A communal garden does not form part of your tenancy and Folkestone & Hythe District Council are responsible for maintaining the garden. The gardeners will regularly mow the lawns and remove weeds from pathways and periodically cut back bushes.
Whilst we appreciate that some tenants would like to manage the communal garden as if it was their own, unfortunately this is not always possible.
Please refer to the below guidelines before making any changes to any communal area:
- The communal garden is not a toilet for dogs. If your dog does foul in any communal area, it is your responsibility to clear and dispose of the mess immediately. Failure to do so will result in the lawns not being mown.
- Nothing can be affixed to any part of our buildings, including fences and walls. This includes, but is not limited to, climbing plants, hanging boxes, bird nesting boxes, trellis, wall art or any fixtures for tether motorbikes or bicycles.
- No garden pots, bird baths, garden ornaments, gardening equipment, sheds or storage boxes can be placed in the communal garden without prior written consent from the Independent Living Officer.
- Do not place any item on the communal lawn such as tarpaulin or paving slabs.
- No trees can be planted in any communal area unless this is done by the council gardeners.
- The creation of new flower beds is not permitted.
- Please be mindful of other tenants if using the communal garden – do not smoke outside other tenants’ windows, do not swear or use banter that may be offensive to others or raise voices and do not play loud music.
- If you are considering having a communal BBQ, please speak to your Independent Living Officer prior to the event who can advise you on where to locate the BBQ safely. This cannot be near any boiler room, mobility scooter store or electrical wiring.
- If there is an outside tap/hose, please be mindful that all tenants contribute towards the cost of this and use water sparingly. Permission will not be given for any new outside taps to be installed.If permission is granted for a specific request, please be mindful that every tenant in the building will have the opportunity to make use of the facility. Folkestone & Hythe District Council will not be held responsible for any damage or for any upkeep.
- If permission is granted for a specific request, please note that this can be retracted at any time in the future. This may be because of anti-social behaviour, or the item is not maintained to a satisfactory standard. It will be your responsibility to remove and dispose of any such item and/or return the garden to its original state.
Please do not be upset if your request is refused. Some of our schemes are large and if we grant permission for one tenant to do something, we cannot refuse another. This could lead to tenants feeling unfairly treated.