Estates Management Policy

Caretakers

A care-taking service is provided by South Ayrshire Council in estates where it has been deemed appropriate. Factors taken into account when identifying areas where a caretaker is employed include the size, type layout and location of the stock.

The caretaker’s duties include:

Keeping the estate clean and tidy.
Assisting with washing down communal stairs, landings, bin areas and communal drying areas.
Reporting repairs to the local Area Housing Office.
Removing graffiti.
Identifying and reporting incidents of crime and vandalism.
Checking security of the property.
Identifying and reporting abandoned cars and rubbish dumping.
To carry out a daily inspection of their area.
To keep communal areas clean and litter free.
To ensure that communal areas are kept secure, safe and in a good state of repair.
To maintain the environment surrounding the properties.
To liaise with the Area Housing Office on any appropriate issues.

Housing Officers will visit the properties on a regular basis to check that the communal areas are clean, tidy and safe.

The caretaker will not be expected to lift bulky or heavy items or become directly involved in neighbour disputes or other housing management issues.

The caretaker will ensure that:

Door entry systems are checked daily.
Offensive graffiti is removed within 4 hours and non-offensive graffiti is removed within 3 days.
The Area Housing Office is notified within 24 hours of a vehicle being abandoned in their area. The Area Housing Office staff will refer this to the Council’s Waste Management Team, who will arrange for the vehicle to be removed.
All repairs are reported to the Area Office on the same working day.
They introduce themselves to all new tenants.