Question 1

What does facilities management mean at Lucy & Phil?

Accepted Answer

Our facilities management service brings together the maintenance, cleaning, repairs, property services and operational support a building needs to remain safe, functional, presentable and properly maintained. Rather than managing multiple contractors for different requirements, clients can use Lucy & Phil as a central point of contact for a coordinated property service. Our wider capabilities include cleaning, property maintenance, construction and refurbishment, removals and storage, waste services and other property-related support. This integrated approach allows services to be coordinated around the needs of each property.

Question 2

Who can use Lucy & Phil for facilities management?

Accepted Answer

Our facilities management approach can be suitable for commercial businesses, offices, landlords, letting agents, property managers, care environments, retail premises and organisations responsible for multiple properties. The service can be structured around the size, use, occupancy and operational requirements of the property rather than applying the same package to every client.

Question 3

Can Lucy & Phil manage multiple services through one contract?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Where appropriate, we can coordinate multiple property services through a single relationship. For example, a client may require regular cleaning, reactive maintenance, planned repairs, waste removal, minor construction works and property preparation. Coordinating these requirements through one provider can reduce the administrative burden of managing multiple contractors.

Question 4

What happens when I report a maintenance or facilities issue?

Accepted Answer

We first establish what has happened, where the issue is, how urgent it is and whether there are any immediate safety or operational concerns. We then determine the appropriate response. Depending on the issue, this may involve an inspection, maintenance operative, specialist trade, cleaning team, contractor or other appropriate resource. The objective is to make sure the issue reaches the right person with the right information, rather than simply sending the first available contractor.

Question 5

Do you provide planned as well as reactive maintenance?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Facilities management should not only respond when something breaks. We can support both planned maintenance and reactive repairs, depending on the property and client's requirements. Planned maintenance can help identify and address issues before they develop into more disruptive or expensive problems. For managed properties, we can discuss recurring maintenance requirements and establish a more structured service arrangement.

Question 6

Can you manage cleaning as part of a facilities management service?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Cleaning can form part of a wider facilities management arrangement. This can include office cleaning, commercial cleaning, deep cleaning, specialist cleaning, end of tenancy cleaning and post-construction cleaning, depending on the property and requirements. Lucy & Phil already positions its commercial offering around tailored cleaning solutions for different business environments. The cleaning schedule can be designed around occupancy, operating hours, footfall and the required presentation standard.

Question 7

Can you coordinate repairs involving different trades?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Some property problems cannot be resolved by one trade alone. For example, a water leak may require plumbing, making good, decorating or other remedial work. A refurbishment may require several trades working in a specific sequence. Where Lucy & Phil is responsible for coordinating the work, we can organise the appropriate services around the wider requirement.

Question 8

How do you prioritise urgent facilities and maintenance issues?

Accepted Answer

Not every maintenance issue has the same level of urgency. We consider factors such as risk to people, risk of property damage, impact on business operations, loss of essential services and the potential for the problem to deteriorate. This allows issues to be prioritised according to their practical impact rather than simply dealing with requests in the order they arrive. If there is an immediate threat to life or serious danger, customers should contact the appropriate emergency service first.

Question 9

How do you manage health and safety within facilities management?

Accepted Answer

Health and safety is considered as part of the planning and delivery of relevant services. Depending on the work and risk profile, this can include risk assessments, method statements, appropriate PPE, safe access, equipment controls, site housekeeping, hazard identification and measures to protect occupants, visitors, workers and members of the public. For commercial clients, we can also work within appropriate client site rules and contractor management procedures.

Question 10

Can you provide risk assessments and method statements?

Accepted Answer

Where appropriate to the activity or required by the client, we can provide risk assessments and method statements for relevant works. The documentation and control measures should reflect the actual risks associated with the activity rather than relying on generic paperwork. Where a client's own contractor-management system applies, we can work with the applicable site requirements and documentation processes.

Question 11

How do you manage contractors and specialist trades?

Accepted Answer

Facilities management can involve different trades and specialist contractors depending on the building and the work required. We consider the scope, competence, suitability, health and safety requirements and sequencing of the work when determining who should carry out a particular task. Where specialist or regulated work is required, the appropriate specialist should be used rather than treating the work as a general maintenance task.

Question 12

How do you control the cost of facilities management?

Accepted Answer

We aim to make costs transparent by establishing the scope of services, frequency, response requirements and responsibilities at the beginning of the relationship. For individual jobs, the price may depend on labour, materials, access, complexity and specialist requirements. If additional work is identified, we aim to explain what is required and obtain approval for additional chargeable work before proceeding wherever reasonably possible.

Question 13

Can you provide facilities management for a property portfolio?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We can discuss requirements across multiple buildings or properties, allowing the client to establish a more consistent approach to maintenance, cleaning and property support. For portfolio clients, we can structure the service around the different requirements of each property while maintaining a central point of contact. This can be particularly useful for landlords, managing agents, businesses and organisations with multiple sites.

Question 14

How do you manage quality and service performance?

Accepted Answer

Quality should be measured against the agreed scope, service requirements and expected standard. For ongoing facilities management arrangements, the appropriate performance measures can be agreed with the client. Depending on the service, this may include response times, scheduled attendance, completion of works, cleaning standards, outstanding issues and customer feedback. Where an issue is identified, it should be reviewed and addressed rather than simply closed without resolution.

Question 15

Why use Lucy & Phil for facilities management instead of several separate contractors?

Accepted Answer

The main advantage is coordination. Lucy & Phil operates across several connected property services, including construction, cleaning, moving and storage and property maintenance. Instead of a client having to find a different company every time the property requires a different service, we can act as a central property services partner where the required work falls within our capabilities. That can simplify communication, reduce contractor administration and make it easier to coordinate work across the property's lifecycle.

Facilities Management

What we do

Scope

Custom Quote & Consultancy

Free Site Survey

48h Proposal Turnaround

Guaranteed Fixed Quote

Frequently Asked Questions