Caretaker services for blocks, offices and business sites in Ireland

Most contracts combine routine visits with a call-out option. Routine work includes checking communal areas, replacing bulbs, clearing bin stores, light cleaning of stairwells and entrances, and reporting defects. Grounds maintenance covers grass, hedges, beds and leaves. Minor repairs cover small carpentry, door closers, locks, sealant and touch-up decoration.

Offices, retail parks, schools and industrial units buy caretaking directly or as part of a facilities management contract.

Gritting is often the most important seasonal part of the contract. Employers and those in control of premises have to manage the risk of slips on their sites, including car parks and walkways. A plan for winter should define which routes are treated, the trigger for gritting (forecast, temperature or road surface readings), how early in the morning it happens, and who records each treatment.

Records matter: if someone slips, a log showing when routes were treated and with what is your evidence that the risk was managed. Also agree where grit bins sit, who refills them, and what happens when snow falls during the working day.

• a site plan marking priority routes, steps and ramps
• the trigger and timing for pre-treatment and for snow clearance
• materials used and where they are stored
• a treatment log with dates, times and routes
• response time for unexpected snow or ice

Start from the building, not from a number of hours. List the sites, the frequency of visits, the routine tasks on each visit, the seasonal tasks and the checks that need recording. Then agree the call-out arrangement: which faults the caretaker can fix on the spot, what spending limit applies without approval, and how quickly they respond to urgent problems.

Ask how visits are recorded, such as a signed log, photos or an app with time stamps, and how defects are reported to you. Where caretaking is combined with cleaning or grounds maintenance, make sure one party is responsible for each task so nothing falls between contracts.

Caretakers hold keys and often codes for plant rooms and communal doors. Agree how keys are logged and returned. If a caretaking service moves from an in-house employee or another contractor to a new provider, TUPE may apply, and the staff who mainly worked on the contract may transfer with their terms. Ask bidders how they have priced this.

The GDPR applies to work in your building; in Ireland the Data Protection Commission is the supervisory authority. If a supplier processes personal data on your behalf, you need a data processing agreement.

Irish companies are registered with the Companies Registration Office. Ask for the company number and VAT number, and check whether prices are quoted with or without VAT.

Source: dataprotection.ie · eur-lex.europa.eu · revenue.ie

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