Resident guidance: All Housing residents - Last updated 12 June 2026
Enjoying your communal areas
We understand that the quality of your local area is as important as the quality of your home. A range of communal areas and shared facilities complement the private residences at our locations, and we work with residents and the local community to promote and maintain a safe and pleasant neighbourhood that you can enjoy.
Communal areas are there for the benefit of all residents living at a location and the wider community. We will ensure these areas are kept clean, welcoming and reflect well on the location and Anchor. As Anchor residents, you also have a part to play by being considerate neighbours.
The shared spaces at each location will vary. This guidance gives an overview of the types of facilities you may have, how they may be used, and how they are maintained and managed. No two buildings are the same, so if there’s anything specifically about your location that doesn’t follow Anchor’s usual process, you’ll find it either in your local services agreement or lease.
In this guidance you’ll find information about:
- Communal lounges and kitchens
- Corridors
- Guest rooms
- Laundry facilities
- Hairdressing/treatment rooms
- Emergency alarm system
- Care colleague facilities
- Commercial catering kitchens
- Televisions, digital aerials and WiFi
- Car parking
- Grounds maintenance and gardening
- Window cleaning
- Cleaning of communal areas
- Promoting successful communities and neighbourhoods
Communal lounges and kitchens
Lots of Anchor locations have a communal lounge and kitchen. This area offers an attractive, safe and comfortable space that is easy for everyone living at the location to access. We see the communal lounge as a valuable resource for residents and the wider community and will work with you to agree which local organisations or groups you would like to invite into the location.
Residents can also organise social activities themselves. If you would like to organise a social activity in the lounge you will need to obtain approval from the location manager prior to any activity taking place.
On occasion Anchor colleagues may use the lounge and other facilities for meetings, and sometimes we may allow external organisations to hire use of the lounge. Any payments made by external organisations or by Anchor when we use these facilities, will be paid into the service charge meaning residents at the location benefit from the income.
We will only allow the lounge to be used by others (people and groups not residing at your location) if it doesn’t unreasonably restrict your use of the facility.
As the lounge and kitchen are communal areas that are available to all residents, everyone is required to leave them clean and tidy after each use. If you notice any hazards or damaged furniture you are required to report this to the location manager.
Corridors
Communal corridors are shared spaces designed to provide safe and easy access to your home. To keep these areas safe for everyone, we ask that corridors are not used for storing personal belongings, furniture, or mobility equipment unless specifically agreed with us. Clear corridors help us meet fire safety requirements and ensure that emergency services can access the building quickly if needed. If you need support with storage or have specific needs, please contact us and we will work with you to find a suitable solution.
Guest rooms
Many locations have a guest room which is available for use by your friends and relatives. The charge for using the guest room is determined by the location manager and residents of each location. Any money collected from hiring out this room is paid into the service charge meaning residents at the location benefit from the income.
To learn more about our guest room policy, see where in the country we have guest rooms and find out how to make a booking, visit our Directory of housing locations with guest rooms here.
Laundry
Some locations have a communal laundry; this is for the sole use of residents and people residing at the location. To ensure fair access for all, there may be a local rota in place which your location manager will share with you. As the laundry is a communal facility accessed by all residents you are required to leave this area clean and tidy after each use. Please also report any damaged or faulty equipment to your location manager.
Hairdressing/treatment rooms
Some locations have a hairdressing salon or wellbeing suites which can be used by visiting hairdressers or to deliver therapies or treatments. Charges payable by residents for the use of these services will be displayed at the location. Anchor will ensure all agreements and payment mechanisms for room hire are in place with the service provider.
Emergency alarm system
Most properties have an alarm system that you can use in an emergency to call for help. When your location manager is on duty calls go through to them. If they are not on duty, calls will go directly through to an emergency alarm centre - most systems are connected to Anchor’s own emergency call centre: Anchor On Call. You can find out more about the Anchor On Call system and service here.
Care colleague facilities
In some of our extra care housing locations, the care provider will have a care office and access to the staff room. Anchor will ensure we have all agreements in place to enable the care team to occupy their designated space.
Commercial catering kitchens
In some of our extra care housing locations we operate a commercial kitchen providing meals to residents living there. The meals are provided under a commercial contract with a catering provider. The location manager will be able to provide you with full details including the costs and availability of this service.
Televisions, digital aerials and WiFi
At some locations residents aged 60 and over may be eligible for a concessionary TV licence. Your location manager will let you know if this type of licence applies where you live. If it does, payment for the licence, which is less than the cost of a full licence, will be collected by your location manager.
Many locations will have a communal TV aerial system. Some of our systems allow you to subscribe to digital channels, for more information please speak to your location manager.
In some locations WiFi is available in communal areas for you to use. Your location manager will be able to provide details and passwords.
Car parking
We have a large number of housing locations with varying levels of parking available. Increasing levels of car ownership amongst residents makes it essential that we have a system of fair access to the parking spaces that are available. You can find out more about our approach to resident and visitor parking and the type of vehicles permitted here.
Grounds maintenance and gardening
The grounds and green spaces surrounding your home are for the enjoyment of all residents and we will have a contract in place for their care and maintenance.
Local gardening contracts will have an initial contract term of 1 year and can be extended 1 year at a time for a maximum of 3 years. We will discuss the gardening contract with you on an annual basis at the annual review meeting. This is to ensure the location and you are obtaining value for money as the gardening contract forms part of your service charge.
You are not permitted to section off any areas of the communal grounds to create your own garden, as the communal grounds are there for the benefit of all who live at the location. When using the communal grounds you are expected to leave areas clean and tidy after use.
Trees are an important part of our natural environment that require tending. Read how Anchor manages trees, who pays for tree work and how to report a concern here.
Window cleaning
Most locations will have a contract in place for window cleaning; this will be to clean the outside of the windows. We will discuss the window cleaning contract with you on an annual basis at the annual review meeting. This is to ensure the location and you are obtaining value for money as the window cleaning contract forms part of your service charge.
Cleaning
We are responsible for making sure your communal spaces are clean, tidy and well maintained. This work may be carried out by a contractor or an Anchor colleague. Your location manager can provide details of what agreements are in place for your location.
As a resident you are responsible for leaving all communal areas clean and tidy after you use them.
Promoting successful communities and neighbourhoods
We're committed to promoting successful communities and neighbourhoods. Our locations are multi-generational and diverse, and occasionally, residents’ behaviour can lead to friction. We will support residents in discussing issues, creating understanding, and fostering community cohesion wherever possible.
We expect that you and your visitors will be considerate neighbours, use communal facilities fairly and will not deliberately cause a nuisance or annoy other people. We also expect you to show tolerance and understanding towards your neighbours.
You can find more information about the support available with resolving neighbourly disputes and our approach to handling reports of issues and anti-social behaviour here.
More guidance about neighbourhoods and communities
Related information for residents on how, together, we can make sure our communities are places where you and your neighbours love living in later life.
