Why is communal area cleaning important?
Unclean shared spaces will lead to unsatisfied residents which may damage your reputation as a landlord. You may find it difficult to attract new tenants and suffer financial losses if you fail to maintain high cleaning standards in your communal areas.
Communal areas have heavy foot traffic
You should also keep in mind that communal areas are subjected to more pedestrian traffic than most individual areas. This makes them a breeding ground for germs and bacteria, so regular cleaning is a must! Accidents are another risk in communal areas and most trips in shared buildings are caused by poor housekeeping according to the HSE.
Clean communal areas = happy tenants!
Clean communal areas will ensure your tenants are happy, safe and comfortable. Maintaining high cleaning standards will also keep your building in good condition and help you maximise the return on your investment.
Communal area cleaning tips
We’ve put together our top communal cleaning tips to help you keep your shared spaces safe and hygienic.
Inspect communal areas regularly
Regular on-site inspections will help you stay on top of your communal area cleaning and maintain good hygiene standards in your shared building. Frequent inspections will also help you identify cleaning issues, e.g. mould, before they become more serious.
Key cleaning tasks
Here are some key areas you should inspect as part of your communal area cleaning checklist:
- Hallways, landing and stairs
- Windows and doors
- Drainage outlets
- Garden areas
- Shared parking areas
- Fittings and fixture
Create a communal area cleaning checklist
Making a communal area cleaning checklist will help you stay on top of your communal cleaning and keep your building in good condition.
Here are some essential communal cleaning tasks to include:
- Hoover all interior flooring
- Make sure entrance ways are clear
- Mop hard flooring
- Clean windows
- Wipe banisters, handles and other hard surfaces with antibacterial cleaner
- Dust and polish skirting boards and other surfaces
- Remove junk mail and other waste
Make tenants aware of their responsibilities
According to The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006:
“The manager must ensure that all common parts of the HMO are:
(a) maintained in good and clean decorative repair;
(b) maintained in a safe and working condition; and
(c) kept reasonably clear from obstruction.”
Who is responsible for communal areas?
The general rule is that the landlord or property manager is responsible for cleaning the communal areas in a HMO (home in multiple occupation) e.g. a block of flats. However, communal area cleaning responsibilities vary based on the terms of the tenancy agreement.
As a minimum, landlords should make it clear to tenants that they have a responsibility to keep communal areas safe and clear. For instance, the rules for communal areas in flats should state that residents must not leave personal items in shared spaces like corridors or stairways.
Hire a professional cleaning company
Hiring a professional cleaning company can be a great investment. Professional cleaners offer specialist communal area cleaning services that will keep the shared areas in your building in a clean condition at all times.
Having access to cleaning professionals ensures that the correct cleaning products and methods are used on a pre-agreed schedule. Check out our recent blog for tips on how to choose the best cleaning company.
As a minimum, landlords should make it clear to tenants that they have a responsibility to keep communal areas safe and clear. For instance, the rules for communal areas in flats should state that residents must not leave personal items in shared spaces like corridors or stairways.
What does communal area cleaning services include?
Communal area cleaning services typically include vacuuming carpets, mopping hard floors, dusting, and wiping handrails and other surfaces with antibacterial cleaner. Many landlords include the cost of communal area cleaning services in their rental charges.
Have a communal area cleaning plan in place
Make sure that you have a conversation with your chosen cleaning company to discuss what communal areas they will be responsible for.
You should also have a written communal area cleaning plan in place. This will provide evidence that you were meeting your communal cleaning responsibilities if you ever have an insurance claim following an accident in a shared space.
Ultima provides professional communal area cleaning in London
Ultima has over 20 years of experience and knowledge providing general and specialist cleaning services throughout the UK. We draw on our experience in the cleaning industry to create customised cleaning solutions that are tailored to your exact requirements.
Rely on the cleaning specialists
Our team has been trained to the highest industry standards and has many years of experience providing communal area cleaning services in London and nationwide.
We offer a reliable communal area cleaning service that will keep your shared spaces hygienic, safe and comfortable for your tenants.
Get in touch to arrange communal area cleaning!
Get in touch with the cleaning experts at Ultima if you are looking for reliable communal area cleaning in London or throughout the UK. You can also find lots of useful information on our website: www.ultimaenvironmental.com
