Housing Department
GARDEN MAINTENANCE
It is one of the conditions of the secure tenancy agreement that a tenants garden “must be kept clean and tidy and reasonably free of rubbish with hedges and trees properly trimmed so that they do not cause a nuisance to neighbours” (Secure Tenancy Section 3.7.13)
The Housing Service recognises that some tenants may have difficulty in keeping to this term within the tenancy agreement due to mobility restrictions associated with age or disability.
The Housing Service is able to offer garden maintenance for certain tenants who are not able to maintain their gardens themselves.
It is not possible to offer this service to all tenants so there are certain priority groups:-
1)Tenant over 65 years old
2)Tenants who are disabled and as a result are unable to maintain their garden.
The garden maintenance covers the cutting of grass and any hedges but does not include the maintenance of bushes, shrub beds and trees. In addition, extra work is often required to a garden before it is added to the list. If this is necessary a quotation will be provided b the contractors and the tenant will then decide if they wish to pay this sum and have the works carried out as a “one off”, prior to the regular maintenance outlined above.
The charge for this service from April 2012 will be £4.79 per week and will be collected as a service charge alongside the weekly rent. This charge is also subject to an annual increase.
This service charge is not covered by Housing Benefit; the tenant receiving the service must pay directly for the service.
If some is receiving the service but does not pay the service charge then the service will be suspended when there are arrears of 6 weeks. Once the arrears are cleared, the service can be restarted.
If any tenant is unable to maintain their own garden and does not wish to use this service then they may wish to consider a transfer to an alternative property with no garden or with a communal garden maintained by the contractors.
The Housing Service will give a transfer priority and may give financial assistance with moving to tenants who move from larger accommodation which they can no longer manage, to a smaller property.
The garden maintenance is carried out by a contractor appointed by the Council who will have appropriate identification. It is important that you ask to see this before allowing any contractor or member of staff into your property.
The service provides 16 grass cuts each year between March and October and 4 hedge trims. Further details will be sent to you when you return your application form.
If you would like more details then please contact your Housing Officer.
Please note: For residents of mobile home sites, grass cutting only would be undertaken.
If you wish to have the garden maintenance service then please complete and sign the application form sent with this leaflet and return it to:-
The Housing Department
District Council Offices
Civic Centre
St. Peters Street
St. Albans
Herts
01727 819256