Communal areas

Clean and safe corridors and stairs

If you live in a block of flats, you are responsible for keeping your communal area (landing, hallways and stairs) clear of any items, including door mats.  This is a fire safety precaution -  cluttered corridors can claim lives.  See the council’s fire safety film which shows how smoke hinders escape from a burning building.

Regular checks are made and items left in communal areas will be removed without notice.

Help us to keep shared areas clear and free of potential fire hazards by reporting via housing.management@stroud.gov.uk

Fire safety doors

You should not prop open entrance doors and internal communal doors.  In the event of a fire they help to limit the rapid spread of fire, giving residents (particularly those with poor mobility) valuable minutes to evacuate the building. 

Cleaning

We are responsible for cleaning communal areas in blocks of flats.  Your Housing Officer will check each block on a bi-monthly basis to carry out fire safety and cleaning checks.

In Independent Living schemes, the site officer on duty cleans the communal areas. 

Door fobs

If you lose the door fob key to your communal entrance door or require additional fob keys, contact your Housing Officer.  We will require payment in advance.

Window cleaning

We do not provide a window cleaning service to tenants other than for Independent Living schemes where windows are cleaned twice a year.

We are responsible for maintaining the grassed areas and landscaping on our estates.  Grounds maintenance includes strimming, shrub pruning, weed control, litter picking and footpath clearance and will take place between March and October. 

This work may also include repair work to play equipment, footpath and ‘hard landscaping’ such as bollards, seating and raised flower beds.

Tree maintenance and management

Trees situated in a tenant's garden will remain the responsibility of the tenant.  If you are struggling to maintain trees in your garden, your Housing Officer can give you some guidance.

Trees located in our communal areas will be maintained in keeping with the Council's internal policies. 

Tree repairs

Stroud District Council has a rolling programme of tree inspections allied with a remedial programme of work.

If you believe a tree on your housing estate is unsafe because it:

• has fallen over
• is causing an obstruction
• poses a risk of injury to a person or damage to a property

Report it to your Housing Officer.  We will arrange an engineer to attend within 24 hours to make safe.

What we will do

The council will inspect and carry out works to a tree if it is dead, diseased or dangerous.

What we won't do

There are different repairs to trees that we won’t carry out. These are:

• If the tree is causing a loss of light to your home or garden
• Causing an obstruction to a view
• Obstruction of utility cables (These are the responsibility of the service provider)
• Minor or seasonal issues such as honeydew* (dripping sap), bird droppings, falling leaves/fruit/flowers
• Effects on TV or mobile phone reception (a solution would be to reposition things like satellite dishes etc.)
• We don't attend to trees which are in a tenant’s individual garden or where the property is privately owned or is a shared ownership property.

Pruning

If you have a tree that is overhanging into a neighbouring property, it will not be pruned unless there is a particular risk associated with the overhang. If you’re a property owner, you are legally entitled to cut back any branches overhanging their property as long as the tree is not subject to a tree preservation order.  The branches and any fruit on them which you may have cut down on your side still belong to the tree owner so they can ask you to return them. 

If you wish to report a tree for inspection or if you’re unsure, please contact your Housing Officer

* pruning a tree which host aphids with associated honeydew will only offer temporary relief and any re-growth is likely to be re-colonised by aphids.  Honeydew which drops onto cars can be removed using warm soapy water, particularly if the car is washed as soon as possible.

Street lighting

If a street light in your neighbourhood becomes defective and it is an adopted area, you will need to report it to Gloucestershire County Council.  Stroud District Council is not responsible for street lighting. 

Communal bin stores are for use by our tenants and leaseholders who live in flats.  A use-able (put on fridge) guidance sheet can be found here.

Unwanted furniture/white goods

You must not place bulky waste (sofas, cupboards, refrigerators etc.) in communal bin store areas or anywhere else on the council's communal land.  You must make your own arrangements for the disposal of unwanted bulky household items or furniture and white goods.  View local charities that provide free collection of household items (in good condition).  Alternatively, use Stroud District Council's bulky waste service for a fee.

If you live in a block of flats with a bin store, you and your neighbours are responsible for helping to keep the area clean and tidy as well as put the correct items in the appropriate bin.

Fly-tipping

Fly-tipping and the dumping of rubbish on our estates is not totally unacceptable. If you see anyone doing this, then please tell us. We will respect your confidence and investigate every incident.  Where possible we will prosecute offenders.

When rubbish on our land is reported to us we investigate where it has come from; ensure it is cleared and identified offenders will be re-charged.

Communal or shared gardens

Where a communal or shared garden exists at a sheltered housing scheme or block of flats, your Housing Officer can advise you on the defined boundaries and who is responsible for which part of the garden.

If you live in an Independent Living scheme and wish to create additional borders or flower beds, you must ensure you have the consent of your Site Officer before creating these.

Communal gardens are for the enjoyment of all residents.  Any play equipment or other items must not be left overnight in the garden.

Outbuildings and Garages

You must not store any highly flammable materials in any outbuilding or garage allocated to your home.

Satellite dishes

We understand that tenants may wish to make additions to their home to complement its amenities.  Before doing so however, you must have written consent from your Housing Officer.  This includes any work relating to the installation of satellite dishes and aerials.  Where permission is given, you will be responsible for any damage caused to the property and/or the property of others through the dish or aerial being installed, dismantled or becoming dislodged.

Communal aerials are maintained by us.

All vehicles parking in car parking zones within our estates must have current and valid road tax and an MOT. 

You  should not carry out major repairs on vehicles in our car parking areas (or property), and vehicles must not be left in a condition that may be dangerous to others, such as on a jack and without wheel(s).

Caravans, Motor homes and vehicles weighing over 2,500 kilograms should not be parked in our car parking areas.  This restriction also applies to trailers and tractors.  

Much of the land outside tenants’ gardens is for the benefit of the wider community, whether that be for access, parking or public open space.

If an individual occupier tries to include that in their garden without our permission then we will recover that land, if necessary, by legal action.

Under the Tenancy Agreement, tenants’ responsibilities include:

• Keeping any communal areas clear of any items and free from rubbish
• Proper disposal of unwanted furniture, household items, refuse, recycling and food waste
• vehicles must be parked properly in parking spaces and parking spaces should not be used for major vehicle repairs
• ensuring that dogs are kept on a lead and do not roam the neighbourhood or foul in public spaces

Removal of graffiti

Graffiti can be ugly and sometimes offensive.  Please report it to your Housing Officer and we will arrange for its removal.