Spring is Here!

Spring is here, a time of renewal, spring cleaning, and the clocks spring forward.

The official start of spring brings with it the start of the lengthening of daylight hours. Our days seem longer as we have lighter mornings and lighter nights.

It is the season of new beginnings. The earth comes to life with fresh buds in bloom, baby lambs are born, farmers and gardeners plant their seeds and the temperature slowly rises.

In terms of our homes, a time for spring cleaning, a tradition which dates back to more than 3000 years b.c. 

Springtime jobs for property managers.

Here at Fraser Allen my team and I will be very busy spring cleaning our properties. There may be a wide variety of different jobs where damage caused by the winter cold weather needs to be prepared for the summer weather to come.

Indoors

We do a deep clean of all communal areas within our properties. This could include hallways, landings, stairs – anywhere that is used by all residents.

If you have communal dryers now is a good time to check them, as they will have been used excessively during the winter months.

Gardens

We will remove dead plants; shape trees and shrubs. Plant new shrubs, and lay any new turf and top-up soil. Refresh flower beds and mow lawns.

In one of our bigger blocks in Cheltenham with 84 flats, there is a big re-planting scheme underway, which we’re looking forward to seeing the finished gardens.

Tips for garden maintenance in spring:

• Save your gardening until the hardscaping work has been done, rather than disturb plants.
• Before your spring bulbs start to pop up, clear borders and beds of dead leaves and debris. Good hygiene in the garden beds helps to keep pests and diseases at bay.
• Clean out debris from ponds and water features.
• Feed your soil.
• Spring is a good time to prune some kinds of shrubs and trees – check which ones with your garden centre.
• Divide perennials and transplant shrubs.
• Put in necessary supports, like trellises and stakes.
• Plant spring containers and borders.
• Remember to cover at night if temperatures drop to freezing.

Outdoors

Check and clean sprinkler services. Look at the condition of patios and walkways, to ensure they are safe to walk on. During the winter months many can crack, and during summer, some move apart with the heat, causing a hazard.

Power-wash the slabs if they are particularly dull after winter.

Moss needs to be removed from decking and grime can be cleaned from the patio slabs to remove the slippery surface.

Roof work is also a good thing to do at this time. We are currently working on a £100k job on the roof and external repairs to one of our blocks in Cheltenham, which involved specialist work, due to the removal of asbestos.

Any missing tiles can be replaced too, especially after some of the high winds we have suffered recently.

Another job we’ve also done was to deal with a cracked chimney. Getting this done at the same time as other roof works means that we can utilise the scaffolding for more than one job. 

Clearing guttering of winter leaves and debris is another job, as a blocked gutter can affect efficient water flow and rainfall drainage. Blocked gutters can also lead to leaks within the property. 

Outdoor lighting needs to be checked to see if bulbs need replacing, as with the lighter nights, people are more likely to be outside later, and in need of light.

The brighter days also mean people will be sitting in the gardens, so check that the garden furniture is safe, or if it needs cleaning. Add sealant or stain to wooden furniture and flower boxes.

Painting

Spring is a good time for external decorating which will help make the exterior of the building look fresh.

Although it’s not the responsibility of block managers, we always advise our clients it is worth having an end of tenancy clean. 

A necessary, but totally yucky job is to clean the bin stores for end of winter. We also do the same in the summer. Definitely no-one’s favourite task.

Next week’s blog will look at what are those new steps which need to be taken when we at Fraser Allen Estate Management take on a new block to manage...