The safety of our customers is, and continues to be, our main priority. BCH also has a legal obligation to comply with Fire Safety regulations and adhere to the requirements set out in the statutory Fire Risk Assessments completed on all BCH communal managed areas.
BCH have a Neighbourhoods Team who carry out regular walkabouts and block inspections to check that all communal green spaces and internal areas of blocks are clean, free from obstruction and are well maintained.
BCH also employ contractors to maintain the internal areas of 3 storey blocks.
If you live in a 2 storey block it is your responsibility to ensure that the internal communal area is well maintained, clean and free from obstruction.
Communal areas can be defined as shared spaces within the locality of your home and include:
- Hallways and walkways
- Shared stairways
- Storage areas
- Communal gardens
- Balconies
- Bin rooms
- Access paths
- Drying areas
It is important that communal areas are not used for the storage of your possessions or as a place to leave unwanted goods or waste items. Clear and unobstructed spaces will enable the Fire and Rescue Service to gain access in an emergency situation and, in the event of a fire, will eliminate the risk of such items acting as a further accelerant.
It is a breach of your Tenancy/Lease Agreement to dump rubbish. If it is proven that rubbish has been left by you or your visitor, we will charge you for its removal.Information from BCH's Managing Communal Areas booklet
Inspections and Monitoring |
BCH has a statutory duty to review its Fire Risk Assessments on all communal blocks every two years. Alongside this, the Neighbourhoods Team complete regular inspections to help ensure areas remain clear and free from obstruction so that:
- Residents can escape in the event of an emergency
- Fire and Rescue Services can carry out their duties
- Fires are not able to spread more quickly and cause further damage
Inspections help to identify:
- overgrown gardens
- misuse of communal areas
- poor property conditions
- incorrect rubbish disposal, including fly tipping
In all instances, we will first work with you to provide advice and support you to resolve any issues. Formal action will only be taken if you refuse this support.
If items are found in the communal areas, our Neighbourhood Officer will follow these steps:
- Contact will be made with you either by telephone, email or post. A letter will be sent to advise that an issue has been identified and give you time to remove any items.
- A visit will be completed to check whether the items have been removed. If they have, no further action will be taken. If they haven't, a first warning will be issued to you. If you need more time to remove the items prior to this visit, please let us know.
- Another visit will be arranged with you and completed. If the items remain and you have not made contact with us, the case will be escalated and further action will be taken. This may include; additional warnings, removal of items and recharge applied, or legal action.
Managing communal green spaces |
| Communal green spaces are managed by our partner contractor, Fylde Council. They are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of all communal green space managed by BCH. |
The overall purpose of the service is to provide clean, tidy and well-maintained green spaces.
Although all grounds maintenance work is weather dependent and we cannot confirm a fixed date for each visit, between April and October we aim to visit each site every 2 weeks to carry out the following:
- Grass cutting - 'Cut & Drop' of grassed areas, litter picking and clearance of grass from pathways
- Shrub bed maintenance during winter and summer
- Hedge pruning between October and March. Occasional pruning may take place during summer months if there is a requirement to do so
- Clearance and disposal of rubbish, litter, moss, dead weeds, etc. from all BCH managed areas
- Spraying of weed killer on hard standing areas to remove and keep down weeds / moss. We will aim to complete this 3 times per year (this is weather dependent)
- Snow clearance and rock salt gritting on designated areas when required.
How we deal with trees |
BCH carry out a program of inspections and planned works to ensure trees on the land we manage are compliant with all legislation and are well maintained.
Trees located within communal spaces are all tagged and inspected on a rolling 3 year inspection and maintenance programme.
Please note - it is a tenant's responsibility to maintain and care for trees located within the boundary of their property and is a requirement of the tenancy agreement.
However, should you have concerns or would like advice about a tree that is located in your garden please contact the Neighbourhoods Team.