Caretaking & Cleaning
South Essex Homes regularly inspects its estates to make sure that the caretaking and grounds maintenance meet a high standard.
The Caretaking Team includes static and mobile caretakers, with a bulk refuse collection team and a graffiti removal team.
There are teams of caretakers based on estates Monday to Friday and staff working on a rota basis to cover tower blocks on Saturdays and Sunday mornings to make sure the lifts and foyer areas are clean, refuse bins changed and any bulk refuse cleared.  The caretaking rounds have also been redesigned to provide more visits to blocks that have been identified as hot spots for antisocial behaviour etc ensuring consistent standards are met across the borough.
Work schedules are displayed in all blocks including day/frequency of visit and duties that will be carried out on each visit.
All Caretakers have been trained in the British Institute of Cleaning Sciences Training, a nationally recognised qualification within the Caretaking cleaning industry.
South Essex Homes have a Boroughwide compact on caretaking, this was produced in consultation with residents and it sets out how South Essex Homes will carry out the caretaking service.
This local compact provides vital information to residents. The local compact will ensure that South Essex Homes, the Council and residents work together to deliver improved services and safer, cleaner communities.
For more information about the service we provide please download a copy our of service standard.
Grounds Maintenance
 The Grounds Maintenance Service will ensure the grass is cut regularly so that it does not exceed 50 mm in height and that the shrub beds and tree bases are weed free. Shrubs and trees will be pruned as required and when the grass cutting and shrub pruning is carried out any litter from these areas will be removed and paths will be cleared of any grass cuttings.
Where plants have died they will be replaced with new plants during the planting season. There are six monthly estate walkabouts carried out and you are welcome to attend if you have any issues relating to the grounds maintenance. If you want details of the next walkabout please contact the Estate Services Team
Estate Walkabouts
The Estate Walkabout is an inspection of everything internal and external on an estate. To inspect the condition of all our properties, whether it is in a Tower block. Low rise, or individual houses.
The Block/Estate Walkabouts give a grading on the standard/quality of the service provided. All elements of inspection are scored 1 – 3 then scores are combined to produce an average figure.  1 = Poor,
2 = Satisfactory,
3 = Excellent.
For more information about the scoring process, please follow this link: Estate Walkabout Grading Guidelines
If you would like to view the feedback of a recent Walkabout Please click on the name of the street or block you wish to view the most recent feedback form:
If you wish to view feedback from previous Estate Walkabouts please contact us by email: Caretaking@seh.southend.go.uk or by telephone: 0800 833 160.
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