ao link
Twitter
Facebook
Linked In
Twitter
Facebook
Linked In

You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles

Repairs and maintenance tracker 2020 – how much is your housing association spending?

Inside Housing’s annual analysis of 218 associations reveals that safety concerns are driving up spending on repairs and maintenance. Rhiannon Curry reports. Illustration by Elly Walton

Linked InTwitterFacebookeCard
Sharelines

How much is your housing association spending on repairs and maintenance? Find out with our sortable data tables, produced with the help of @HousingExpertUK #ukhousing

Our annual analysis of 218 housing associations shows safety concerns are pushing up spending on repairs #ukhousing

“While spending on repairs and maintenance continues to rise, the way that landlords provide the service may be changing.” Our annual repairs spend tracker reveals which associations are spending the most on repairs and maintenance #ukhousing

Repairs spending is rising. And it is rising by a lot. In the past year, it went up 7.7%. Or, in pound terms, around £250m. The major reason is summed up in one word: safety.

Every year, Inside Housing undertakes exclusive research into how much housing associations are spending on repairs, how they are spending it and why, based on their financial accounts. This latest version, produced with the help of housing data intelligence platform Housing Expert, includes 218 housing associations.

Repairs spending is subject to lots of changes. As you can see by glancing at the tables below the housing associations that spent the most, spending can go up and down quite dramatically year to year. However, we can still see some overall trends in the sector.

Amid the usual drivers for repairs – responsive and planned, replacing kitchens and fixing up homes as tenants move out – the data shows that many landlords are continuing to spend more in response to safety concerns.

That is shown in what might be termed direct responses to the Grenfell tragedy – fire safety and cladding work. But it also shows up in an increased attribution of spending to all sorts of hazards.

Let’s consider the data in more detail. We found that the 218 landlords spent £3.51bn on repairs in 2018/19. This is up from £3.25bn in 2017/18, the second year of rising spending. There are 12 fewer landlords than last year as a result of mergers and acquisitions, but the figures are like-for-like where possible.


READ MORE

Escalating safety costs sees housing association spend on repairs and maintenance jump by 7.7%Escalating safety costs sees housing association spend on repairs and maintenance jump by 7.7%
How lockdown has impacted safety maintenanceHow lockdown has impacted safety maintenance
How repairs teams are changing the way they work as lockdown easesHow repairs teams are changing the way they work as lockdown eases
How repairs teams are turning to augmented reality to cope with coronavirusHow repairs teams are turning to augmented reality to cope with coronavirus
Let’s collaborate using technology, it could spark a revolutionLet’s collaborate using technology, it could spark a revolution

As in previous years, routine maintenance – day-to-day repairs work carried out in response to problems reported by tenants – accounted for the largest proportion of spending, with housing associations shelling out almost £2.1bn in 2018/19, an increase of almost 6% on the previous year.

Planned maintenance, where companies plan works to update homes, increased from just under £835m to more than £943m – a 13% increase.

Major repairs increased by just over 5% to £491m – still less than the half a billion pounds spent by the same group of organisations in 2015/16. This number can vary enormously each year as housing associations undertake wholesale improvements on their estates.

The reason for the increased spending ranged from improvements to safety measures to upgrading kitchens. A number of associations reported that higher levels of tenancy turnover were to blame for an increase in costs this year. As housing associations have grappled with outsourcing their repairs services, some ran into problems.

Biggest spenders on repairs and maintenance 2019

Total spend 2019 (£)Provider nameChange in total spend between 2018 and 2019 (%)Routine maintenance 2019 (£)Planned maintenance 2019 (£)Major repairs 2019 (£)Total spend 2018 (£)
35,700,000A2Dominion Housing Group20.6116,700,00019,000,000 29,600,000
27,329,000Accent Group13.5617,582,0009,747,000 24,065,000
11,626,000Accord Housing Association13.138,480,0003,146,000 10,277,000
7,079,000Acis Group8.274,558,0001,201,0001,320,0006,538,000
5,101,000Advance Housing and Support-3.342,226,0002,216,000659,0005,277,000
8,328,000Aldwyck Housing Group2.334,913,0002,321,0001,094,0008,138,000
39,432,000Anchor Trust5.4421,300,00018,132,000 37,398,000
1,384,230Arawak Walton Housing Association14.73906,943165,558311,7291,206,462
1,561,000Arches Housing10.40913,000648,000 1,414,000
1,470,000Arcon Housing Association-6.37607,000443,000420,0001,570,000
9,390,000Aspire Group (Staffordshire)0.475,891,0003,499,000 9,346,000
37,532,000Aster Group17.7213,387,0008,291,00015,854,00031,883,000
4,768,000B3 Living-1.023,557,0001,211,000 4,817,000
21,883,000Believe (County Durham Housing Group )21.0117,203,0003,927,000753,00018,083,000
19,676,000Bernicia Group0.7210,073,0005,077,0004,526,00019,536,000
20,469,000Beyond Housing18.699,721,0004,630,0006,118,00017,246,000
2,169,000Black Country Housing Group5.551,884,000285,000 2,055,000
22,602,000Bolton at Home5.7616,511,0006,091,000 21,372,000
2,091,000Bournemouth Churches Housing Association2.451,142,000436,000513,0002,041,000
5,621,000Bournville Village Trust-4.243,600,000989,0001,032,0005,870,000
11,028,000bpha8.747,355,0003,673,000 10,142,000
11,075,000Broadacres Housing Association29.905,612,0001,638,0003,825,0008,526,000
6,411,000Broadland Housing Association-8.743,403,0001,533,0001,475,0007,025,000
45,510,000Bromford Housing Group22.4327,120,0009,074,0009,316,00037,171,000
2,973,000Bromsgrove District Housing Trust-4.282,112,000861,000 3,106,000
1,211,000Brunelcare0.00901,00083,000227,0001,211,000
2,594,200Byker Community Trust4.831,738,490149,257706,4532,474,565
4,593,000Calico Homes1.663,062,000717,000814,0004,518,000
9,264,000Castles & Coasts Housing Association21.624,237,0002,826,0002,201,0007,617,000
21,185,000Catalyst Housing4.4417,236,0003,949,000 20,284,000
1,080,000Central and Cecil Housing Trust-34.15692,000 388,0001,640,000
11,431,000Chelmer Housing Partnership1.606,409,0004,189,000833,00011,251,000
5,895,000Cheshire Peaks & Plains Housing Trust14.494,177,0001,718,000 5,149,000
37,016,000Citizen (WM Housing Group )-13.7923,024,0004,688,0009,304,00042,937,000
187,700,000Clarion Housing Group-3.55122,700,00050,200,00014,800,000194,600,000
6,580,000Coastline Housing0.952,022,0003,510,0001,048,0006,518,000
6,150,000Cobalt Housing10.653,893,0001,227,0001,030,0005,558,000
3,218,000Colne Housing Society-5.582,292,000411,000515,0003,408,000
5,553,000Community Gateway Association8.424,165,000921,000467,0005,121,649
4,579,000Connect Housing Association14.592,387,0001,859,000333,0003,996,000
10,351,000Connexus Housing-3.538,571,0001,780,000 10,730,000
4,272,000Cottsway Housing Association15.121,674,0001,980,000618,0003,711,000
11,173,000Cross Keys Homes13.727,652,0003,521,000 9,825,000
2,206,000Croydon Churches Housing Association10.851,877,000329,000 1,990,000
18,522,000Curo Group (Albion)2.6010,480,000 8,042,00018,052,000
2,231,000Durham Aged Mineworkers' Homes Association0.002,175,00056,000 2,231,000
3,582,000East End Homes-11.692,888,000312,000382,0004,056,000
15,587,000East Midlands Housing Group6.3811,559,0004,011,00017,00014,652,000
1,662,000Eden Housing Association1.711,318,000344,000 1,634,000
591,004Empowering People Inspiring Communities0.98422,928 168,076585,267
1,159,422English Rural Housing Association11.84529,380329,400300,6421,036,647
2,856,000Equity Housing Group13.511,656,0001,200,00002,516,000
6,877,000Estuary Housing Association-12.545,662,000 1,215,0007,863,000
14,534,000First Choice Homes Oldham18.537,268,0002,936,0004,330,00012,262,000
25,245,000Flagship Homes26.7618,036,0007,209,000 19,915,000
16,628,000ForViva Group0.149,559,0004,910,0002,159,00016,605,000
3,916,000Framework Housing Association22.413,030,000886,000 3,199,000
10,440,000Freebridge Community Housing39.785,662,0001,113,0003,665,0007,469,000
9,304,000Futures Housing Group-6.774,291,0003,456,0001,557,0009,980,000
6,247,000Gateway Housing Association16.482,995,0001,941,0001,311,0005,363,000
40,131,000Gentoo Group9.2925,035,00010,563,0004,533,00036,720,000
4,489,000Gloucester City Homes2.584,074,000303,000112,0004,376,000
2,449,013Golden Lane Housing38.91837,6631,468,472142,8781,763,071
6,657,000Golding Homes3.134,362,0002,295,000 6,455,000
17,821,000Grand Union Housing Group6.609,744,0002,510,0005,567,00016,717,000
16,079,000Great Places Housing Group4.697,543,0003,517,0005,019,00015,359,000
8,645,000Greenfields Community Housing Association-18.962,956,0003,308,0002,381,00010,668,000
19,911,000GreenSquare Group52.0613,642,000 6,269,00013,094,000
4,976,000Habinteg Housing Association-7.922,450,0002,024,000502,0005,404,000
9,496,000Halton Housing Trust-10.676,360,000763,0002,373,00010,630,000
6,009,000Hastoe Housing Association49.663,525,000788,0001,696,0004,015,000
6,953,000Hexagon Housing Association13.654,313,0001,487,0001,153,0006,118,000
5,197,000Hightown Housing Association13.823,711,000526,000960,0004,566,000
62,020,000Home Group4.3140,275,00016,285,0005,460,00059,460,000
22,766,000Housing & Care 213.5313,007,0008,454,0001,305,00021,990,000
6,414,000Housing Solutions10.683,032,0003,382,000 5,795,000
2,377,621Howard Cottage Housing Association14.321,725,606 652,0152,079,807
1,728,000Hundred Houses Society66.151,099,000629,000 1,040,000
40,683,000Hyde Housing Association1.9622,363,00015,250,0003,070,00039,900,000
4,518,000Impact Housing Association46.643,028,0001,475,00015,0003,081,000
3,594,000Inclusion Housing Community Interest Company-9.882,042,0001,552,000 3,987,899
26,764,000Incommunities Group1.9320,089,0004,762,0001,913,00026,257,000
2,094,000Inquilab Housing Association17.571,354,000495,000245,0001,781,000
9,725,000Irwell Valley Housing Association23.693,746,0005,545,000434,0007,845,000
4,148,000Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association-12.012,358,000446,0001,344,0004,714,000
36,555,000Jigsaw Homes Group-4.6719,247,0009,693,0007,615,00038,346,000
4,032,000Johnnie' Johnson Housing Trust1.281,978,0002,054,000 3,981,000
36,546,000Karbon Homes7.0822,747,00013,799,000 34,131,000
20,015,000Knowsley Housing Trust8.9514,855,000 5,160,00018,371,000
2,344,000Leeds and Yorkshire Housing Association76.911,157,000911,000276,0001,325,000
4,634,000Leeds Federated Housing Association20.022,772,000791,0001,071,0003,861,000
11,223,000Lincolnshire Housing Partnership13.947,022,0003,032,0001,169,0009,850,000
41,387,000LiveWest Homes6.4423,620,00010,157,0007,610,00038,883,000
8,528,000Livin Housing-2.407,606,000619,000303,0008,738,000
1,768,000Local Space40.101,080,000688,000 1,262,000
149,000,000London & Quadrant Housing Trust49.0083,000,00066,000,000 100,000,000
17,305,000Longhurst Group-6.1010,479,0005,853,000973,00018,430,000
2,421,000Look Ahead Care and Support1.682,245,000 176,0002,381,000
26,680,000Magenta (Formerly Wirral Partnership Homes )20.5411,642,0004,062,00010,976,00022,133,000
10,534,000Magna Housing Group21.564,593,0003,126,0002,815,0008,666,000
1,337,000Manningham Housing Association8.70753,000535,00049,0001,230,000
53,685,000Metropolitan Thames Valley16.6234,456,00013,674,0005,555,00046,034,000
31,277,000Midland Heart4.8421,443,0005,757,0004,077,00029,833,000
21,586,000Moat Homes27.5910,377,0003,007,0008,202,00016,918,000
11,063,000Mosscare St Vincent's Housing Group7.028,193,0002,870,000 10,337,000
2,351,000Mount Green Housing Association-7.401,022,000901,000428,0002,539,000
7,256,000Muir Group Housing Association-1.694,812,000142,0002,302,0007,381,000
1,229,000Nehemiah United Churches Housing Association2.42712,000517,000 1,200,000
22,574,000Network Homes-15.0317,042,0005,532,000 22,827,000
10,955,000Newlon Housing Trust19.095,050,0005,819,00086,0009,199,000
5,164,000North Devon Homes-7.372,934,000942,0001,288,0005,575,000
3,933,000North Star Housing Group-2.481,765,0001,827,000341,0004,033,000
106,900,000Notting Hill Genesis36.5358,700,00031,200,00017,000,00078,300,000
11,356,000Nottingham Community Housing Association5.136,834,0001,509,0003,013,00010,802,000
10,941,000NSAH (Alliance Homes)2.525,047,0003,069,0002,825,00010,672,000
3,531,000Ocean Housing Group23.292,322,0001,209,000 2,864,000
8,519,000Octavia Housing-6.056,217,0002,044,000258,0009,068,000
137Omega Housing-97.80137 6,224
20,411,000One Housing Group-8.6612,585,0003,561,0004,265,00022,346,000
10,834,000One Manchester6.956,787,0001,632,0002,415,00010,130,000
21,350,000One Vision Housing-8.5914,547,000 6,803,00023,356,000
8,458,000Ongo Homes4.374,967,0001,722,0001,769,0008,104,000
46,545,000Onward Homes4.7428,471,00017,932,000142,00044,439,000
69,806,000Optivo Homes6.8827,579,00033,032,0009,195,00065,315,000
49,100,000Orbit Group-5.2129,900,00019,200,000 51,800,000
8,722,000Origin Housing-7.054,380,0004,342,000 9,384,000
4,108,000Orwell Housing Association9.552,513,0001,595,000 3,750,000
29,042,000PA Housing12.6417,435,00011,607,000 25,782,000
17,730,000Paradigm Housing Group17.199,565,0008,165,000 15,129,000
72,000,000Peabody Trust-1.8930,000,00042,000,000 73,386,000
9,330,000Phoenix Community Housing Association (Bellingham and Downham)-3.565,555,0002,774,0001,001,0009,674,000
64,200,000Places for People Group19.1144,700,00014,700,0004,800,00053,900,000
44,531,000Platform Housing14.8725,550,0006,580,00012,401,00038,767,000
0Plexus UK (First Project)-100.00 1,680,230
20,562,000Plus Dane Housing Group22.6618,280,000 2,282,00016,763,000
24,256,000Plymouth Community Homes8.8311,644,0005,187,0007,425,00022,288,000
9,876,000Poplar HARCA44.059,394,000482,000 6,856,000
4,031,000Prima Group-28.972,369,000 1,662,0005,675,000
16,917,000Progress Housing Group0.9510,801,0002,579,0003,537,00016,758,000
0Prospect HousingN/A 0
25,551,000Radian Group4.6912,553,0004,991,0008,007,00024,406,000
1,695,858Railway Housing Association and Benefit Fund10.211,453,071242,787 1,538,764
9,992,000Raven Housing Trust18.474,734,0001,857,0003,401,0008,434,000
14,072,000Red Kite Community Housing-7.923,708,0001,927,0008,437,00015,283,000
14,642,000Regenda24.108,558,0005,770,000314,00011,799,000
968,069Reside Housing Association-5.29758,914209,155 1,022,181
10,063,000Richmond Housing Partnership8.313,641,0004,022,0002,400,0009,291,000
13,936,000Rochdale Boroughwide Housing-7.289,852,0001,959,0002,125,00015,031,000
5,939,000Rooftop Housing Group-1.704,914,0001,025,000 6,042,000
3,170,000Rosebery Housing Association14.031,505,0001,665,000 2,780,000
7,184,000Saffron Housing Trust0.186,516,000295,000373,0007,171,000
13,841,000Salix Homes-7.167,250,0002,434,0004,157,00014,909,000
5,127,066Salvation Army Housing Association26.543,900,542221,5721,004,9524,051,788
105,900,000Sanctuary Housing Association1.1579,300,00026,600,000 104,700,000
7,306,000Saxon Weald Homes-1.763,443,0002,888,000975,0007,437,000
10,154,000Selwood Housing Society3.884,012,0003,057,0003,085,0009,775,000
8,483,000Settle (North Hertfordshire Homes )82.204,845,0003,638,000 4,656,000
11,287,000Shepherds Bush Housing Association-3.295,097,0006,190,000 11,671,000
9,469,000Silva (Bracknell Forest Homes)57.843,488,0001,351,0004,630,0005,999,000
11,788,000Soha Housing17.636,802,0004,986,000 10,021,000
2,305,000Solon South West Housing Association31.19636,0001,304,000365,0001,757,000
3,210,000South Lakes Housing10.841,694,0001,516,000 2,896,000
5,357,000South Liverpool Homes3.803,208,0001,704,000445,0005,161,000
6,311,000South Yorkshire Housing Association-0.365,433,000878,000 6,334,000
30,187,000Southern Housing Group8.4224,513,0005,674,000 27,843,000
6,229,000Southway Housing Trust (Manchester)36.693,396,0001,431,0001,402,0004,557,000
69,797,000Sovereign Housing Association1.2734,013,00012,478,00023,306,00068,923,000
2,993,000St Mungo Community Housing Association25.282,108,000885,000 2,389,000
5,534,000Stafford & Rural Homes-5.844,598,000936,000 5,877,000
3,120,000Staffordshire Housing Association15.812,544,000576,000 2,694,000
37,745,000Stonewater0.1224,072,0005,327,0008,346,00037,698,000
2,075,000Suffolk Housing Society-11.131,980,00095,000 2,335,000
0Sustain (UK)N/A 0
9,663,000Swan Housing Association-7.973,971,0005,692,000 10,500,000
4,264,000Teign Housing8.782,236,000600,0001,428,0003,920,000
2,588,000The Abbeyfield Society-14.112,365,000 223,0003,013,000
2,309,000The Cambridge Housing Society-11.291,495,000814,000 2,603,000
2,182,000The Christian Action (Enfield) Housing Association-16.331,988,000194,000 2,608,000
5,034,000The Community Housing Group-24.623,301,0001,605,000128,0006,678,000
63,500,000The Guinness Partnership5.6638,700,00017,600,0007,200,00060,100,000
10,735,000The Havebury Housing Partnership11.473,945,0003,114,0003,676,0009,630,000
14,145,000The Housing Plus Group13.743,772,00010,373,000 12,436,000
2,305,000The Industrial Dwellings Society (1885)-9.641,755,00025,000525,0002,551,000
2,333,000The Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust-3.56804,000934,000595,0002,419,000
1,531,778The Pickering and Ferens Homes14.10635,374390,904505,5001,342,473
3,149,000The Pioneer Housing and Community Group9.721,675,000945,000529,0002,870,000
59,125,000The Riverside Group1.5636,642,00014,962,0007,521,00058,217,000
17,361,000The Wrekin Housing Group5.5010,823,000 6,538,00016,456,000
55,205,000Thirteen Group14.0831,491,0003,245,00020,469,00048,393,000
4,251,000Thrive Homes3.583,121,0001,130,000 4,104,000
35,863,000Together Housing Group6.2327,951,000 7,912,00033,760,000
39,778,000Torus6214.5320,729,00010,788,0008,261,00034,730,000
3,223,000Tower Hamlets Community Housing35.933,223,000 2,371,000
10,982,000Town and Country Housing Group3.344,382,0004,028,0002,572,00010,627,000
9,623,000Trafford Housing Trust25.105,471,0003,728,000424,0007,692,000
5,961,000Trent & Dove Housing-11.902,156,0002,989,000816,0006,766,000
3,587,000Trident Housing Association16.122,461,0001,126,000 3,089,000
1,294,000Tuntum Housing Association-3.50920,000374,000 1,341,000
5,433,000Two Rivers Housing-9.692,592,0001,397,0001,444,0006,016,000
2,577,000United Communities10.512,186,000391,000 2,332,000
1,066,000Unity Housing Association21.69634,000432,000 876,000
16,558,000Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust20.758,319,0002,496,0005,743,00013,713,000
28,748,000Vivid Housing-9.2916,624,0004,742,0007,382,00031,691,000
32,934,000Wakefield And District Housing31.2917,626,0002,462,00012,846,00025,085,000
30,785,000Walsall Housing Group9.9410,374,00014,085,0006,326,00028,001,000
11,103,000Wandle Housing Association6.544,965,0004,519,0001,619,00010,421,000
1,418,000Warrington Housing Association6.06946,000 472,0001,337,000
4,118,000Watford Community Housing Trust4.523,397,000461,000260,0003,940,000
4,231,000WATMOS Community Homes-3.972,873,0001,358,000 4,406,000
12,333,000Weaver Vale Housing Trust6.215,480,0004,752,0002,101,00011,612,000
6,065,000Wellingborough Homes2.854,322,000712,0001,031,0005,897,000
11,674,000West Kent Housing Association9.284,033,0007,212,000429,00010,683,000
7,410,000Westward Housing Group-9.445,256,0001,207,000947,0008,182,000
3,816,000Worthing Homes16.881,769,0001,251,000796,0003,265,000
21,449,000Wythenshawe Community Housing Group6.9710,697,0001,901,0008,851,00020,051,000
12,185,000Yarlington Housing Group-2.037,500,0001,341,0003,344,00012,437,000
21,614,000Yorkshire Housing-0.2511,675,0005,083,0004,856,00021,669,000
25,127,000Your Housing Group18.6016,697,0007,594,000836,00021,187,000

Source: Housing Expert/housing association financial statements

 

Click here for HousingExpert.com

 

Notes: 1. Some associations report planned maintenance and major repairs as one figure. For these organisations, this single figure appears in the planned maintenance column. 2. The major repairs figures do not include capitalised major repairs spending

 

Update 30.1.20: The total spend figure for Network Homes in 2018 was £22,827 and not £25,567 as originally reported

Let’s look in detail at one example: Wandle, which owns 7,000 homes across London.

“Wandle has, in common with many peers, incurred significantly increased costs in relation to fire and indeed other health and safety risks,” the association said in its annual report.

Of course, this is not the only factor. It says its new responsive repairs service had “not delivered the efficiencies we had planned for and indeed there are areas that have incurred additional costs”.

It says an action plan is in place to address this and it hopes to be back on track by 2019/20. In 2018/19, the organisation spent almost £5m on routine maintenance, only a slight increase on the previous year. But its planned maintenance shot up by more than 60% to £4.5m and, like other landlords, the spectre of the Grenfell Tower fire still lies heavy over its spending decisions.

Vale of Aylesbury Housing, which owns and is responsible for more than 7,500 homes, also revealed higher expenditure on safety measures.

“Contractors were employed in particular to support a peak in the profile of gas safety checks to cover vacant posts,” it commented by way of explanation. “Materials expenditure includes additional costs for smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.”

Ten biggest spenders on planned maintenance 2019

Provider namePlanned maintenance spend 2019 (£)
London & Quadrant Housing Trust66,000,000
Clarion Housing Group50,200,000
Peabody Trust42,000,000
Optivo Homes33,032,000
Notting Hill Genesis31,200,000
Sanctuary Housing Association26,600,000
Orbit Group19,200,000
A2Dominion Housing Group19,000,000
Anchor Trust18,132,000
Onward Homes17,932,000

 

Elsewhere, Byker Community Trust said it had fitted high-specification fire doors and a sprinkler system to two of its sheltered housing blocks, as it continues to tackle the repercussions of Grenfell.

The landlord spent 14% more on routine works, 30.5% more on planned maintenance, but 15.5% less on major repairs in the past year.

Moat said it had “seen an increase in costs relating to health and safety issues during the year to meet changes in the legislation and best practice guidance”.

It reported higher expenditure for asbestos surveys and asbestos-related repairs at £2.0m, compared with £1.4m the previous year, and for fire risk assessments and related works at £900,000, compared with £200,000 in 2017/18.

“Some of the expenditure on repairs and maintenance relates to essential compliance work to ensure the safety of our residents, but the majority is due to high levels of expenditure on repairs to void properties and responsive repairs,” GreenSquare Group, which owns and manages 12,000 homes in Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, said in its annual financial statement.

10 biggest spenders on major repairs 2019

Provider nameMajor repairs spend 2019 (£)
Sovereign Housing Association23,306,000
Thirteen Group20,469,000
Notting Hill Genesis17,000,000
Aster Group15,854,000
Clarion Housing Group14,800,000
Wakefield And District Housing12,846,000
Platform Housing12,401,000
Magenta (Formerly Wirral Partnership Homes )10,976,000
Bromford Housing Group9,316,000
Citizen (WM Housing Group )9,304,000

 

Notes: 1. Figures are included where they are reported separately to planned maintenance. 2. Figures do not include capitalised major repairs spending

The organisation spent £13.6m on routine maintenance and £6.3m on major repairs. It did not provide a figure for planned maintenance.

Leeds & Yorkshire Housing Association told a similar story: “Maintenance costs have increased as a result of increased costs and volumes of day-to-day repairs, as well as higher levels of tenancy turnover leading to higher void refurbishment costs.”

Housing associations also periodically have to update interiors, resulting in a spike in spending.

For instance, although all CHP’s homes already meet the Decent Homes Standard, it sought to upgrade a number of properties during the year, resulting in additional spending.

In the past year, it invested more than £14.3m in its existing homes. Alongside day-to-day repairs and maintenance, this included 128 new kitchens, 73 bathrooms and seven wet rooms, and replacing the heating in 422 properties and electrical upgrades in 413 properties.

10 biggest spenders on routine maintenance 2019

Provider nameRoutine maintenance spend (£)
Clarion Housing Group122,700,000
London & Quadrant Housing Trust83,000,000
Sanctuary Housing Association79,300,000
Notting Hill Genesis58,700,000
Places for People Group44,700,000
Home Group40,275,000
The Guinness Partnership38,700,000
The Riverside Group36,642,000
Metropolitan Thames Valley34,456,000
Sovereign Housing Association34,013,000

Among the G15, the 12 largest social landlords in London, spending on planned maintenance rose more rapidly than for the wider group, increasing by almost 31% on the previous year to £289m collectively.

However, spending on routine maintenance only rose 3.3% to £467m and major repairs spending fell 2.4% to £54m, compared with the previous year.

G15 member L&Q had the highest spending on planned maintenance in the 12-month period, with a bill of £66m. Its accounts show it has a far higher cost per home for major repairs than the sector average, at £1,013 for 2019 on an adjusted basis, compared with £793 in 2018, and a sector average of £720.

Much of the increase was attributed to the removal of potentially flammable cladding on some of its developments.

Meanwhile, the largest major repairs bill was run up by Sovereign, which spent £23.3m, although that was around £200,000 less than it had spent in the previous year.

G15 housing associations' spend on repairs 2019

Provider nameRoutine maintenance 2019 (£)Planned maintenance 2019 (£)Major repairs 2019 (£)Total spend 2018 (£)Total spend 2019 (£)Change in total spend between 2018 and 2019 (%)
A2Dominion Housing Group16,700,00019,000,000 296000003570000020.60810811
Catalyst Housing17,236,0003,949,000 20284000211850004.44192467
Hyde Housing Association22,363,00015,250,0003,070,00039900000406830001.962406015
London & Quadrant Housing Trust83,000,00066,000,000 10000000014900000049
One Housing Group12,585,0003,561,0004,265,0002234600020411000-8.659267878
Southern Housing Group24,513,0005,674,000 3175600030187000-4.940798589
Clarion Housing Group122,700,00050,200,00014,800,000194600000187700000-3.545734841
Optivo Homes27,579,00033,032,0009,195,00065315000698060006.875909056
Peabody Trust30,000,00042,000,000 7338600072000000-1.88864361
Network Homes17,042,0005,532,000 2282700022574000-1.10833662
Notting Hill Genesis58,700,00031,200,00017,000,0007830000010690000036.52618135
Metropolitan Thames Valley34,456,00013,674,0005,555,000460340005368500016.62032411

Across the country, unexpected spending on repairs remains a top financial risk for housing associations – particularly where the service is outsourced.

Accent Housing, which owns and manages 20,000 homes, said contractor failure remains its “highest risk”.

“Our assessment of this risk was increased when issues emerged with one of our five main regional contractors this year. Our response was swift and decisive, resulting in new services being effectively mobilised and continuity of service maintained. Given the volatility of the external operating environment, however, this risk remains under focus,” it said.

“Continuing to invest in our current homes is a key priority and this year our total investment in repairs and maintenance was £37m (capital and revenue expenditure). We replaced 2,900 components at a cost of £9.6m which was in line with our forecasts,” the association added.

Indeed, bringing a repairs service in house can lead to financial gains. Clarion reported £1.1m of productivity savings due to repairs jobs being completed more efficiently, and £700,000 of savings from the insourcing of responsive repairs contracts in north London and Birmingham.

Biggest percentage increase in repairs spend 2019

Organisation% increase in annual spend 2019 Routine maintenance 2019 (£)Planned maintenance 2019 (£)Major repairs 2019 (£)Total spend 2018 (£)Total spend 2019 (£)
Settle (North Hertfordshire Homes )82.204,845,0003,638,000 4,656,0008,483,000
Leeds and Yorkshire Housing Association76.911,157,000911,000276,0001,325,0002,344,000
Hundred Houses Society66.151,099,000629,000 1,040,0001,728,000
Silva (Bracknell Forest Homes)57.843,488,0001,351,0004,630,0005,999,0009,469,000
GreenSquare Group52.0613,642,000 6,269,00013,094,00019,911,000
Hastoe Housing Association49.663,525,000788,0001,696,0004,015,0006,009,000
London & Quadrant Housing Trust49.0083,000,00066,000,000 100,000,000149,000,000
Impact Housing Association46.643,028,0001,475,00015,0003,081,0004,518,000
Poplar HARCA44.059,394,000482,000 6,856,0009,876,000
Local Space40.101,080,000688,000 1,262,0001,768,000

Overall, it spent £122.7m on routine maintenance, making it the biggest spender for this type of work. It also spent £50.2m on planned maintenance and £14.8m on major repairs during the year.

Sovereign also brought the provision of kitchens and bathrooms in house this year, reducing VAT costs and states that the decision means it can provide a higher-quality service to its customers. It forecasts additional savings of £360,000 for the first four years.

Elsewhere, Sanctuary Group suggested it would be increasing the amount of gas servicing and repairs work done by its own team in the coming year. Yorkshire Housing also said it was making similar moves.

“We’ve done more to extend our in-house repairs service,” the Leeds-based association said in its financial report. “This year we’ve expanded the work further into the investment programme and are delivering a higher proportion of the kitchen and bathroom installations in house.
Our aim is to improve service quality and consistency at the same time as reducing the cost of provision when compared with third-party suppliers.”

Biggest percentage decrease in repairs spending 2019

Provider nameChange in total spend between 2018 and 2019 (%)Routine maintenance 2019 (£)Planned maintenance 2019 (£)Major repairs 2019 (£)Total spend 2018 (£)Total spend 2019 (£)
Plexus UK (First Project)-100.00 1,680,2300
Omega Housing-97.80137 6,224137
Central and Cecil Housing Trust-34.15692,000 388,0001,640,0001,080,000
Prima Group-28.972,369,000 1,662,0005,675,0004,031,000
The Community Housing Group-24.623,301,0001,605,000128,0006,678,0005,034,000
Greenfields Community Housing Association-18.962,956,0003,308,0002,381,00010,668,0008,645,000
The Christian Action (Enfield) Housing Association-16.331,988,000194,000 2,608,0002,182,000
Network Homes-15.0317,042,0005,532,000 26,567,00022,574,000
The Abbeyfield Society-14.112,365,000 223,0003,013,0002,588,000
Citizen (WM Housing Group )-13.7923,024,0004,688,0009,304,00042,937,00037,016,000

A number of landlords spent less last year than in the previous 12 months, including Network Homes and East End Homes.

Often, a drop in spending reflects the cyclical nature of repairs: in some years, landlords are forced to outlay large amounts of money to update buildings, doing work that they may then not have to redo for another five years. This can skew spending figures over a particular period.

So while spending on repairs and maintenance continues to rise, the way that landlords provide the service may be changing, with some that once employed a contractor to do the work now choosing to manage the service themselves.

In all cases, landlords tend to be driven by the need to keep residents happy and safe. All those analysed spoke of improving resident satisfaction with the repairs services, reducing waiting times and improving communication with employees – all of which are problems that spending more money does not necessarily fix.

UPDATE 22.01.2020 9.47am

This article and tables have been updated to correct two errors, both relating to spending in the previous year (2018). Irwell Valley's figures erroneously showed a reduction in total repairs spending, due to an incorrect figure for 2018. In fact, this association’s spending went up nearly 24%.

We also erroneously recorded that Southern Housing’s spending went down, due to missing that Southern had restated the previous year’s repairs spending figures in its most recent financial report. Southern’s spending increased by about 8.2%.

Click "replay" below for a moving animation of the data

Linked InTwitterFacebookeCard
Add New Comment
You must be logged in to comment.