30 Sep Strata Cleaning
What is Strata Cleaning and why is it necessary?
We all like to live somewhere pleasant, and living with shared facilities brings benefits such as the availability of amenities and a community spirit. It also imposes a joint responsibility for maintenance and repair of the common property to ensure it is clean, safe and usable, with the amenity and appearance maintained to the level determined by members of the owners corporation. This is why many strata communities will opt to engage a strata cleaning service to meet these ends.
Differing properties have different strata cleaning jobs which need doing and may include:
- gardens and outdoor areas: lawn mowing, removing litter and minor gardening, sweeping including areas where garbage and recycling bins are stored
- indoor areas such as foyers, lifts and stairwells: vacuuming, sweeping and mopping as required, wiping lift buttons, letterboxes, signage and handrails
- car parks: sweeping, cleaning of minor spills, wiping of signage and removal of debris
- recreational areas such as swimming pools: cleaning of equipment and furniture
The extent and frequency of cleaning will depend upon the type and style of the building. It’s also important to define what is part of the strata for cleaning purposes, otherwise members may end up with “strata cleaning” meaning different things to different people. If you have engaged strata cleaning services in Melbourne, this should be made explicit in the strata cleaning contract.
A smaller property with only gardens, entry and stairs may find fortnightly strata cleaning is satisfactory to maintain the appearance. As a property becomes larger and more complex, it will require more frequent attendance and there will be a greater extent of strata cleaning services required.
Good strata cleaning = good strata standards
Whilst regular strata cleaning enhances an amenity by having a well-presented property, there are further benefits from regular and thorough cleaning:
- improved hygiene by reducing the development of germs and bacteria, as the materials used by reputable cleaners remove and reduce the likelihood of these occurring. A good strata cleaning company will use the best quality cleaning materials to ensure the property remains at peak hygiene.
- a caretaker develops familiarity with the property and often notices matters requiring attention and bring these to the attention of the manager and committee, particularly if these may present safety concerns
- regular cleaning will usually extend the life of common property assets
- a well presented building provides greater amenity for occupants and also is more attractive to potential owners and tenants
Regular cleaning may include maintenance of items, such as a strata gutter cleaning, to ensure that the storm water drainage of the building is properly functioning, particularly during times of high rainfall, thereby lessening the chance of water entry to the building. This is obviously a priority when considering strata cleaning in Melbourne!
In addition to strata cleaning, most owners corporation are required to ensure that there is regular inspection and testing of essential safety measures, such as fire services, and ensuring clear paths of travel in the event of an emergency. This is usually carried out by a separate specialist contractor with the appropriate competencies.
In properties with a building manager, the cleaning may be undertaken by the building manager or a strata cleaning contractor who is supervised by the building manager. thereby obviating the need for committee members to deal directly with the cleaner. Good strata cleaning services therefore regularly results in an increase in happiness and overall contentment of strata members, which is another reason why Turnbull Cook always takes care in engaging quality property management cleaning services.
Is commercial strata cleaning different to residential strata cleaning?
Commercial properties will often have differing needs depending on the types of occupancy. For example specialist cleaning may be required for if there are:
- health care uses, such as doctors, dentists or biological testing
- food preparation, such as a café or restaurant
- industrial processes
These will usually require a specialist strata cleaner, who has experience with the particular needs of commercial properties. A cleaner or caretaker will undertake a regular review of the common property as part of their strata cleaning and maintenance activities, and can alert the owners corporation to a possible hazard which might not be observed by an owner or occupier. Experienced body corporate cleaning services in Melbourne will generally be well-versed in what requires further attention in order to retain the value of a property, as compared to normal depreciation in a building.
How do I find strata cleaning services?
An owners corporation will engage strata cleaners to undertake the caretaking, generally with an agreed specification which will vary depending upon the type, size, style and installed services at the property.
At a smaller property, the strata cleaner may liaise with the chairperson of the owners corporations in the property to ensure that he or she satisfied with the work and can provide instructions regarding particular work to be undertaken.
In a a larger property, it is usually the case that there is a detailed job specification setting out particular activities and the frequency with which they should be undertaken. This provides certainty as to the arrangement and avoids confusion if the strata cleaner is given instructions by different parties at the property.
Do you have further questions around strata cleaning, need advice on strata cleaning services, or are considering a change of strata management? Just send us an email or pick up the phone – we’d love to help.