The spring is on us and no doubt the gardens of the communal area are starting to get out of hand as the weather is warming up. We at Living Styles UK are happy to come down to the block of flats that you are managing and give you a quote within 3 days of you instructing us to do a quote. We can start practically immediately after instructions if you are happy with our quote.
Our Guarantee – No Financial Risk
We are confident that you be satisfied with our work. If we take over your residential block, and If you are not happy with the first result , we won't charge you for our first visit and therefore you have no financial risk on the block service charges, if you change your mind. (All we ask if something is not upto standard, is for you to list the things of issues within 2 days of the work done, either by your visit on-site or from the photos that we will forward to you of works completed, then give us an additional 3 days to resolve it, and if you still not happy, we will not proceed any further and no charge will be applied and we will wish you well with another company.)
We currently look after four residential blocks of flats for communal cleaning and gardening. We have been a small operation for some time, primarily serving private houses. We would like to expand our portfolio within residential and commercial blocks and mixed-use buildings. Our main area of focus is South London and the outskirts, as well in selected areas of West London. We can also do any basic maintenance that obviously needs attention around the block, often small things come up from time to time. We will also as standard, take pictures and summarise the issues and send in a quote for your attention to consider or not. If given the go-ahead we would always do 'before and after' pictures with documentation of works to back up our results.
A typical example of what a gardener would be expected to do.
Below is a typical example of what a gardener would be expected to do. Of course, each block will have its own specifications as directed by the property company that we would quote for.
What would be expected on a typical visit:
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GRASS AREAS
All lawns, verges, and banks cut., All plants will be free from dead or diseased wood. Road paths and car park areas will be litter picked .fallen leaves clear as appropriate swept and kept weed free
are to be cut twice a month between March and October, plus January for clearing debris and tidying up. Tidy and organized: sweeping the walkways, courtyard, and forecourt. Clear any rubbish and unsightly small items around the block (any small dumped items will be put into the rubbish bin on site). NB: large items will be confirmed first by the property management agent before being removed. Use a blower where needed to keep the area tidy.
WEED KILLING
Planned areas to be kept free of weeds. Removal of moss and treatment of all paths, steps, hard standing, and parking areas with weed killer four times per year, i.e., March, May, July, and September, as specified.
BORDERS AND SHRUBBERIES
This will entail the forking/hoeing of all beds, borders, etc., once every two months.
Additions — add-ons only if required. (nb: additional cost will be applied)
November, December, and February — experience shows that during these three months of the year, there is not much to do. These savings could be up to a quarter of the overall gardening costs, as service charges are on the rise and every saving counts.
A blower is used for leaves and general tidying up around the block grounds, once or twice a month as required between November, December, and February. Use the blower as and when required, keeping the area organized and tidy.
Keeping your Grass, Shrubs, and Plants Healthy
- Lawn feed/lawn weed
- Compost
- Root builder, plant food
- Rose & shrub miracle grow
Air Freshener Units
In the entrance halls, some blocks prefer an air freshener unit. Refills are on average changed every two months.
Wash down the parking lot where needed
This will require the block to have an external water tap.
Watering of plants/grass
This will require the block to have an external water tap.
One-off / Annual Charges
SHRUBS / INCLUDING ROSES / TREES / HEDGE. (height will depend on the landscape).
- Hedge trimming
- Prune annually as agreed to prevent them from outgrowing their position and to maintain a well-balanced growth and shape. Thin the growth and remove all dead heads and wood.
- Pruning of shrubs and relatively small branches.
- Trees — Remove growth at the base of trees up to a maximum of 1 metre as necessary (excludes pruning of main trees). NB: We can organize a fully insured, qualified arboriculturist to deal with main trees.
We have full insurance covering all commercial communal blocks for cleaning, gardening, and general maintenance and are extensively covered.
