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Changes to our repairs service
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An opportunity to give us your views and ideas
At a special meeting on
18 February the Board of Saxon Weald made a decision for an
in-house repairs team to be set up, which will start running our
day to day repairs service from 3 February 2009. (Day to day
repairs are those that are not part of a works programme e.g.
kitchen & bathroom replacements, rewiring etc)
The reason for this decision is that our existing repairs
partnering contract with Osbornes was only set up for a 5 year
period, which ends on 2 February 2009.
Since entering into this contract, Osbornes have helped to
greatly improve our repairs service, which has seen tenant
satisfaction increase to 97.4%. However, there is no ability to
extend the current contract, which left the Board with two
options. Saxon Weald could either:
a) Advertise a further contract in the official journal
of the European Union (OJEU). This means that any organisation,
from within Europe, that meets the required criteria, could
tender for the contract. Although Osbornes could re-tender,
there are no guarantees that they would win the contract.
b) Bring the service in-house and establish our own
repairs team.
Having considered both options, the Board felt that bringing the
service in-house has a number of added benefits, which include:
- Quicker decision making:
Contracts are usually inflexible and costly to change. We
would have total control of an in-house service, which would
allow us to be quicker to alter it in response to changes in
customer needs and requirements.
- Ability to provide a wider and more flexible service:
We
could develop the service so that it provides a wider and
more extensive range of services.
- Directly employed staff: The in-house team would work to
our culture and values, doing things the Saxon Weald way,
with the aim of delivering a “right first time, every time”
service. We could even look at taking on apprentices and
creating other local labour opportunities.
- A more appropriate skills mix amongst operatives:
Operatives would be allocated jobs which reflect their
actual trades, so that they are better able to maximise
their individual skills and experience. We will then look at
employing more “handy” type operatives to focus on the
smaller / more general repairs.
- Cost and efficiency savings: Bringing the service in-house
will enable us to make cost savings, such as not paying VAT
on repairs, which could then be reinvested back in to our
services.
- A leaner and more responsive service: We will involve and consult with customers on the new service so that, as far as possible, it reflects your needs and aspirations. We will look at what works now and what doesn’t, eliminating any waste or inefficiencies, so that the new service is more streamlined, responsive and effective.
Setting up the service: A Project Team, led by Jim Dean, our
Head of Customer Services, has been set up to lead on the
setting up of the service. It will work to a detailed and
well structured project plan and will examine all aspects
and different ways of setting up the new service. This will
include visiting other housing associations, with in-house
repairs teams, to see what we can learn from them.
Staffing the service: In terms of the existing repairs staff
employed by Osborne, we would like to retain as much of
their skills, knowledge and experience as we can.
Opportunities to join Saxon Weald will therefore be created
under the Transfer of Undertakings and Protection of
Employment Act (TUPE). This will enable those who want to,
to transfer their employment and become part of our new
in-house team.
Involving residents:
We also want to involve our customers in setting and developing
the service, as it needs to meet your needs, expectations and
aspirations. To do this we will:
- Seek your views, ideas and requirements through our
web-site, the Saxon Spotlight, our various Forums and
interest groups and service improvement events.
- Liase closely with the Repairs and Maintenance Interest
Group, which is made up of residents.
- Invite a resident from the Repairs and Maintenance
Interest Group onto the Repairs Service Project Team.
- Give regular progress updates to the Repairs and
Maintenance Group and Tenants’ / Leaseholders’ Forums.
- Ensure that there is an ongoing role for residents in the
monitoring and review of the service, along with holding
Saxon Weald to account on our performance.
Giving us your views: We’d like to hear your thoughts and
ideas on our decision to set up an in-house repairs service.
Please spare a few minutes of your time to share them with
us by completing the short questionnaire below.
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