Who looks after my communal areas in my development?

1. Who looks after the communal areas?

Our role is to manage and maintain the building structure and the common areas/facilities within your development. This excludes anything within the four walls of your own individual property – this is your own responsibility or that of the actual owner if you rent it.

2. Who cleans and maintains the communal areas?

Communal cleaning is carried out by contracted cleaners we appoint on your behalf. The cleaners will be dedicated to your communal areas and will clean regularly all communal corridors, stairwells, and windowsills. If you have any queries in relation to the cleaning within your development, please do not hesitate to contact us.

• We are responsible for managing the maintenance and upkeep of communal areas.
• We arrange for contract gardeners to maintain the grounds and gardens.
• We always aim to provide an attractive environment for you to enjoy.

If you have any suggestions about the communal areas, please speak to your onsite FirstPort staff member.

3. Do you look after the window cleaning?

If stated in your Deed of Conditions, contract window cleaners carry out your external window cleaning. They also clean the internal windows in the communal areas.

• For residents in independent retirement living developments please get in touch with your Development Manager for details.
• For residents in general residential developments without on-site staff please get in touch with our Customer Services team.

If you live on the third floor or above, window cleaners may need to come into your flat to clean the outside window surfaces from the inside. Your Development Manager will be able to tell you if this needs to be done.

4. Who looks after the gardens on my development?

Garden maintenance is normally carried out by external contractors. For residents in independent retirement living developments who are keen gardeners, get in touch with your Development Manager as it may be possible to plant flowers or shrubs in the garden. Unfortunately, we cannot make any provision for items such as greenhouses, sheds or vegetable gardens. For all enquiries, please speak to your on-site FirstPort member of staff or contact our Customer Services team.

5. The bins area is messy, so who can I contact?

Within your development, you will have a refuse collection area (often referred to as a bin store). This is a communal area and is managed and maintained by us. We do really appreciate your help in keeping this area as tidy as possible.

• Please continue to put everything in sealed plastic sacks.
• Please put the sacks in the bins in the refuse area.
• Please make sure the lids of the bins are shut afterward.
• If you’ve got an external bin-store with a door, please shut it behind you so it doesn’t slam and get damaged.
• If you’ve got any big rubbish (old electrical items, furniture), please take it to the local tip or ask the council to dispose of it for you. If we have to get it removed, we have to charge everyone in your block or development.