Significant improvements to our grounds maintenance are revealed
We are delighted to reveal we are increasing the frequency and upgrading our Grounds Maintenance Service specification while improving the transparency and communication with our customers through a Customer Portal.
The contract with our longstanding grounds maintenance company, Idverde, ended in October 2024. We carried out a public sector tender process to choose a new company while asking customers for feedback on what improvements they wanted to see.
Idverde retained the contract after demonstrating via the competitive process that they understood the upgraded service and bid accordingly against several other service providers. Their promise was the delivery of the new specification and excellent value for money.
The new five-year contract can be adjusted after year three if required. Visits will increase across our 297 areas of land. Grass will also now be collected, enhancing the visual aesthetics.
Acting on residents’ feedback as part of our vision to Transform Homes, Lives and Communities, the grass-cutting cycle will increase from 14 to 18 times a year, and hedge-cutting will increase from one to four times a year.
More land is now included due to a more accurate geographic information system (GIS) mapping exercise completed in 2024, which identified previously missed areas.
This enhanced service has created a Contract Inspector role who will monitor the work daily on site.
Our residents can access a digital portal via a QR code or their login to track when grounds maintenance was last carried out within their community and what work was undertaken. It gives an overview of the specification and residents can type in their address and access a calendar to identify when the next cycle will begin.
It means a better service for communal land next to flats, surrounding Independent Living areas, local amenity land and gardens.
The service will also include litter picking, weed spraying, and clearing moss from hard standings and drying areas .
Phil Sinfield, Estates & Facilities Manager at Trent & Dove, said:
“As part of our mission to provide homes and services that enable people and communities to thrive, we are committed to ensuring our communities have well-maintained, welcoming outdoor spaces.
“By increasing the frequency of grass and hedge cutting and introducing digital tracking, we are enhancing the visual appeal of our shared spaces and improving transparency and communication with residents.”
Danny Mitchell, Idverde Managing Director, said:
"Trent & Dove has been a long-standing customer of ours and we are delighted to have been awarded the new Grounds Maintenance contract that will further extend our relationship.
“This partnership allows us to deliver an enhanced grounds maintenance service that directly responds to residents’ needs. By increasing the frequency of our visits and introducing digital tools for better transparency, we’re ensuring that outdoor spaces remain clean, safe, and enjoyable for the community."