing benefit.
Waste and cleansing
This cost covers:
- removal of fly-tipping, litter and graffiti, and dumped general, hazardous and green waste from internal and external communal areas
- cleaning services at car parks, along pathways and within play areas
- cleaning of communal bins, which is arranged on an ad hoc basis
where these services are required.
Health and safety inspections
Health and safety inspections are important to help us keep you safe in and around your home. They are carried out by our Community Specialists, who test fire alarms in communal spaces, check on fly-tipping, graffiti, external lighting, pathways, ramps, steps and more.
Lift servicing
Some of our sheltered schemes have lifts, which require regular servicing and maintenance to ensure that they are safe to use. Lift replacement is listed separately in your tenancy agreement, as the cost is not eligible for being covered by housing benefit.
Scheme management service
This is the cost of providing the sheltered housing service to sheltered schemes, excluding ‘support costs’. ‘support costs’ are charged by Buckinghamshire Council and charged separately by them.
Pest control
This charge covers the costs of a service where there are infestations of pests in communal areas of sheltered schemes, blocks of flats, play areas, car parks and garage areas.
Heating charges
This covers the cost of fuel used, servicing and repairs where there is a communal boiler which provides heating and, in some cases, hot water to tenants' flats.
Management and admin
This is the administrative cost of us providing these services to you.