If you have a garden, you (the tenant) are responsible for keeping it tidy. This includes:
- Ensuring the grass is cut regularly
- Preventing weeds and bushes from overgrowing
- Making sure trees do not grow too large or allow them to grow near a building where it may cause structural problems. (you must obtain permission from us before removing a tree.)
- Keeping your garden clear of rubbish – this includes both garden and household waste
- Ensuring items such as broken down vehicles, old fridges and other similar bulky items are not kept in gardens and that arrangements are made to remove them promptly.
The London Borough of Hounslow provides the following services to assist tenants in keeping their gardens clear of rubbish.
- Green Garden waste collection service
- Removal of old vehicles, fridges (collected free of charge) and other large bulky items.
If you fail to keep your garden clear of rubbish and it becomes necessary for us to make arrangements to clear it, the cost of clearance will be passed back to you as a recharge.
You must also get written permission from us to park trailers or caravans in your garden or driveway.
Garden maintenance scheme
The Garden Maintenance Scheme is a service available to the elderly (over 60) or disabled persons, who have no family or friends in the area(within 10 miles) who can help with keeping your garden neat and tidy.
If you find it difficult to manage your garden, you can apply to the Garden Maintenance Scheme, which will carry out basic gardening free of charge. If you are applying for the scheme because you are disbaled you will need to provide us with your disablity registration number.
We have Contractors (Sodexho and Pinnacle) that carry out the work on our behalf. They will visit three times a year usually in the Spring, Summer and Autumn. They will also contact you before they visit to let you know they are coming, and leave a calling card if they are unable to gain access. The contractor will spend a maximum of 2 hours on each visit.
They will carry out basic tidying of the garden, including:
- Grass cutting
- Removing hazards such as overhanging branches, tree pruning and unturned roots.
Your garden(s) must also be a suffiicient size to qualify. Communal or very small gardens are excluded from the scheme.
Applying for Garden Maintenance
To apply for the scheme, download an application form, which you will need to complete and return to us at the Customer Service Centre, Ashmead Road Depot, Ashmead Road, Feltham TW14 9NN. You can also contact the Customer Service Centre or your local Housing Office for an application form.
Once returned, we will check your form to make sure you are eligible for the scheme. We may also visit you. Should you meet all the criteria your application will be processed and we will write to you let you know.
As we can only provide this service for a small number of our tenants, there are waiting lists in all areas. Please be patient. We regularly check and update the lists, and once a space becomes available we will write to inform you. If you want to check on the progress of your application please contact the Customer Service Centre on 0800 085 65 75.