Caretaking Service Trial

As a landlord, Norwich City Council has a responsibility to ensure that all its properties are clean, safe, and well-maintained places to live. This is in line with government guidance known as ‘Home Standard’. This is particularly important for blocks of flats or estates where there are communal areas.

Some of our properties have benefited from a mobile caretaker service for several years, and this has proved popular with tenants and has helped to maintain safe, clean places for people to live.

Over the next four years we would like to roll out this caretaker service across all of our housing blocks and this will be done in phases.

The costs associated with providing this service in part will need to be passed on to our tenants, in the short term we have calculated the cost of this to be £3.21 per week per property. We will write to you in the coming months if this charge applies to you.

NB if you are in receipt of Universal Credit or Housing Benefit the £3.21 fee will be covered by the payment.

Since November 2023 we have been trialling the enhanced caretaker service across 152 housing blocks in the city and would now like your feedback on this service to help us shape the service going forwards.

More about the pilot caretaking service

The pilot project focuses on providing dedicated caretaking services for internal communal areas of flat blocks. During fortnightly visits, caretakers perform essential tasks such as:

• Cleaning: sweeping, mopping, stain removal, dust removal of entrance lobbies, stairs, and landings.
• Maintenance: light fitting cleaning, handrail, and door maintenance.
• Litter removal: ensuring communal areas and gardens are free from litter.
• Safety checks: reporting repairs, conducting health and safety/fire inspections and addressing hazardous items.