Get Your Grounds Ready for 2023

Darren Bagnall from Flat Living Insurance helps you get your grounds ready for 2023.

With the new year comes the chance for a fresh start- and that includes making the most of your grounds or outside space.

Residents often choose their properties based on the outside space available and, quite rightly, expect their service charges to be used wisely to maintain those spaces.

Here we’ll be giving you a quick rundown of ways to protect your grounds during the winter months, ideas to make the most of them during fairer weather and how to choose the best contractor to look after them for you.

Preparing for Winter and Storms

Roofs, Terraces and Balconies:

With winter comes rain and with rain comes water ingress- a property management nightmare. Often it only takes some simple preventative measures to avoid leaks and other issues. Here are some ideas to help ensure your roofs, terraces and balconies are wet-weather ready:

• Remove any build-up of leaves or debris that may clog drainage outlets
• If there are any exposed pipe runs, replace any missing insulation that might expose the pipes and lead to them freezing
• Repair any serious faults in the waterproofing such as cracks or lifting seams which might allow water in
• Make sure any rooftop plant rooms are watertight by dealing with ill-fitting doors etc. 

It’s worth mentioning that safety should be your top priority while carrying out these checks. They should only be carried out if the areas can be safely accessed and solid handrails are in place.

Paths, Steps and Railings:

Residents or staff slipping on ice can lead to serious injuries, and to legal claims for negligence. Don’t let something as simple as a frozen puddle cause such anguish!

If you notice a stubborn puddle after summer showers, be sure to note it and get the path dealt with. That little puddle will be an icy hazard in the winter months. If the issue can’t be rectified for any reason, either cordon off the area or ensure it’s regularly salted. Steps should be well salted too, and railings should be secure enough to hold firm when they’re needed most.

Trees and Leaves:

Take care to deal with any trees that look unstable or like they may be easily blown over in a storm. Remove any unsecure branches too. Leaves should be cleared away consistently to avoid a slippery layer of wet mulch on the ground that can also then freeze over, causing a further hazard.

Gutters:

Avoid the expense and inconvenience of having to replace uncared for gutters or deal with the water damage and mould caused by blockages. A professional clear out once every two years should be sufficient unless you have lots of trees nearby or a mossy roof, in which case an annual clean might be needed.

Fences:

Replace any loose or weather-worn panels and give each one a shake to make sure they’re secure.

Garden furniture, Pots and Ornaments:

Store these away wherever possible to prevent weather damage. They could even be picked up by strong winds, causing damage to anything they hit.

Making the Most of Outdoor Space

Balconies and Rooftops:

For those with rooftop access, a garden space could be easy to create. You can install raised flower beds and use trellis walls to divide the expanse into smaller areas.

Keep in mind that many plants will need shelter from the wind and sun- it may be best to seek professional advice when choosing plants and deciding what to put where. Installing netting material for vine plants to grow along can be a great solution; you can grow beans or peas while creating a natural shelter for the plants below.

The individual needs of the plants should always be considered. Don’t spend hundreds on plants that will wither and die simply because they’ve been positioned incorrectly! Map out your plans based on their sun and shade requirements.

The same applies for balconies- flower pots and balcony planters that fit over railings are great but make sure you’re using the best varieties for the conditions your space offers. If you’re making a flower bed, choose plants that bloom in complimentary colours and consider the shapes of the foliage for full effect. Place the tallest plants in the back of the box, a few on the sides, and let your favourite trailing plants dangle over the front of the box.

Window Boxes:

No garden, no balcony? No worries- window boxes are a great solution. You can use them for growing flowers (nasturtiums, daisies or marigolds work well) or, for a useful addition to your kitchen, you can grow salad vegetables such as lettuce or radishes. You can also create your own herb garden with chives, thyme, parsley or sage. Mix up the more useful options with some flowers to enjoy the best of both worlds!

When designing a window box, select plants with a variety of growth habits; those that grow upright, those with bushy tendencies and those that vine or trail.

Hanging Baskets:

Hanging baskets are one of the easiest ways to fit in some greenery- and a perfect choice for the apartment gardener. Fuchsias and ivy will flower in fairly shady sites or try geraniums if your space gets full sun.

Choosing a Grounds Keeper

It can be tempting to go with a lower-cost option, but before you sign on the dotted line, make sure you ask your contractor the following questions:

• What experience do they have?
• Do they have any references?
• Do they have a local site you can look at?
• Do they have the correct insurance?
• Do they have a spraying licence (PA1 / PA6)?
• Do they have a complaints procedure?
• What is their customer service policy?

A great company will happily answer all of the above as well as being able to advise what maintenance they can provide on your budget to make sure you’re doing as much as you can to maintain your outside space.

Always opt for a probationary period as part of any annual contract in case the relationship doesn’t work out but bear in mind that the fruits of your contractor’s labour may not been seen until the following season.

Knowing the Schedule

As a rule of thumb, the following basic tasks need to be carried out throughout the year, but obviously this will depend on the frequency of the schedule that has been agreed with your contractor:

Spring:  

• Define beds
• Weed and feed grass
• Some pruning of certain hedges/shrubs
• Starting to cut grassed areas
• Any spring bulbs should be allowed to die off naturally as cutting these back too soon will stop them from flowering next year

Summer:

• Weeding and cutting grass will still need to be done but by midsummer the grass will slow its growth and in the heat you should not cut the grass too short
• It is not advisable to prune back any hedges/shrubs that are flowering as this will stress the plant and may cause flowering the next season to be limited
• If you know that the weather is going to be hot and dry for a few weeks, it’s not advisable to put down any feed for grassy areas as the majority of these require watering in

Autumn:

• Cleaning up fallen leaves
• The last feed of the year
• Cutting back shrubs and hedges
• Cutting of grassed areas will be less frequent. If the warmer weather staying longer you will need to be cutting into mid-November
• Edge all borders and hoe the beds before the ground is too hard
• Think about planting any spring and summer bulbs at the beginning of October

Winter:

• Keep on top of any shrub/hedge pruning
• Some contracts may include that rock salting is to be done when needed
• Paths to be kept clear of snow and ice

Hopefully that’s sparked some ideas for capitalising on the space you have for the sake of your residents. Including giving some guidance on what to expect of your groundskeeper if you have a spacious gardens around your block.

Garden maintenance can make such a difference to the experience your residents have of living in the block. It’s certainly worth finding the budget if at all possible.

Flat Living Insurance provides specialist insurance policies for blocks of flats and apartments. For more information or a quote, please contact a member of the Flat Living Insurance team on 0333 577 2044.