We may have happy notions of Autumn being a month of crisp mornings, crunchy fallen leaves underfoot and landscapes brushed with hues of orange, red and yellow. But, whilst we seize these beautiful autumnal days when they do come around, we also know the long nights and cooler temperatures will draw in - and there's a high chance of heavy rainfall and gusty winds too.
The changing weather brings with it some unique challenges - particularly when it comes to the management of residential developments, and ensuring communal spaces and amenities are safe, pleasant and accessible for all. As a managing agent with responsibility for maintaining these areas and facilities, it’s important we work with - and not against - the changing seasons.
This article explains how we do just that ahead of and during the autumnal months. Whether it’s ensuring lighting, heating and hot water systems are working, doors and windows are maintained, gutters and downpipes are free of debris or minimising potential slip hazards.
There’s lots to consider and all of it happens as part of our annual operating cycle: that means we plan for routine maintenance, upkeep and servicing throughout the year, taking into account seasonal tasks that need to happen.
Please keep in mind, though, that every estate is different. You may live in an apartment block, for example, where maintenance of stairwells is needed, or in a garden village where green spaces need to be taken care of. Every maintenance schedule is unique to each development we work with.
Warmer weather isn’t unheard of in Autumn - especially in the first few weeks. As a result plants may still be growing fast, so ground maintenance will be needed to keep gardens and open spaces tidy and well-kept.
If your development has areas of wildflower planting, then specific ground maintenance tasks will need to take place at this point too - you can read all about that here.
And maintenance needs to continue even as temperatures drop. Instead of grass needing cutting, for example, there will be fallen leaves from foliage and trees that need clearing to keep spaces looking great but also functional. Strong winds can also blow debris onto developments. Our teams work hard to remove this as soon as possible, keeping things clean and tidy.
As our property managers visit developments during the Autumn they’ll be assessing the condition of the gardens and open spaces, ensuring the schedule of works is being completed, debris is managed, grass remains maintained, cut backs and edging is undertaken, dead foliage removed, and soil or bark is topped up.
If the sun’s out, play areas, sports pitches or equipment will still be attracting visitors throughout the season. Where these are present at an estate, it’s vital they continue to be maintained. That includes undertaking regular inspections of facilities, making good any wear and tear or arranging renewals where necessary.
We create a long-term maintenance plan for every development we work with. These plans are created years in advance, giving us a long-term view of what maintenance will be needed in the future. This will often involve larger maintenance projects - known as ‘major works’. They can vary from extensive redecoration, to door and window replacements or health and safety improvements - and many different projects in between.
Armed with information from the long-term maintenance plans we can effectively budget for these works well in advance, so - wherever possible - we avoid large, unexpected bills being received by residents when works need to commence.
If a major works project is scheduled for your estate that involves the externals of a building, then we will need to make sure the weather conditions are favourable for the work to be completed safely and to a high standard of workmanship so the results last. In Autumn we need to be prepared for works to be rescheduled with high winds or heavy rainfall a common occurrence.
If emergency works need to take place, or if works are subject to an insurance claim, we’ll also look to complete these during suitable weather conditions.
Like in previous seasons we’ll continue to undertake regular site inspections to assess whether there are any blockages, damage or leaks to gutters, downpipes, and roofs. Autumn is often when blockages will occur due to leaf fall, so it’s important to keep areas free from debris. We’ll arrange regular clearances and repairs where required.
The same goes for gullies, soakaways and drains, for example, which can also become easily blocked or prevent flow of drainage due to the seasonal challenges.
Stormy conditions and strong winds can also affect boundary fencing, railings or gates. We’ll be keeping an eye that these remain intact and in good condition, ready to withstand the colder weather.
We’ll also continue to assess the condition of hard surface areas such as footpaths, cycle paths, decking, and car parks. This includes:
Wet weather and footfall can result in debris being brought into the likes of foyers and hallways. We’ll continue to inspect the condition of any communal areas to make sure these remain presentable and clean.
After the autumnal equinox - usually around 21 September - the nights will officially be longer than the days. With the longer nights drawing in, we’ll assess communal lighting (both inside and outside) during our visits to make sure it’s operating correctly. Where developments have lighting controls these may require adjusting.
Keeping windows and doors clean will continue with routine window cleaning schedules (subject to specific maintenance regimes) to remove buildup of dirt and grime.
For developments with M&E such as gates, lifts, fire alarm systems or communal heating, for example, all plant equipment - whether in use or not - are known as the development’s ‘assets’. They’ll require routine servicing and maintenance: we’ll source and manage specialist third parties to carry this out, ensuring everything is compliant and in working order.
We also include the development’s M&E assets within our long-term maintenance planning and collect funds - through your development’s service charge - for when major works are required.
Autumn is as busy a season as any other for property management. As the seasons change - particularly as they become slightly more unpredictable with the climate changing - our goal is to work with the changing weather, and the challenges it can present, to make sure spaces and amenities stay functional, safe to use and looking great.
We’ve outlined a few of the tasks that we do to achieve just that during Autumn here but, as mentioned before, your development is unique.
Not every development will need all of the tasks mentioned, and others will require works that are above and beyond what we’ve included here. That’s why we have our residents’ app - Places - and our online portal where you can stay up to date with your development. Login to see how your service charge is budgeted for the coming year, and receive updates of routine, emergency and major works. We’ll also use the app and portal as a way of letting you know when we’re visiting sites and to share general information.
Make sure you stay up to speed with your development’s latest news - access your Places app or online portal today.
