Tenant newsletter January 2024

Our neighbourhood inspections take place during spring and summer and they are an opportunity for tenants to meet with staff and contractor representatives to share any concerns and help us identify problems in their area.

The issues identified are separated into two categories by the neighbourhood officers:

• Immediate: minor or day to day repairs or other issues that can be solved quickly.
• Long term: landscaping issues, planned repairs, external decoration, fly-tipping, anti-social behaviour, quality of cleaning or other services.

Here are just a few examples of the issues raised this year and how they were actioned/referred:

• 5 abandoned vehicles - notices issued.
• Litter - collected on the spot during the inspection.
• Weeds along footpaths - to be cleared by caretaking team.
• Fly-tipping - clearance of rubbish ordered.
• Vegetation above sheds to be removed - request to cut back sent to grounds maintenance and caretakers.
• Trees to be cut back - requests to cut the trees back sent to grounds maintenance.
• Garden note drops took place - neighbourhood Officers to follow up if the situations do not improve.
• Blocked gullies - gullies to be cleared by Mears.
• A larger scale litter pick needed - caretakers to arrange litter pick.
• Loose kerb and hole outside homes - passed to Kent Highways to action.
• Broken air vents. - Mears to attend and carry out work.
• Roof tile replacement and work - Mears to attend and carry out work.
• Bin store doors damaged - noted as an action point by Assets and Development team.
• Aerials - to be removed from external walls of the building as they are no longer in use.

You can view a full breakdown of the number of issues raised in each location and how many have since been actioned or referred.

If you are interested in taking part in this year’s inspections or would like further information about how you can get involved and share your views please email tenant.involvement@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk . In total 137 of the 140 issues raised have been actioned or referred.