Grass too long, nobody taking responsibility

martindow

For other problems people have had success by posting on companies' Twitter pages. Persimmon have one here

https://twitter.com/PersimmonHomes

Politely putting the problem on there along with a few photos might contrast nicely with their publicity shots of perfectly presented developments.

moneyistooshorttomention

Good one Martin - twitter as well then....

Still refining the photo idea - now moved onto thinking "Two photos - one of residents there with lawnmowers and unhappy faces and one of a goat". Headline "It's us (at £15 per hour each) or the goat?" and giving them the choice which they wish to employ.

lush_walrus

Think in amongst the banter you have the answer, unless the street is adopted (ie not retained as an estate road) the freeholder is responsible for the roads, footpaths, verges and in your case a central grassed verge.

It's unlikely they would have written something into your contract referring to their maintenance regime, but pressure via Twitter or Facebook may do it as they may not care after sales but they do pre so hitting them with negative press off putting potential buyers may do it.

davidmcn

PasturesNew wrote: »

Do you pay any service charges?

The OP hasn't answered this point - they have legitimate cause for complaint if they're paying for a service they're not receiving. If not, and they now demand that Persimmon organise the grass-cutting, they'll presumably all get a bill for doing it - I doubt Persimmon are obliged to maintain it for free.

The alternative is the residents ignore Persimmon and organise it themselves, which might be easier and cheaper.

mumps

My local council don't cut grass areas till quite late in the summer, they have been doing it for a couple of years and its about letting the insects breed. I must admit although it looks a bit of a mess we have loads more butterflies now. Probably saves the council a bit of cash as well.

glasgowdan

mumps wrote: »

My local council don't cut grass areas till quite late in the summer, they have been doing it for a couple of years and its about letting the insects breed.

I'm sure that's what they say!

moneyistooshorttomention

It has indeed become the thing that Councils are being made aware that some areas of grass need to be left alone at certain periods of the year in order to allow for wildlife to "do its thing". I've certainly heard one should leave it alone long enough for wildflowers to "do their thing" each year - and, presumably, bees to get a chance to "use" those flowers.

When I realised the bees need dandelion flower heads for themselves until other flowers get going - then I have been leaving those dandelion flowerheads alone until I see they've turned to seed stage (at which point I remove them fast:rotfl:).

Goodness knows - even though I'm now living in semi-rural Wales - I see very few bees around. Thankfully - there are now a tiny few visiting my garden - whereas there were absolutely none at all when I first bought the house (as it had one of those awful "concrete gardens" so prevalent in my immediate vicinity).

One only has to read Brigit Strawbridge's (formerly of the tv series "It's not easy being green") Facebook page - where she is campaigning hard for the survival of bees - to start realising things like this.

Davesnave

davidmcn wrote: »

The alternative is the residents ignore Persimmon and organise it themselves, which might be easier and cheaper.

It sounds as if the residents might organise themselves for mutual benefit. On a new development there may be little social infrastructure until a few individuals take the lead and form a residents' association.

But it doesn't always work out. Where I am, there's a small private development where the residents are so tight and argumentative that their shared facilities are now in a state. It's difficult,because the legal framework isn't there and wasn't planned-in. Some people won't pay and those who voluntarily maintain areas are disheartened.

Fortunately, I'm not involved. I maintain a roadside verge and 1/2km of hedges, then watch as the development's residents walk their dogs along the lanes nearby, because their own field is too overgrown with brambles etc. It's hilarious, but at least the wildlife benefits!

dc197

Allowing grass to grow long will help wildlife but it will not do a huge amount for feeding insect pollinators such as bees. This is because grass is not pollinated by insects. Yes you will get a few daisies and dandelions but these only add a small amount.
To be really helpful to bees, grass should be replaced with a wildflower mix or plugs or similar, to gain something that actually flowers.
Leaving grass uncut and claiming it's for bees is a way to save face and money.

I wrote to my council and asked them to replace verges with flower meadows and they were quite keen, although didn't implement much.

Davesnave

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

One only has to read Brigit Strawbridge's (formerly of the tv series "It's not easy being green") Facebook page - where she is campaigning hard for the survival of bees - to start realising things like this.

No, it isn't easy being green, but it's easier if you have a background in media and the TV cameras rolling, right from Day1......