Assessing cleaning standards fairly 

When assessing standards there are several factors that need to be considered for the assessment to be fair and accurate:  

The condition of the building  

It is important to bear in mind the condition of the building when assessing standards. Factors to consider include:  

• The age and condition - general wear and tear – of the building and its fixtures and fittings
• Stains, burn marks or other damage which cannot be remedied by cleaning alone 

These may be beyond the control or responsibilities of the Estate Services team. We will of course report such findings to our colleagues for example in the Asset Management team and Housing Solutions staff will keep you updated about any refurbishment plans.  

Unforeseen Circumstances 

Occasionally circumstances adversely impact the cleaning and grounds maintenance service. These include:  

• Extreme weather conditions
• Acts of antisocial behaviour, including graffiti 
• The effects of planned maintenance programmes or other building work 

These instances may influence the cleanliness and/or quality of an area and mean that standards fall below the acceptable Grade B standard. We will always act to rectify such a situation, but the circumstance may be something that we cannot prevent.  

Frequency of Planned Cleaning 

The cleanliness of an area will often depend on the frequency of scheduled cleaning for that area.  

It is our aim that no area should fall below a Grade GOLD standard at the point the team leave site , but when assessing cleanliness, the frequency of schedules should be taken into consideration. If a Grade GOLD is not achieved in the visit it is to be logged in MMW (My Mobile Workforce app) with photos what grade the site is and what will be needed to achieve a Grade GOLD on the next visit . 

The costs of Estate Services are recovered via residents’ Service Charges. If an area consistently falls below a Grade SILVER standard, then we will work with the residents who live on that estate to look at all options. These may include increasing the frequency of the service, but it may not be possible to do that without increasing costs.  

We will always aim to work with residents to identify the most cost-effective ways of delivering services. 

The Grading System 

We use a system of GOLD, SILVER and BRONZE to grade standards.  

GOLD - Very Good 

This is the standard we aim for. This is what we would like our properties to look like after the cleaning and/or grounds maintenance has been carried out.   

An area graded GOLD will:  

• Have no visible marks, stains, dirt, litter and rubbish, other than where it is ingrained in the fabric of the building or external area 
• Look as though it has just been thoroughly cleaned or serviced
• It may not be possible to maintain a Grade A standard at all times and in all places, but this is the standard we should aim for after an area has been cleaned or serviced  

SILVER – Good  

• No more litter or mess than could be reasonably expected during a given day. 
• It will not be completely free of dirt, litter and rubbish, but most people passing through would consider the area to be reasonably clean and well maintained. We would like no areas to fall below this standard in between cleaning cycles.  

An area graded SILVER will:  

• Look clean and in good condition
• Have few signs of litter, rubbish or visibly removable marks or stains 
• Look as though cleaning is taking place regularly 

BRONZE – Fair  

A visible accumulation of general mess, with dirt, marks, stains, litter or rubbish present to such an extent that it is very noticeable to most people passing through the area. The amount of mess is greater than would be reasonably expected, bearing in mind the frequency of cleaning and normal wear and tear. This is not an acceptable standard and requires cleaning to rectify the situation.  

An area graded BRONZE will:  

• Give the impression that cleaning has not taken place as regularly as planned  

• Appear that it requires attention to bring it up to an acceptable standard  

• Have excessive rubbish and/or fouling and/or marks and stains  

• Present health and safety hazards, such as broken glass, faeces, needles or other sharp objects