Estate services help keep shared spaces in your neighbourhood clean, safe and well looked after.
These services may include communal cleaning, grounds maintenance, window cleaning, bulk rubbish and fly-tipping removal, tree surveys and maintenance, play area safety checks, PA Housing in-house cleaning and caretaker services where these are provided.
Most estate services are delivered by PA Housing’s approved contractors. Some neighbourhoods may also have PA Housing in-house cleaners, caretakers, or a managing agent who arranges their own cleaning, gardening or shared-area services.
The services available will depend on where you live, the type of building, the shared spaces in your neighbourhood and the services PA Housing are responsible for managing.
Estate services updates
Find the latest news and updates about estate services in your neighbourhood.
This may include planned works, contractor updates, service changes, improvement projects, resident communications, posters, seasonal updates and completed works.
We group every home into something called a lot.
This is different to your Neighbourhood as lots are normally much larger in scale. All our areas are covered by six lots, so if you receive communal services your home will be included.
Grounds maintenance helps keep shared outdoor areas in your neighbourhood tidy, safe and well maintained.
Where this service is provided, contractors usually visit every two weeks. The work they carry out may include:
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cutting grass, where weather conditions allow
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weeding grassed areas
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pruning shrubs, hedges and flower beds
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trimming plants to prevent overgrowth
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removing weeds and moss from hard surfaces such as walkways, patios, paving slabs and brick areas
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clearing leaves from shared areas
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removing minor litter from communal outdoor areas
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emptying dog waste bins, where provided
- gritting of shleter sites
Grass needs to be reasonably dry before it can be cut. During wet weather, some grass cutting may need to be postponed until conditions improve.
Some leaves, litter or natural debris may build up between visits, particularly during autumn and winter. This does not always mean a visit has been missed.
Hedge cutting may also be paused during bird nesting season, which usually runs from March to August, to help protect wildlife.
Useful information
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Read Grounds maintenance full specification
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View our schedule by contractor
Communal cleaning helps keep shared internal areas clean, safe and pleasant for residents and visitors.
Where this service is provided by an approved contractor, contractors usually visit once a week. The areas cleaned may include entrances, corridors, stairwells, lifts, bin stores, chute areas, balcony walkways and other shared internal spaces.
The work may include:
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sweeping, mopping and vacuuming communal floors
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wiping and dusting skirting boards, window ledges, bannisters and walls
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cleaning internal windows and glass doors, where accessible
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wiping light switches, door handles and lift buttons
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cleaning lift floors, mirrors and panels
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cleaning bin stores and chute hopper areas
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removing minor marks, cobwebs and scuffing
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sweeping balcony walkways, where included in the service
Cleaning bin stores does not include removing household waste or bulky items that have been left incorrectly.
Some neighbourhoods may also receive periodic deep cleans. These may include the cleaning of hard floors, clean carpets and refreshing shared areas such as bin stores, bike stores and communal spaces.
Useful information
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Read our cleaning specification
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View our cleaning schedule
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View our standards poster
Window cleaning helps keep communal windows and shared glazed areas clean.
Where this service is provided, contractors clean communal windows on an agreed schedule.
This may include:
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communal windows
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external glass doors
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accessible windowsills
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window frames and entrance panels
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signage and external glazed areas
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glass in shared areas, where accessible
For taller buildings, specialist access equipment may be needed, such as cherry pickers, abseiling equipment or other safe working methods.
Some window cleaning is carried out using a reach and wash system. This uses purified water and extendable poles to clean windows safely from ground level where possible.
This method helps reduce the need for ladders and can support safe access to windows that may otherwise be difficult to reach.
Useful information
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View our cleaning specification
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View our cleaning schedule
- Lot 1 London and South East
- Lot 2 Midlands
Tree surveys and maintenance help keep communal trees safe and healthy.
Where PA Housing is responsible for trees in your neighbourhood, specialist contractors carry out surveys to check their condition. They record each tree’s location, health and safety condition, and recommend any work that may be needed.
This may include trees in:
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shared gardens
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courtyards
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communal grassed areas
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woodland areas
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shared spaces near blocks or buildings
If a tree is protected by a Tree Preservation Order, or is in a conservation area, permission may be needed from the local authority before work can take place. This process can take several months and may affect when works can be completed.
Tree health can change quickly, particularly after storms or severe weather. Please report concerns if you notice:
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fallen branches
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a fallen tree
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a tree leaning after bad weather
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visible damage to a tree
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any tree that may pose a safety risk
Play area checks help make sure equipment remains safe for children and families to use.
Where PA Housing is responsible for a play area in your neighbourhood, regular inspections are carried out by specialist contractors.
They check for issues such as:
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wear and tear
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weather-related damage
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safety defects
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rot, corrosion or longer-term structural issues
Play areas also receive an annual inspection to check they meet relevant British and European safety standards.
If a safety concern is found, PA Housing may need to repair, restrict access to, or temporarily close equipment while the issue is resolved.
Some neighbourhoods and schemes (Diana House and Bishops Court in Surrey and the Albany in Nottingham) have PA Housing in-house cleaners who help keep shared internal areas clean, safe and well maintained.
These cleaners are managed by PA Housing’s Estate Contract Management Team and may provide the main cleaning service in some buildings, instead of an external cleaning contractor.
The service provided will depend on the neighbourhood, building layout and cleaning schedule in place.
In-house cleaner duties may include:
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sweeping, mopping and vacuuming communal floors
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cleaning entrances, corridors, stairwells and shared walkways
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cleaning lifts, lift doors, mirrors and panels
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wiping handrails, bannisters, doors, glass, skirting boards and stair nosing
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cleaning bike stores and other shared internal areas, where included
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spot cleaning marks, spillages and high-touch areas
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cleaning bin store areas, where this forms part of the service
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reporting repairs or health and safety concerns identified during visits
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highlighting issues such as blocked access, fly-tipping or misuse of communal areas
In-house cleaning services vary depending on the neighbourhood, building type and service arrangements.
Some neighbourhoods (Stanfield and Cobdon Streets Nottingham) have caretakers who help look after shared areas. In some places, caretakers work alongside contractors. In others, they provide a wider estate service for the neighbourhood.
Caretakers may support with cleaning, safety checks, reporting issues and keeping shared external areas tidy.
The role of the caretaker will depend on the neighbourhood, building layout and services in place.
Caretaker duties may include:
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litter picking and spot cleaning shared areas
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emptying playground bins and changing liners
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carrying out building safety checks in communal areas
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checking communal lights are working
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checking lifts are working and clean
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checking communal doors are secure
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checking entry systems are working correctly
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moving bulk rubbish to collection points, where this forms part of the service
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reporting repairs, hazards or service issues
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cleaning bike stores, lifts, doors, glass, handrails, stair nosing and skirting boards, where included
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sweeping, mopping and vacuuming communal floors, where included
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sweeping car parks, walkways and main entrances
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rotating and cleaning bins, where included
Caretaker services vary depending on the neighbourhood, building layout and local service arrangements.
Bulk rubbish and fly-tipping
Where this service is provided, PA Housing will arrange for bulk rubbish or fly-tipped items to be removed from shared areas. This may include items such as furniture, mattresses, appliances or other large items that have been left in communal spaces.
Residents should not leave bulky items in corridors, stairwells, bin stores, entrances, walkways or outside blocks unless a collection has been arranged. Items left in these areas can block access routes and create safety risks.
Where there are repeated issues with fly-tipping, PA Housing may investigate and act where there is evidence of misuse.
Reporting an issue
Please contact PA Housing if you think a service visit has been missed, or if you are unhappy with the quality of work in your neighbourhood.
You can also contact your housing officer if you are unsure who is responsible for a service where you live.
We will review the issue, raise it with the relevant team or contractor, and take appropriate action to help resolve it.
Estate services and service charges
Estate services are the shared services provided in your neighbourhood. These are often paid for through your service charge, depending on your tenancy, lease, building type and the services provided where you live.
The services shown on your service charge may include things such as:
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communal cleaning
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PA Housing in-house cleaning, where provided
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caretaker services, where provided
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grounds maintenance
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window cleaning
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bulk rubbish or fly-tipping removal
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tree surveys and maintenance
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play area safety checks
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pest control, where included
Not every neighbourhood receives the same services. What is provided will depend on the shared spaces, legal responsibilities, managing agent arrangements and the services PA Housing is responsible for.
Where PA Housing directly manages a service, we monitor contractor performance and follow up where standards are not met.
Where a managing agent provides services, they may arrange their own contractors and standards. PA Housing will work with the managing agent where needed to raise concerns and seek updates for residents.
