Help us keep your neighbourhood looking its best

Firstly, always dispose of your rubbish and recycling properly and report any fly tipping that you spot. Or why not form a litter picking group with your neighbours to help boost community pride and keep your local area looking good?

That’s what members of the Itchen Estate Tenants and Residents Association (IETRA) have done. The group organise local volunteers to pick up litter and they have recently received a donation of litter picking equipment and a pressure washer from our contractors Harmony Fire. These gifts, which will also be used by the local gardening club, will help the residents keep their estate clean and tidy. The donation was to thank the local community for their support and cooperation with contractors following the installation of sprinklers at the flats.

Fiona, the Chair of the IETRA says that community litter picks are a great way to bring neighbours together for a common purpose. “We want to be proud of where we live and litter picking is a great way to be visible in the community, make a big impact and get lots of people involved especially the kids on the estate. Hopefully the less litter there is will make people think twice before dropping anymore.”

Unfortunately, a lot of valuable council resources are spent dealing with dumped rubbish in council neighbourhoods across the city. Illegal dumping or fly tipping is an eye sore that blights neighbourhoods and attracts vermin. Despite the fact that culprits can face hefty fines and prosecution, fly tipping is a national issue that makes neighbourhoods look uncared for and run down.

So, it’s important that you never leave rubbish bags in communal areas or on the pavement; always use the bin areas or wheelie bins. If you have large items like furniture or appliances that won’t fit in the bin, book a bulky waste collection, donate to a local charity shop or try selling online.

If you live in a block of flats and have any comments or concerns about the cleaning service to communal areas just get in touch with the cleaning team or check out your local noticeboard for details of inspections and to scan a QR code to complete an online cleaning survey.

Get involved

For support and advice about setting up a local litter picking group, or forming a Tenants and Residents Association in your neighbourhood just get in touch with our Tenant Engagement team. Or, find out how you can volunteer as a tenant cleaning monitor to keep an eye on the cleaning service and let us know about specific areas that you and your neighbours think we need to improve on.