Sanctuary launches new Estate Services workforce

Published by Gareth Holmes for Sanctuary Housing Association in Housing and also in Environment

Sanctuary Group, one of theUK’s leading housing and care providers, has launched a new in-house Estate Services workforce to look after grounds maintenance and cleaning services for Sanctuary communities across theUK.

Sanctuary’s Estate Services team has been established to increase customer satisfaction, ensure value for money and achieve consistently high standards – a combination which will result in the best possible service to residents.

The new in-house team will be responsible for the caretaking and cleaning of communal areas of schemes, along with grounds maintenance services such as grass cutting and gardening previously delivered by external contractors.

Following a successful trial in the North, Sanctuary will now roll out the programme to each region nationwide. Staff with a variety of skills will be recruited in each region and the new Estate Services team will work closely with Sanctuary’s award-winning Apprenticeship Programme to enlist horticultural apprentices who will help maintain the gardens, parks and green spaces around the Group’s neighbourhoods.

Ian McDermott, Sanctuary’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “By bringing this service in-house we can train all our staff to the highest standards and ensure our people apply them evenly and effectively, regardless of location. Our residents want a reliable and dependable service that is value for money and this is the optimum way of achieving this.

“Residents have played an integral part in shaping the new service and we will continue to provide opportunities for them to monitor performance and keep standards high.”