Your Estate Services
The Estates Team at Platform implemented changes to the Grounds Maintenance and Communal Cleaning services. These changes were applied differently across service areas, resulting in varied customer experiences.
To assess the impact of these changes, the team wanted to gather customer views on the quality of service they received.
What we asked
A customer survey was developed with the following features:
Rating Scale: Customers were asked to rate each aspect of the service from 1 to 10 (1 = poor, 10 = excellent).
“Please think about the grounds maintenance service in your area and rate the different parts of the service (1-10). We have left space below each one for you to make any comments
- Grass cutting
- Hedges & shrubs
- Weeds
- Litter
- Hard standing
- Flower beds and shrubs
Do you receive a communal cleaning service? Yes/No – where yes
Please think about the communal cleaning service in your area and rate the different parts of the service (1-10). We have left space below each for you to make any comments
- Internal communal areas
- External communal areas
- Bin store
- Fly-tipping
- Window cleaning
- General cleaning tasks”
Comments Section: Space was provided for open-ended feedback to capture qualitative insights.
Grounds Maintenance – Overview
Customers provided a wide range of feedback regarding the Grounds Maintenance service. Key themes included concerns about service frequency, quality of work, communication, and specific maintenance issues such as overgrown hedges, litter, and untidy communal areas.
Average scores out of 10
Grass - 6.27 | Hedges and Shrubs - 4.93 | Weeds - 4.63 | Litter - 4.82 | Hard Standing - 4.45 | Flowerbeds - 4.45
Cleaning & Caretaking – Overview
Customers detailed responses highlighted concerns around service frequency, quality, communication, and specific issues affecting communal areas.
Average scores out of 10
Internal communal areas - 7.96 | External communal areas - 6.36 | Bin stores - 4.13 | Fly-tipping - 4.52 | Window cleaning - 3.65 | General cleaning tasks - 6.43
What changed – How we improved
Grounds Maintenance Actions Taken
- Service Information Displayed: All communal notice boards now show details about Grounds Maintenance services and visit schedules. Details are available on our website.
- Mulching Adopted: Mulching is now part of the standard specification, though we understand it may not be everyone’s preference.
- Site Audits Initiated: Regional managers will conduct audits in areas with reported issues (e.g. blocked paths, overgrown hedges, safety concerns).
- Cutting Practices Reviewed: Managers are reviewing grass cutting heights and consistency across operatives.
- Service Boundaries Clarified: Areas not maintained by Platform (e.g. land owned by Persimmons) have been identified and clarified.
- Mapping Checks Underway: We’re reviewing service maps to ensure all obligations are being met, especially in areas where tenants report no service
Cleaning & Caretaking Actions Taken
- Service Information: Details about Cleaning & Caretaking are available on our website.
- Window Cleaning: Communal window cleaning will resume in early summer 2025, after a pause in late 2024. Only communal windows are included in the service.
- Quality Audits: Regional managers will carry out regular audits to improve cleaning standards and
- Bin Store Issues: For rat problems or requests for deep cleaning, please contact your Housing Officer or The Hub Contact Centre (0333 200 7204). Fly-tipping should also be reported to the contact centre.
- Resident Concerns Addressed: Issues like dumped items or misuse of communal areas should be reported so we can take appropriate action.
