Caretaking standards

Caretaking standards

 

Caretakers are responsible for:

  • Cleaning communal areas to an acceptable standard. 
  • Reporting issues such as repairs, graffiti and flytipping. 

Customers are reminded of their own responsibilities:

  • To keep shared areas clean and clear of items, litter and rubbish.
  • To keep communal areas free of dog mess.
  • Dispose of rubbish in the appropriate bins provided. 

Sometimes things like bad weather, old buildings, or nearby building work can make the area look or feel a bit worse for a short time. But we always try to fix things quickly.

The list below shows what you can usually expect across the whole estate:

This is what an area should look like right after a caretaker has cleaned it. It’s a high standard, so it might not always stay this perfect, but it’s what we aim for after cleaning.

An area with a Grade A will:

  • Have no visible marks, dirt, rubbish, or mess—unless it’s something that’s stuck deep into the building or ground and can’t be cleaned off easily.
  • Look and smell clean.
  • Have tidy bin areas and clean outdoor spaces.
  • Have clear hallways and shared spaces inside.

To get a Grade A, everything that needs to be done must be finished properly.

This is the standard we aim to keep in between cleaning days. It might not be perfect, but it should still look good and be looked after.

An area with a Grade B will:

  • Look clean and well cared for.
  • Have a little bit of rubbish or mess, but not enough to make the place look bad.
  • Bin areas might be full, but they’re still tidy and ready for the bins to be collected.
  • Look like it gets cleaned regularly.

There might be some dirt or litter, but not more than you’d expect as the day or week goes on.

This is when an area looks quite messy and clearly needs more cleaning than usual. It’s worse than what you’d expect, even if it hasn’t been cleaned in a while.

An area with a Grade C will:

  • Have lots of visible marks, stains, rubbish, or mess.
  • Look like it hasn’t been cleaned regularly.
  • Have things left in shared spaces that make it feel cluttered.
  • Need extra cleaning to get it back to a better standard (like Grade B or A).

This is the lowest standard. It means the area is very dirty and could even be dangerous. It needs a lot of cleaning and fixing to make it safe and nice again.

An area with a Grade D will:

  • Have a lot of rubbish, stains, dirt, and mess everywhere.
  • Be unsafe—there might be broken glass, needles, poo, or things left in hallways.
  • Be missing important signs like “emergency exit,” “wet floor,” or “no smoking.”
  • Have bin areas that are so full they can’t be emptied.
  • Look like it hasn’t been cleaned at all.

It will take extra time and effort to bring this area back up to a better standard like Grade B or A.

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