If you’re a Portsmouth Homes resident, this page explains how we keep you and your neighbourhood safe, clean and well maintained.

We do this in line with the Neighbourhood and Community Standard. It’s set by the government and gives clear expectations for how we must work other teams and organisations to manage and care for your neighbourhoods. You can visit our performance page to find out how well we’ve been meeting this standard each year.

If you want to learn more about us and our future plans, check out our  full strategy for 2022-2025.

Keeping communal areas clean and safe

We look after shared indoor and outdoor spaces across your neighbourhoods. This includes:

  • Cleaning communal areas in blocks
  • Checking your block’s fire alarms are working
  • Keeping paths, entrances, bin stores and shared spaces clear
  • Removing items left in communal areas (as per our zero‑tolerance policy)
  • Jet washing, window cleaning and collecting bulky and green waste
  • Fixing issues such as fly‑tipping and damaged fixtures

We carry out regular block checks (learn more about them here) and safety inspections to make sure everything is safe and tidy.

Tell us about anything unsafe (clutter, fly‑tipping, damage or cleanliness issues) so we can put it right quickly.

You can also read our guidance on keeping communal areas clear.

Working together to keep neighbourhoods safe

We work with teams across Portsmouth City Council – including Community Safety, Housing Management, Waste and Recycling, our Housing Depot and Parks and Play – to deal with issues quickly and keep your neighbourhoods well cared for.

We also work with Havant Borough Council and local housing providers to share good practice and keep standards consistent across communities.

Looking after trees, parks and green spaces

Trees

  • All trees on Housing Revenue Account (HRA) land are inspected every four years.
  • Extra checks happen if concerns are raised.
  • All work follows national safety standards.

Tell us if you spot a damaged or unsafe tree.

Green spaces

We keep green spaces on our council housing land safe and tidy through:

  • Regular grass cutting
  • Shrub and vegetation management
  • Leaf clearance
  • Park and sports pitch maintenance

We also look after areas such as Sevenoaks Playing Field, Paulsgrove Extension and the grounds around the City Records Office. Our teams carry out routine inspections, record visits electronically and act quickly on any issues.

Tell us about overgrown or unsafe areas so we can take action.

Play parks

With our specialist Parks and Play team, we make sure all play areas on council housing land are:

  • Inspected every two weeks by qualified RPII safety inspectors
  • Cleaned regularly
  • Topped up with sand or bark when needed
  • Closed immediately if equipment is unsafe
  • Fully inspected by an independent assessor once a year

Tell us about any damaged or unsafe play equipment.

Support for your home and garden

Our Housing Depot

Our depot teams:

  • Collect bulky and green waste from estates
  • Jet wash communal areas
  • Clean windows and panels

If you need to dispose of large items, see our large household items guidance or contact us for advice.

Gardening scheme

If you’re unable to maintain your garden due to age or ill health, our free gardening scheme can help with:

  • Grass cutting
  • Hedge trimming
  • Basic tree safety maintenance

Check eligibility and how to apply on our gardening scheme page.

Community gardens

We run community gardens in Landport and Somerstown, open to all residents for growing fruit and vegetables, volunteering and meeting others.

Getting you involved

Your feedback helps shape our services. That’s why we work closely with the Resident Engagement team to hear your views and understand what matters to you.

You can get involved in several ways:

  • Neighbourhood walkabouts – short, local sessions where you can show us issues in your neighbourhood
  • Focus groups – small in‑person groups to share ideas and feedback
  • Scrutiny panels – helping us understand how well our services are performing
  • Online survey – quick ways to tell us about your experience, good or bad

Click here to find out how to get involved in any of the above.

Our environmental work

We’re committed to creating greener neighbourhoods for you all by using:

  • Eco-friendly cleaning products
  • Battery-powered gardening equipment
  • Electric vehicles
  • Solar-powered depots
  • Hydro treated vegetable oil (HVO) – an alternative to diesel

Alongside this, we run local greening projects and have started phasing out the use of pesticides.