Cleaning and caretaking
Our caretakers look after communal shared areas and keep them clean and safe for residents and their visitors. With over 150 caretakers working across our estates, we are committed to maintaining high standards in your community.
Caretaker responsibilities
Our caretakers take care of a wide range of tasks, including:
- cleaning shared spaces like lifts, lobbies, and entrances
- sweeping all hard surfaces around the building
- changing lightbulbs and reporting necessary repairs
- reporting anti-social behaviour, such as vandalism or rough sleeping
- removing graffiti (offensive within 24 hours, non-offensive within five working days)
- carrying out monthly fire safety checks
- clearing weeds and leaves from communal areas
- unblocking bin chutes and reporting dumped waste or flytipping
- gritting footpaths and entrances during icy weather.
For urgent safety issues, we have a dedicated mobile team on call 24/7. Our caretakers are easy to spot in their uniforms and high-visibility vests. Feel free to say hello and talk to them about any any cleaning concerns. They work Monday to Friday, from 8am to 4pm.
Cleaning schedule
Daily tasks (Monday to Friday):
- Health and safety checks of all internal/external communal areas and spot clean if needed
- Sweep and mop lift floors
- Place illegally dumped bulky items at collection points
- Clean bin areas following collections
- Check waste chutes for blockages
- Sweep and mop all lobbies and entrances to blocks with lifts
- Litter pick external areas
- Check litter bins and empty when required
- Visual inspection of play areas
Weekly tasks
- Sweep and mop all lobbies and entrances to blocks without lifts, at least twice
- Sweep and mop all internal staircases
- Clean lift cars including walls, doors and button panels
- Clean high touch points including communal intercoms and handrails
- Check internal communal lights and replace faulty bulbs
- Remove cobwebs, when required
- Spot clean internal corridors
- Sweep external communal areas (more often if required)
- Clean chute rooms and bin chambers
Monthly tasks
- Sweep or mop open communal landings
- Sweep and mop internal corridors
- Clean chute hoppers
- Clean handrails
- Clean entry doors (more often if required)
- Spot clean walls and ceilings
- Complete fire safety checks
Annual tasks
- Wash communal doors, accessible signage
- Wash accessible parts of communal windows
When required we will:
- Deep clean communal areas including internal wall washing
- Clean lift trackers
- Clean light diffusers
- Report repairs and anti-social behaviour
- Remove weeds
- Remove estate agent signs
- Remove graffiti; offensive graffiti will be removed - within one working day
- Seasonal works such as: gritting for ice, snow and leaf clearances
You can also download a copy of our cleaning schedule.
During evenings and weekends
Our caretakers work from 8am to 4pm on weekdays. For any health and safety issues outside of these hours including weekends please contact us on 020 7364 5015 and we will send our mobile response team.
For further information regarding caretaking please contact us on 020 7364 0592 or email estate.services@towerhamlets.gov.uk.
The above schedule is a guide and does not apply fully to all blocks. It is also subject to change in case of unforeseen circumstances.
How you can help
- Please respect the communal areas of our estates.
- Always dispose of rubbish correctly and recycle as much as possible. More information can be found on the Recycling and waste page.
- If you spot a cleaning issue or graffiti, report it using our MyHome online form or call us at 020 7364 5015.
- To report waste missed collection complete the online form or contact us at 020 7364 5000.