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Repairs and maintenance spend tracker: what did your association do in 2016/17?
How have associations in England reacted to the 1% annual rent cut? Martin Hilditch analyses the repairs and maintenance expenditure of 240 landlords to find out
In a turbulent world, housing associations cut back their spending on repairs and maintenance for the second year running in 2016/17.
Our exclusive analysis of the English social housing regulator’s global accounts looked at the behaviour of 240 associations.
In an environment in which they were still adjusting to the government-enforced 1% a year rent reduction, and with merger activity on the up, associations made significant savings.
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The survey is based on expenditure figures for routine and planned maintenance and major repairs that impact on landlords’ bottom lines.
In total spend dipped just below £3.2bn – a 1.7% reduction on the £3.26bn recorded in 2015/16. While the 2016/17 figures looked at eight fewer associations than the previous year, those that dropped out of the picture had all merged with organisations that remain in the survey.
That 1.7% figure also conceals some more dramatic shifts.
Last year’s survey revealed that associations had concentrated their attention on their major repairs programmes as they started to come to terms with the rent cut, with expenditure falling 7.3% in this area (that survey looked at 100 of the biggest associations, so the figures are not directly comparable).
This year, that trend continued, with major repairs expenditure falling 11.3% from £524.5m in 2015/16 to £465.5m in 2016/17.
Spend on routine maintenance (the day-to-day repairs work driven by organisations responding to immediate problems reported by tenants) also dropped – down 1.5% from £1.93bn to just under £1.9bn.
Perhaps surprisingly, planned maintenance bucked the trend, rising by 3.1% from £805.5m to £830.7m.
The overall spending profile remained roughly the same, with 59.4% of expenditure focused on routine maintenance.
Top 240 biggest spenders on repairs and maintenance
| Organisation name | Total spend 2016/17 (£m) | Total spend 2015/16 (£m) | Difference (£m) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarion Housing Group | 203,200,000 | 72,556,000 | 130,644,000 | 180.06 |
| Sanctuary Group | 98,100,000 | 97,800,000 | 300,000 | 0.31 |
| L&Q | 82,515,000 | 84,533,000 | -2,018,000 | -2.39 |
| Sovereign | 69,826,000 | 50,841,000 | 18,985,000 | 37.34 |
| Home Group | 60,826,000 | 60,723,000 | 103,000 | 0.17 |
| Riverside | 60,316,000 | 64,291,000 | -3,975,000 | -6.18 |
| The Guinness Partnership | 54,200,000 | 55,300,000 | -1,100,000 | -1.99 |
| Orbit | 53,591,000 | 51,141,000 | 2,450,000 | 4.79 |
| Thirteen Group | 52,094,000 | 64,867,000 | -12,773,000 | -19.69 |
| Places for People | 50,913,000 | 50,177,000 | 736,000 | 1.47 |
| Onward Homes (Symphony HG) | 48,521,000 | 46,747,000 | 1,774,000 | 3.79 |
| Notting Hill Housing | 45,000,000 | 40,100,000 | 4,900,000 | 12.22 |
| Peabody | 44,228,000 | 38,481,000 | 5,747,000 | 14.93 |
| Optivo (AmicusHorizon) | 43,842,000 | 48,672,000 | -4,830,000 | -9.92 |
| WM Housing | 41,912,000 | 48,888,000 | -6,976,000 | -14.27 |
| Hyde | 38,716,000 | 32,377,000 | 6,339,000 | 19.58 |
| A2 Dominion | 38,185,000 | 33,446,000 | 4,739,000 | 14.17 |
| Gentoo | 36,157,000 | 35,347,000 | 810,000 | 2.29 |
| Peabody (Family Mosaic) | 35,380,000 | 45,608,000 | -10,228,000 | -22.43 |
| Together Housing Group | 34,589,000 | 35,365,000 | -776,000 | -2.19 |
| Aster Group | 33,162,000 | 32,132,000 | 1,030,000 | 3.21 |
| Stonewater | 33,107,000 | 30,496,000 | 2,611,000 | 8.56 |
| WHG | 31,985,000 | 31,246,000 | 739,000 | 2.37 |
| Metropolitan | 30,927,000 | 29,599,000 | 1,328,000 | 4.49 |
| WDH | 30,924,000 | 37,067,000 | -6,143,000 | -16.57 |
| Midland Heart | 30,796,000 | 33,188,000 | -2,392,000 | -7.21 |
| Anchor Trust | 27,080,000 | 25,540,000 | 1,540,000 | 6.03 |
| Your Housing Group | 26,988,000 | 30,938,000 | -3,950,000 | -12.77 |
| One Housing | 25,974,000 | 20,698,000 | 5,276,000 | 25.49 |
| Bromford | 25,888,000 | 23,966,000 | 1,922,000 | 8.02 |
| Incommunities | 25,783,000 | 26,783,000 | -1,000,000 | -3.73 |
| Radian | 25,673,000 | 25,935,000 | -262,000 | -1.01 |
| Genesis | 25,000,000 | 22,700,000 | 2,300,000 | 10.13 |
| Waterloo Housing Group | 24,562,000 | 16,952,000 | 7,610,000 | 44.89 |
| DCH | 24,410,000 | 23,562,000 | 848,000 | 3.60 |
| Network Homes | 24,039,000 | 23,780,000 | 259,000 | 1.09 |
| Southern Housing Group | 23,863,000 | 28,752,000 | -4,889,000 | -17.00 |
| Catalyst | 23,754,000 | 28,836,000 | -5,082,000 | -17.62 |
| Accent Group | 23,689,000 | 25,025,000 | -1,336,000 | -5.34 |
| Vivid (First Wessex) | 23,558,000 | 23,787,000 | -229,000 | -0.96 |
| Torus | 23,266,000 | 27,123,000 | -3,857,000 | -14.22 |
| Plymouth Community Homes | 22,962,000 | 26,992,000 | -4,030,000 | -14.93 |
| Bolton at Home | 22,537,000 | 21,521,000 | 1,016,000 | 4.72 |
| Yorkshire Housing | 21,604,000 | 22,793,000 | -1,189,000 | -5.22 |
| One Vision Housing | 21,563,000 | 20,187,000 | 1,376,000 | 6.82 |
| County Durham Housing Group | 21,020,000 | 19,493,000 | 1,527,000 | 7.83 |
| New Charter Group | 21,015,000 | 19,753,000 | 1,262,000 | 6.39 |
| Karbon Homes (Isos) | 20,720,000 | 20,053,000 | 667,000 | 3.33 |
| Bernicia | 20,207,000 | 13,601,000 | 6,606,000 | 48.57 |
| Curo | 18,760,000 | 19,926,000 | -1,166,000 | -5.85 |
But enough of the overview. What do these figures mean on the ground, and what decisions were individual associations making to deliver these shifts in expenditure?
Most importantly, given that the Grenfell fire took place since the period scrutinised in the global accounts, and bearing in mind the government signalled the end of the 1%-a-year rent reduction policy, how are associations likely to change their approach again moving forward?
As well as our study of the global accounts, Inside Housing has trawled through scores of annual financial statements and accounts in a bid to find out how associations have achieved a change in performance and what impact it has had.
We’ll start with North Hertfordshire Homes, because it saw the biggest overall drop in expenditure in 2016/17, with overall repairs and maintenance expenditure falling 54% from £8.3m to £3.8m.
Its financial statement shows that the cost of its planned maintenance has fallen from 10.51% of core income in 2016 and 13.21% in 2015 to just 2.59%.
The cost of routine maintenance fell from 5.15% to 4.15% in the same period.
Its report suggests at least part of the reduction is down to the organisation “altering our approach to operative terms and conditions from a piece rate incentives model to a flat salary”. It says this “helped to contribute towards a continued decline in the overall number of jobs being raised”.
While this might sound like a success story, there have been problems.
Changes in spend on planned maintenance
| Organisation name | Spend £ 2016/17 | Spend £ 2015/16 | Difference (£) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarion Housing Group* | 75,500,000 | 15,892,000 | 59,608,000 | 375.08 |
| L&Q | 30,153,000 | 20,392,000 | 9,761,000 | 47.87 |
| Sanctuary Group | 29,200,000 | 29,400,000 | -200,000 | -0.68 |
| Orbit | 24,455,000 | 21,861,000 | 2,594,000 | 11.87 |
| Home Group | 21,946,000 | 21,572,000 | 374,000 | 1.73 |
| Optivo (AmicusHorizon) | 21,316,000 | 19,677,000 | 1,639,000 | 8.33 |
| A2 Dominion | 20,815,000 | 16,614,000 | 4,201,000 | 25.29 |
| Peabody | 17,847,000 | 18,475,000 | -628,000 | -3.40 |
| Onward Homes (Symphony HG) | 17,188,000 | 17,698,000 | -510,000 | -2.88 |
| Hyde | 15,548,000 | 12,253,000 | 3,295,000 | 26.89 |
| Peabody (Family Mosaic) | 15,516,000 | 23,879,000 | -8,363,000 | -35.02 |
| WHG | 14,826,000 | 14,168,000 | 658,000 | 4.64 |
| Anchor Trust | 13,431,000 | 12,548,000 | 883,000 | 7.04 |
| The Guinness Partnership | 13,200,000 | 11,600,000 | 1,600,000 | 13.79 |
| Places for People | 12,773,000 | 15,597,000 | -2,824,000 | -18.11 |
| Sovereign | 11,032,000 | 9,007,000 | 2,025,000 | 22.48 |
| Metropolitan | 10,384,000 | 9,065,000 | 1,319,000 | 14.55 |
| Catalyst | 9,813,000 | 15,211,000 | -5,398,000 | -35.49 |
| One Vision Housing | 9,477,000 | 9,093,000 | 384,000 | 4.22 |
| Notting Hill Housing | 9,200,000 | 7,100,000 | 2,100,000 | 29.58 |
| Your Housing Group | 8,753,000 | 9,397,000 | -644,000 | -6.85 |
| Genesis | 8,600,000 | 5,500,000 | 3,100,000 | 56.36 |
| Torus | 7,889,000 | 5,798,000 | 2,091,000 | 36.06 |
| One Housing | 7,532,000 | 6,495,000 | 1,037,000 | 15.97 |
| Bolton at Home | 7,293,000 | 6,121,000 | 1,172,000 | 19.15 |
| Accent Group | 7,145,000 | 9,942,000 | -2,797,000 | -28.13 |
| Housing Plus Group | 7,131,000 | 4,920,000 | 2,211,000 | 44.94 |
| Aster Group | 6,871,000 | 7,232,000 | -361,000 | -4.99 |
| PA Housing (Paragon HG) | 6,639,000 | 7,023,000 | -384,000 | -5.47 |
| WM Housing | 6,527,000 | 7,607,000 | -1,080,000 | -14.20 |
| Housing & Care 21 | 6,160,000 | 4,091,000 | 2,069,000 | 50.57 |
| Paradigm | 5,852,000 | 7,152,000 | -1,300,000 | -18.18 |
| Karbon Homes (Isos) | 5,845,000 | 4,794,000 | 1,051,000 | 21.92 |
| DCH | 5,795,000 | 7,272,000 | -1,477,000 | -20.31 |
| Adactus Housing Group | 5,786,000 | 5,277,000 | 509,000 | 9.65 |
| Midland Heart | 5,771,000 | 6,657,000 | -886,000 | -13.31 |
| West Kent Housing Association | 5,597,000 | 5,329,000 | 268,000 | 5.03 |
| Hanover | 5,588,000 | 7,036,000 | -1,448,000 | -20.58 |
| Regenda | 5,382,000 | 5,604,000 | -222,000 | -3.96 |
| Irwell Valley Housing | 5,347,000 | 5,769,000 | -422,000 | -7.31 |
| Stonewater | 5,336,000 | 5,937,000 | -601,000 | -10.12 |
| Plymouth Community Homes | 5,226,000 | 5,326,000 | -100,000 | -1.88 |
| Yorkshire Housing | 4,847,000 | 6,179,000 | -1,332,000 | -21.56 |
| Shepherds Bush Housing Group | 4,822,000 | 5,219,000 | -397,000 | -7.61 |
| Aspire Housing | 4,766,000 | 3,456,000 | 1,310,000 | 37.91 |
| Thirteen Group | 4,679,000 | 4,562,000 | 117,000 | 2.56 |
| CHP | 4,660,000 | 4,711,000 | -51,000 | -1.08 |
| ForViva | 4,583,000 | 10,898,000 | -6,315,000 | -57.95 |
| GreenSquare Group | 4,524,000 | 3,511,000 | 1,013,000 | 28.85 |
| Radian | 4,401,000 | 4,628,000 | -227,000 | -4.90 |
| Longhurst Group | 4,174,000 | 5,111,000 | -937,000 | -18.33 |
| Town and Country Housing | 4,145,000 | 4,175,000 | -30,000 | -0.72 |
| Soha Housing | 4,036,000 | 4,876,000 | -840,000 | -17.23 |
| Incommunities | 4,004,000 | 4,069,000 | -65,000 | -1.60 |
| bpha | 3,992,000 | 3,838,000 | 154,000 | 4.01 |
| Magenta Living | 3,798,000 | 4,139,000 | -341,000 | -8.24 |
| Trent & Dove Housing | 3,749,000 | 3,116,000 | 633,000 | 20.31 |
| Vivid (First Wessex) | 3,734,000 | 3,539,000 | 195,000 | 5.51 |
| Weaver Vale Housing Trust | 3,684,000 | 4,144,000 | -460,000 | -11.10 |
| Trafford Housing Trust | 3,672,000 | 2,799,000 | 873,000 | 31.19 |
| Greenfields Community Housing | 3,656,000 | 4,127,000 | -471,000 | -11.41 |
| Bernicia | 3,641,000 | 850,000 | 2,791,000 | 328.35 |
| Moat | 3,631,000 | 3,374,000 | 257,000 | 7.62 |
| Origin Housing | 3,627,000 | 3,081,000 | 546,000 | 17.72 |
| Cross Keys Homes | 3,608,000 | 4,508,000 | -900,000 | -19.96 |
| Futures Housing Group | 3,596,000 | 2,896,000 | 700,000 | 24.17 |
| Grand Union Housing Group | 3,521,000 | 3,190,000 | 331,000 | 10.38 |
| Waterloo Housing Group | 3,391,000 | 2,576,000 | 815,000 | 31.64 |
| Newlon Housing Trust | 3,386,000 | 2,556,000 | 830,000 | 32.47 |
| Octavia Housing | 3,274,000 | 2,874,000 | 400,000 | 13.92 |
| RHP | 3,208,000 | 2,957,000 | 251,000 | 8.49 |
| Salix Homes | 3,188,000 | 4,415,000 | -1,227,000 | -27.79 |
| EMH Group | 3,148,000 | 3,031,000 | 117,000 | 3.86 |
| Wythenshawe Community Housing Group | 3,148,000 | 3,182,000 | -34,000 | -1.07 |
| Fortis Living | 2,972,000 | 2,982,000 | -10,000 | -0.34 |
| PA Housing (Asra Housing Group) | 2,945,000 | 3,345,000 | -400,000 | -11.96 |
| Accord | 2,867,000 | 2,745,000 | 122,000 | 4.44 |
| Great Places Housing Group | 2,860,000 | 419,000 | 2,441,000 | 582.58 |
| Wandle | 2,860,000 | 3,573,000 | -713,000 | -19.96 |
| Johnnie' Johnson Housing | 2,851,000 | 2,433,000 | 418,000 | 17.18 |
| New Charter Group | 2,843,000 | 1,829,000 | 1,014,000 | 55.44 |
| Aldwyck Housing Group | 2,766,000 | 2,437,000 | 329,000 | 13.50 |
| First Choice Homes Oldham | 2,709,000 | 2,231,000 | 478,000 | 21.43 |
| Southern Housing Group | 2,700,000 | 7,534,000 | -4,834,000 | -64.16 |
| County Durham Housing Group | 2,674,000 | 4,512,000 | -1,838,000 | -40.74 |
| Housing Solutions | 2,600,000 | 3,302,000 | -702,000 | -21.26 |
| Raven Housing Trust | 2,558,000 | 2,674,000 | -116,000 | -4.34 |
| Swan Housing Association | 2,553,000 | 2,504,000 | 49,000 | 1.96 |
| Two Rivers Housing | 2,521,000 | 2,549,000 | -28,000 | -1.10 |
| Red Kite Community Housing | 2,493,000 | 2,254,000 | 239,000 | 10.60 |
| WDH | 2,489,000 | 3,344,000 | -855,000 | -25.57 |
| Tower Hamlets Community Housing | 2,436,000 | 1,680,000 | 756,000 | 45.00 |
| Bromford | 2,388,000 | 2,245,000 | 143,000 | 6.37 |
| Phoenix Community Housing | 2,318,000 | 2,264,000 | 54,000 | 2.39 |
| Flagship Homes | 2,294,000 | 1,348,000 | 946,000 | 70.18 |
| Alliance Homes Group | 2,278,000 | 2,753,000 | -475,000 | -17.25 |
| Connexus (Shropshire Housing) | 2,188,000 | 2,342,000 | -154,000 | -6.58 |
| Vivid (Sentinel HA) | 2,145,000 | 2,969,000 | -824,000 | -27.75 |
| Havebury Housing Partnership | 2,104,000 | 2,255,000 | -151,000 | -6.70 |
| Progress Housing Group | 2,051,000 | 1,927,000 | 124,000 | 6.43 |
| Saxon Weald | 1,987,000 | 2,249,000 | -262,000 | -11.65 |
| Selwood Housing | 1,966,000 | 3,134,000 | -1,168,000 | -37.27 |
| Cottsway | 1,959,000 | 2,160,000 | -201,000 | -9.31 |
| Coast & Country | 1,957,000 | 1,919,000 | 38,000 | 1.98 |
| Vale of Aylesbury Housing | 1,901,000 | 1,215,000 | 686,000 | 56.46 |
| Connect Housing | 1,872,000 | 1,862,000 | 10,000 | 0.54 |
| Golding Homes | 1,860,000 | 1,845,000 | 15,000 | 0.81 |
| Coastline Housing | 1,816,000 | 1,451,000 | 365,000 | 25.16 |
| Advance Housing and Support | 1,805,000 | 1,899,000 | -94,000 | -4.95 |
| The Community Housing Group | 1,781,000 | 1,321,000 | 460,000 | 34.82 |
| Peaks & Plains Housing Trust | 1,770,000 | 2,374,000 | -604,000 | -25.44 |
| SLH Group | 1,688,000 | 1,541,000 | 147,000 | 9.54 |
| North Star | 1,684,000 | 1,643,000 | 41,000 | 2.50 |
| Rosebery Housing Association | 1,675,000 | 1,514,000 | 161,000 | 10.63 |
| Habinteg | 1,655,000 | 1,765,000 | -110,000 | -6.23 |
| Thrive Homes | 1,606,000 | 2,235,000 | -629,000 | -28.14 |
| Orwell Housing | 1,558,000 | 1,716,000 | -158,000 | -9.21 |
| One Manchester | 1,556,000 | 435,000 | 1,121,000 | 257.70 |
| Mosscare St Vincent's (St Vincent's Housing) | 1,551,000 | 1,207,000 | 344,000 | 28.50 |
| Rochdale Boroughwide Housing | 1,549,000 | 2,324,000 | -775,000 | -33.35 |
| Rooftop Housing Group | 1,449,000 | 1,783,000 | -334,000 | -18.73 |
| Ongo | 1,430,000 | 1,449,000 | -19,000 | -1.31 |
| Boston Mayflower | 1,424,000 | 1,236,000 | 188,000 | 15.21 |
| Stafford & Rural Homes | 1,370,000 | 2,104,000 | -734,000 | -34.89 |
| Westward | 1,364,000 | 1,364,000 | #DIV/0! | |
| Hexagon | 1,352,000 | 1,484,000 | -132,000 | -8.89 |
| North Hertfordshire Homes | 1,348,000 | 5,413,000 | -4,065,000 | -75.10 |
| Merlin | 1,301,000 | 1,536,000 | -235,000 | -15.30 |
| Yorkshire Coast Homes | 1,295,000 | 1,739,000 | -444,000 | -25.53 |
| Freebridge Community Housing | 1,293,000 | 1,010,000 | 283,000 | 28.02 |
| Halton Housing Trust | 1,280,000 | 1,040,000 | 240,000 | 23.08 |
| Bournville Village Trust | 1,268,000 | 1,222,000 | 46,000 | 3.76 |
| Thames Valley Housing | 1,254,000 | 1,318,000 | -64,000 | -4.86 |
| Nottingham Community Housing Association | 1,204,000 | 3,419,000 | -2,215,000 | -64.79 |
| WATMOS Community Homes | 1,183,000 | 783,000 | 400,000 | 51.09 |
| Southway Housing Trust | 1,182,000 | 1,296,000 | -114,000 | -8.80 |
| Luminus | 1,179,000 | 623,000 | 556,000 | 89.25 |
| North Devon Homes | 1,170,000 | 1,533,000 | -363,000 | -23.68 |
| Karbon Homes (Derwentside Homes) | 1,170,000 | 2,375,000 | -1,205,000 | -50.74 |
| South Lakes Housing | 1,161,000 | 1,205,000 | -44,000 | -3.65 |
| B3 Living | 1,159,000 | 1,631,000 | -472,000 | -28.94 |
| Shoreline Housing Partnership | 1,136,000 | 1,177,000 | -41,000 | -3.48 |
| Estuary Housing | 1,126,000 | 1,240,000 | -114,000 | -9.19 |
| Bracknell Forest Homes | 1,118,000 | 823,000 | 295,000 | 35.84 |
| Mosscare St Vincent's (Mosscare Housing) | 1,102,000 | 931,000 | 171,000 | 18.37 |
| Liverpool Mutual Homes | 1,085,000 | 2,226,000 | -1,141,000 | -51.26 |
| Solon South West Housing Association | 1,084,000 | 795,000 | 289,000 | 36.35 |
| CHS Group | 1,033,000 | 896,000 | 137,000 | 15.29 |
| Axiom Housing Association | 1,033,000 | 1,172,000 | -139,000 | -11.86 |
| Severn Vale Housing | 998,000 | 2,276,000 | -1,278,000 | -56.15 |
| Worthing Homes | 989,000 | 1,086,000 | -97,000 | -8.93 |
| SYHA | 986,000 | 1,139,000 | -153,000 | -13.43 |
| Castles and Coasts (Two Castles HA) | 945,000 | 975,000 | -30,000 | -3.08 |
| Broadacres Housing Association | 936,000 | 872,000 | 64,000 | 7.34 |
| Acis Group | 909,000 | 895,000 | 14,000 | 1.56 |
| Mount Green Housing Association | 898,000 | 726,000 | 172,000 | 23.69 |
| St Mungo's | 882,000 | 214,000 | 668,000 | 312.15 |
| Golden Lane Housing | 873,000 | 796,000 | 77,000 | 9.67 |
| The Pioneer Group | 838,000 | 901,000 | -63,000 | -6.99 |
| Trident Group | 826,000 | 787,000 | 39,000 | 4.96 |
| Muir Group | 816,000 | 877,000 | -61,000 | -6.96 |
| Bromsgrove District Housing Trust | 789,000 | 783,000 | 6,000 | 0.77 |
| Impact Housing | 788,000 | 129,000 | 659,000 | 510.85 |
| Ocean Housing Group | 780,000 | 971,000 | -191,000 | -19.67 |
| Teign Housing | 739,000 | 664,000 | 75,000 | 11.30 |
| Victory Housing Trust | 721,000 | 930,000 | -209,000 | -22.47 |
| Leeds Federated | 713,000 | 766,000 | -53,000 | -6.92 |
| Gateway Housing Association | 692,000 | 1,414,000 | -722,000 | -51.06 |
| Hastoe Group | 671,000 | 1,027,000 | -356,000 | -34.66 |
| Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust | 667,000 | 280,000 | 387,000 | 138.21 |
| Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association | 627,000 | 1,000,000 | -373,000 | -37.30 |
| Equity Housing Group | 624,000 | 696,000 | -72,000 | -10.34 |
| Pickering and Ferens Homes | 623,000 | 499,000 | 124,000 | 24.85 |
| Staffordshire Housing Association | 606,000 | 429,000 | 177,000 | 41.26 |
| Nehemiah UCHA | 570,000 | 618,000 | -48,000 | -7.77 |
| Leeds and Yorkshire Housing Association | 561,000 | 541,000 | 20,000 | 3.70 |
| Gloucester City Homes | 466,000 | 407,000 | 59,000 | 14.50 |
| Unity | 459,000 | 314,000 | 145,000 | 46.18 |
| Watford Community Housing | 452,000 | 389,000 | 63,000 | 16.20 |
| Calico | 436,000 | 538,000 | -102,000 | -18.96 |
| Salvation Army Housing Association | 434,000 | 434,000 | - | 0.00 |
| United Communities | 427,000 | 472,000 | -45,000 | -9.53 |
| Christian Action Housing | 408,000 | 422,000 | -14,000 | -3.32 |
| Hightown Housing Association | 401,000 | 344,000 | 57,000 | 16.57 |
| East End Homes | 385,000 | 632,000 | -247,000 | -39.08 |
| Inquilab | 384,000 | - | 384,000 | #DIV/0! |
| Croydon Churches Housing Association | 378,000 | 566,000 | -188,000 | -33.22 |
| Local Space | 349,000 | 453,000 | -104,000 | -22.96 |
| Wellingborough Homes | 325,000 | 468,000 | -143,000 | -30.56 |
| Black Country Housing Group | 320,000 | 378,000 | -58,000 | -15.34 |
| English Rural | 314,000 | 204,000 | 110,000 | 53.92 |
| Saffron Housing Trust | 311,000 | 760,000 | -449,000 | -59.08 |
| Livin | 288,000 | 624,000 | -336,000 | -53.85 |
| Colne | 267,000 | 207,000 | 60,000 | 28.99 |
| Arches Housing | 262,000 | 278,000 | -16,000 | -5.76 |
| Hundred Houses Society | 260,000 | 297,000 | -37,000 | -12.46 |
| Industrial Dwellings Society | 237,000 | 314,000 | -77,000 | -24.52 |
| Eden Housing Association | 218,000 | 389,000 | -171,000 | -43.96 |
| Arcon Housing Association | 208,000 | 217,000 | -9,000 | -4.15 |
| Manningham Housing Association | 187,000 | 488,000 | -301,000 | -61.68 |
| Central and Cecil Housing Trust | 181,000 | 232,000 | -51,000 | -21.98 |
| Broadland Housing | 172,000 | 153,000 | 19,000 | 12.42 |
| Suffolk Housing | 140,000 | 135,000 | 5,000 | 3.70 |
| Arawak Walton Housing Association | 137,000 | 262,000 | -125,000 | -47.71 |
| Tuntum | 125,000 | - | 125,000 | #DIV/0! |
| Railway Housing Association | 124,000 | 280,000 | -156,000 | -55.71 |
| Connexus (Herefordshire Housing) | 104,000 | 579,000 | -475,000 | -82.04 |
| Byker Community Trust | 100,000 | 352,000 | -252,000 | -71.59 |
| Brunelcare | 76,000 | 108,000 | -32,000 | -29.63 |
| Poplar Harca | 12,000 | 434,000 | -422,000 | -97.24 |
| Salvation Army Housing Association (Chapter 1) | 7,000 | 28,000 | -21,000 | -75.00 |
| Durham Aged Mineworkers' Homes Association | 5,000 | 92,000 | -87,000 | -94.57 |
| Abbeyfield | - | - | - | |
| Bournemouth Churches Housing Association | - | - | - | |
| Community Gateway Association | - | - | - | |
| Curo | - | - | - | |
| Gentoo | - | - | - | |
| Howard Cottage Housing Association | - | - | - | |
| Knightstone | - | - | - | |
| Knowsley Housing Trust | - | - | - | |
| Look Ahead | - | - | - | |
| Network Homes | - | - | - | |
| Omega Housing | - | - | ||
| Optivo (Viridian) | - | - | - | |
| Plus Dane | - | - | - | |
| Prima Group (Pierhead Housing) | - | - | - | |
| Riverside | - | - | - | |
| The Wrekin Housing Group | - | - | - | |
| Together Housing Group | - | - | - | |
| Warrington Housing Association | - | - | - | |
| Epic Housing | - | 101,000 | -101,000 | |
| Yarlington Housing Group | - | 3,052,000 | -3,052,000 | |
| Bernicia Group (Four Housing) | - | - | ||
| Waterloo Housing Group (Acclaim) | - | - | ||
| Clarion Housing Group (Circle Housing) | 14,600,000 | -14,600,000 | ||
| Housing Plus (Severnside) | 3,325,000 | -3,325,000 | ||
| L&Q (East Thames) | 4,061,000 | -4,061,000 | ||
| Magna Housing | 3,107,000 | 4,506,000 | -1,399,000 | -31.05 |
| Places for People (Derwent Living) | 903,000 | -903,000 | ||
| Sovereign (Spectrum) | 1,672,000 | -1,672,000 | ||
| The Guinness Partnership (Wulvern) | 1,066,000 | -1,066,000 |
Source: 2016 and 2017 global accounts of private registered providers
*Clarion's 2015/16 figures are for Affinity Sutton
Its financial statements admit that “over the past 12 months the business has had difficulty in attracting the right level of skill in the workforce when undertaking repairs. As a result the organisation has carried a number of vacancies” while looking for “the right skills to ensure it maintains the high levels of quality that underpin the service”.
The average number of days taken to complete repairs has risen from 10 in 2015/16 to 13 in 2016/17.
The report indicates it will “begin to explore operative apprenticeships to assist with this issue in the future”.
Its report indicates further changes are on the way, letting tenants know that in 2016/17 it has been developing information for them that sets out clearly “what we can and can’t do” when it comes to repairs.
This has echoes of an approach taken by a number of associations over the past few years in order to reduce routine repairs expenditure.
With responsive repairs taking up such a significant share of repairs and maintenance expenditure, it is certainly an area where landlords have been looking for answers.
L&Q previously introduced a “routine repairs responsibility policy”, setting out which repairs it expects residents to take care of themselves.
Its expenditure on routine maintenance dropped 18% from £64.1m in 2016 (and £68m the year before that) to £52.4m in 2017. In 2016/17 its in-house repairs team took over responsibility for work in most of its neighbourhoods.
It hasn’t all been plain sailing though, with its residents’ annual report pointing out that there was a 73% satisfaction rate with its repairs and maintenance service, well down on the target of 82%.
“The satisfaction with the overall service this year has been partly affected by our revised repairs policies,” the report states. “This year we published updated guidance on our repairs responsibilities. This was to help our residents and staff to be clear on the repairs we were responsible for.”
Shoreline Housing Partnership saw the biggest percentage reduction in routine maintenance expenditure, down 36% from £5.8m to £3.7m.
Its financial statement admits that key challenges such as the rent reduction programme and welfare reforms were “met by the implementation of a cost reduction programme”.
Changes in spend on routine maintenance
| Organisation name | Spend £ 2016/17 | Spend £ 2015/16 | Difference (£) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | |||
| Clarion Housing Group* | 127,700,000 | 39,688,000 | 88,012,000 | 221.76 |
| Sanctuary Group | 68,900,000 | 68,400,000 | 500,000 | 0.73 |
| L&Q | 52,362,000 | 64,141,000 | -11,779,000 | -18.36 |
| Riverside | 50,718,000 | 54,754,000 | -4,036,000 | -7.37 |
| Sovereign | 36,859,000 | 23,866,000 | 12,993,000 | 54.44 |
| Home Group | 35,931,000 | 37,623,000 | -1,692,000 | -4.50 |
| Places for People | 34,332,000 | 31,666,000 | 2,666,000 | 8.42 |
| The Guinness Partnership | 29,900,000 | 35,200,000 | -5,300,000 | -15.06 |
| Orbit | 29,136,000 | 29,280,000 | -144,000 | -0.49 |
| Together Housing Group | 28,730,000 | 31,182,000 | -2,452,000 | -7.86 |
| Onward Homes (Symphony HG) | 28,729,000 | 29,049,000 | -320,000 | -1.10 |
| WM Housing | 26,904,000 | 26,741,000 | 163,000 | 0.61 |
| Peabody | 26,381,000 | 20,006,000 | 6,375,000 | 31.87 |
| Gentoo | 26,351,000 | 26,489,000 | -138,000 | -0.52 |
| Notting Hill Housing | 24,200,000 | 23,400,000 | 800,000 | 3.42 |
| Thirteen Group | 23,917,000 | 28,578,000 | -4,661,000 | -16.31 |
| Stonewater | 21,471,000 | 19,619,000 | 1,852,000 | 9.44 |
| Southern Housing Group | 21,163,000 | 21,218,000 | -55,000 | -0.26 |
| Hyde | 21,158,000 | 18,941,000 | 2,217,000 | 11.70 |
| Midland Heart | 20,923,000 | 22,095,000 | -1,172,000 | -5.30 |
| Peabody (Family Mosaic) | 19,864,000 | 21,729,000 | -1,865,000 | -8.58 |
| Incommunities | 19,626,000 | 19,748,000 | -122,000 | -0.62 |
| Optivo (AmicusHorizon) | 18,339,000 | 24,440,000 | -6,101,000 | -24.96 |
| County Durham Housing Group | 17,555,000 | 13,997,000 | 3,558,000 | 25.42 |
| Bromford | 17,442,000 | 15,525,000 | 1,917,000 | 12.35 |
| A2 Dominion | 17,370,000 | 16,832,000 | 538,000 | 3.20 |
| Metropolitan | 16,592,000 | 18,566,000 | -1,974,000 | -10.63 |
| Accent Group | 16,544,000 | 15,083,000 | 1,461,000 | 9.69 |
| Genesis | 16,400,000 | 17,100,000 | -700,000 | -4.09 |
| Your Housing Group | 16,293,000 | 18,563,000 | -2,270,000 | -12.23 |
| Waterloo Housing Group | 15,868,000 | 10,304,000 | 5,564,000 | 54.00 |
| Network Homes | 15,481,000 | 15,077,000 | 404,000 | 2.68 |
| Flagship Homes | 15,429,000 | 20,827,000 | -5,398,000 | -25.92 |
| Bolton at Home | 15,244,000 | 15,400,000 | -156,000 | -1.01 |
| WDH | 15,204,000 | 14,521,000 | 683,000 | 4.70 |
| Karbon Homes (Isos) | 14,875,000 | 15,259,000 | -384,000 | -2.52 |
| DCH | 14,071,000 | 12,420,000 | 1,651,000 | 13.29 |
| Catalyst | 13,941,000 | 13,625,000 | 316,000 | 2.32 |
| Anchor Trust | 13,649,000 | 12,992,000 | 657,000 | 5.06 |
| Plus Dane | 12,870,000 | 12,455,000 | 415,000 | 3.33 |
| Optivo (Viridian) | 12,834,000 | 12,723,000 | 111,000 | 0.87 |
| One Housing | 12,602,000 | 10,729,000 | 1,873,000 | 17.46 |
| New Charter Group | 12,535,000 | 12,578,000 | -43,000 | -0.34 |
| Aster Group | 12,503,000 | 13,011,000 | -508,000 | -3.90 |
| Liverpool Mutual Homes | 11,684,000 | 11,148,000 | 536,000 | 4.81 |
| The Wrekin Housing Group | 11,463,000 | 12,388,000 | -925,000 | -7.47 |
| Yorkshire Housing | 11,441,000 | 10,191,000 | 1,250,000 | 12.27 |
| Knowsley Housing Trust | 11,402,000 | 14,697,000 | -3,295,000 | -22.42 |
| Housing & Care 21 | 11,369,000 | 12,091,000 | -722,000 | -5.97 |
| Vivid (First Wessex) | 11,321,000 | 11,926,000 | -605,000 | -5.07 |
| Radian | 11,272,000 | 12,169,000 | -897,000 | -7.37 |
| Bernicia | 10,945,000 | 6,462,000 | 4,483,000 | 69.37 |
| Knightstone | 10,809,000 | 9,847,000 | 962,000 | 9.77 |
| Torus | 10,767,000 | 12,273,000 | -1,506,000 | -12.27 |
| EMH Group | 10,482,000 | 11,006,000 | -524,000 | -4.76 |
| ForViva | 10,204,000 | 8,735,000 | 1,469,000 | 16.82 |
| WHG | 9,936,000 | 7,902,000 | 2,034,000 | 25.74 |
| Longhurst Group | 9,802,000 | 10,713,000 | -911,000 | -8.50 |
| Plymouth Community Homes | 9,616,000 | 9,955,000 | -339,000 | -3.41 |
| Progress Housing Group | 9,452,000 | 10,145,000 | -693,000 | -6.83 |
| PA Housing (Asra Housing Group) | 9,281,000 | 9,393,000 | -112,000 | -1.19 |
| Curo | 9,218,000 | 9,525,000 | -307,000 | -3.22 |
| Magenta Living | 8,870,000 | 8,444,000 | 426,000 | 5.05 |
| Yarlington Housing Group | 8,870,000 | 9,247,000 | -377,000 | -4.08 |
| Moat | 8,840,000 | 8,467,000 | 373,000 | 4.41 |
| GreenSquare Group | 8,692,000 | 10,235,000 | -1,543,000 | -15.08 |
| Grand Union Housing Group | 8,555,000 | 7,473,000 | 1,082,000 | 14.48 |
| Thames Valley Housing | 8,510,000 | 8,315,000 | 195,000 | 2.35 |
| Rochdale Boroughwide Housing | 8,443,000 | 9,069,000 | -626,000 | -6.90 |
| PA Housing (Paragon HG) | 8,299,000 | 5,922,000 | 2,377,000 | 40.14 |
| Accord | 8,051,000 | 8,053,000 | -2,000 | -0.02 |
| Vale of Aylesbury Housing | 7,917,000 | 7,200,000 | 717,000 | 9.96 |
| Hanover | 7,884,000 | 8,153,000 | -269,000 | -3.30 |
| Paradigm | 7,724,000 | 8,852,000 | -1,128,000 | -12.74 |
| Wythenshawe Community Housing Group | 7,690,000 | 9,869,000 | -2,179,000 | -22.08 |
| Fortis Living | 7,679,000 | 7,786,000 | -107,000 | -1.37 |
| Poplar Harca | 7,417,000 | 8,413,000 | -996,000 | -11.84 |
| bpha | 7,386,000 | 7,607,000 | -221,000 | -2.91 |
| Livin | 7,335,000 | 7,099,000 | 236,000 | 3.32 |
| Regenda | 7,281,000 | 8,719,000 | -1,438,000 | -16.49 |
| Coast & Country | 7,252,000 | 7,415,000 | -163,000 | -2.20 |
| Salix Homes | 7,210,000 | 8,100,000 | -890,000 | -10.99 |
| Great Places Housing Group | 7,090,000 | 10,373,000 | -3,283,000 | -31.65 |
| Nottingham Community Housing Association | 6,861,000 | 7,514,000 | -653,000 | -8.69 |
| Adactus Housing Group | 6,536,000 | 6,672,000 | -136,000 | -2.04 |
| First Choice Homes Oldham | 6,526,000 | 7,437,000 | -911,000 | -12.25 |
| One Manchester | 6,400,000 | 8,780,000 | -2,380,000 | -27.11 |
| Cross Keys Homes | 6,105,000 | 7,618,000 | -1,513,000 | -19.86 |
| Soha Housing | 5,595,000 | 5,757,000 | -162,000 | -2.81 |
| Merlin | 5,545,000 | 5,716,000 | -171,000 | -2.99 |
| Octavia Housing | 5,519,000 | 5,935,000 | -416,000 | -7.01 |
| Housing Plus Group | 5,460,000 | 2,208,000 | 3,252,000 | 147.28 |
| Phoenix Community Housing | 5,398,000 | 5,331,000 | 67,000 | 1.26 |
| Saffron Housing Trust | 5,324,000 | 6,016,000 | -692,000 | -11.50 |
| West Kent Housing Association | 5,214,000 | 5,520,000 | -306,000 | -5.54 |
| Aldwyck Housing Group | 5,190,000 | 4,408,000 | 782,000 | 17.74 |
| Ongo | 5,189,000 | 6,499,000 | -1,310,000 | -20.16 |
| Wandle | 5,111,000 | 6,248,000 | -1,137,000 | -18.20 |
| Vivid (Sentinel HA) | 5,097,000 | 5,888,000 | -791,000 | -13.43 |
| Westward | 5,074,000 | 5,074,000 | ||
| Wellingborough Homes | 4,772,000 | 4,832,000 | -60,000 | -1.24 |
| Golding Homes | 4,743,000 | 3,851,000 | 892,000 | 23.16 |
| SYHA | 4,696,000 | 4,761,000 | -65,000 | -1.37 |
| Rooftop Housing Group | 4,682,000 | 4,138,000 | 544,000 | 13.15 |
| Weaver Vale Housing Trust | 4,655,000 | 5,002,000 | -347,000 | -6.94 |
| Estuary Housing | 4,636,000 | 3,899,000 | 737,000 | 18.90 |
| Aspire Housing | 4,578,000 | 6,744,000 | -2,166,000 | -32.12 |
| Community Gateway Association | 4,536,000 | 4,690,000 | -154,000 | -3.28 |
| Town and Country Housing | 4,496,000 | 5,328,000 | -832,000 | -15.62 |
| Halton Housing Trust | 4,489,000 | 4,476,000 | 13,000 | 0.29 |
| Futures Housing Group | 4,483,000 | 4,640,000 | -157,000 | -3.38 |
| Greenfields Community Housing | 4,465,000 | 5,393,000 | -928,000 | -17.21 |
| CHP | 4,423,000 | 4,384,000 | 39,000 | 0.89 |
| Broadland Housing | 4,423,000 | 5,030,000 | -607,000 | -12.07 |
| Mosscare St Vincent's (Mosscare Housing) | 4,380,000 | 4,195,000 | 185,000 | 4.41 |
| Broadacres Housing Association | 4,365,000 | 4,194,000 | 171,000 | 4.08 |
| Swan Housing Association | 4,315,000 | 3,929,000 | 386,000 | 9.82 |
| Stafford & Rural Homes | 4,311,000 | 4,205,000 | 106,000 | 2.52 |
| Luminus | 4,301,000 | 4,042,000 | 259,000 | 6.41 |
| One Vision Housing | 4,286,000 | 3,579,000 | 707,000 | 19.75 |
| Connexus (Shropshire Housing) | 4,282,000 | 3,866,000 | 416,000 | 10.76 |
| Shepherds Bush Housing Group | 4,200,000 | 4,433,000 | -233,000 | -5.26 |
| Selwood Housing | 4,188,000 | 4,814,000 | -626,000 | -13.00 |
| Newlon Housing Trust | 4,185,000 | 5,244,000 | -1,059,000 | -20.19 |
| Trafford Housing Trust | 4,142,000 | 4,310,000 | -168,000 | -3.90 |
| Acis Group | 3,939,000 | 3,604,000 | 335,000 | 9.30 |
| Raven Housing Trust | 3,931,000 | 4,645,000 | -714,000 | -15.37 |
| Alliance Homes Group | 3,919,000 | 4,745,000 | -826,000 | -17.41 |
| Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association | 3,912,000 | 3,375,000 | 537,000 | 15.91 |
| Peaks & Plains Housing Trust | 3,905,000 | 4,274,000 | -369,000 | -8.63 |
| Coastline Housing | 3,808,000 | 3,283,000 | 525,000 | 15.99 |
| Connexus (Herefordshire Housing) | 3,808,000 | 3,851,000 | -43,000 | -1.12 |
| Gloucester City Homes | 3,793,000 | 3,618,000 | 175,000 | 4.84 |
| Shoreline Housing Partnership | 3,717,000 | 5,784,000 | -2,067,000 | -35.74 |
| Origin Housing | 3,706,000 | 3,737,000 | -31,000 | -0.83 |
| Muir Group | 3,675,000 | 3,826,000 | -151,000 | -3.95 |
| Saxon Weald | 3,563,000 | 3,999,000 | -436,000 | -10.90 |
| Mosscare St Vincent's (St Vincent's Housing) | 3,550,000 | 2,550,000 | 1,000,000 | 39.22 |
| Havebury Housing Partnership | 3,511,000 | 3,938,000 | -427,000 | -10.84 |
| Victory Housing Trust | 3,466,000 | 3,742,000 | -276,000 | -7.38 |
| Calico | 3,458,000 | 3,680,000 | -222,000 | -6.03 |
| Bournville Village Trust | 3,367,000 | 4,344,000 | -977,000 | -22.49 |
| Hexagon | 3,338,000 | 3,151,000 | 187,000 | 5.93 |
| Hastoe Group | 3,295,000 | 3,328,000 | -33,000 | -0.99 |
| Freebridge Community Housing | 3,243,000 | 3,376,000 | -133,000 | -3.94 |
| Gateway Housing Association | 3,215,000 | 3,461,000 | -246,000 | -7.11 |
| Red Kite Community Housing | 3,198,000 | 3,022,000 | 176,000 | 5.82 |
| The Community Housing Group | 3,189,000 | 3,470,000 | -281,000 | -8.10 |
| Bracknell Forest Homes | 3,158,000 | 3,351,000 | -193,000 | -5.76 |
| Watford Community Housing | 3,118,000 | 3,104,000 | 14,000 | 0.45 |
| Irwell Valley Housing | 3,104,000 | 2,537,000 | 567,000 | 22.35 |
| WATMOS Community Homes | 3,100,000 | 1,875,000 | 1,225,000 | 65.33 |
| RHP | 3,083,000 | 3,195,000 | -112,000 | -3.51 |
| Habinteg | 3,056,000 | 2,919,000 | 137,000 | 4.69 |
| Housing Solutions | 3,020,000 | 2,704,000 | 316,000 | 11.69 |
| East End Homes | 2,888,000 | 3,989,000 | -1,101,000 | -27.60 |
| Yorkshire Coast Homes | 2,773,000 | 3,631,000 | -858,000 | -23.63 |
| Southway Housing Trust | 2,768,000 | 2,824,000 | -56,000 | -1.98 |
| Leeds Federated | 2,669,000 | 3,149,000 | -480,000 | -15.24 |
| Thrive Homes | 2,655,000 | 2,669,000 | -14,000 | -0.52 |
| Hightown Housing Association | 2,639,000 | 2,348,000 | 291,000 | 12.39 |
| Karbon Homes (Derwentside Homes) | 2,607,000 | 985,000 | 1,622,000 | 164.67 |
| Tower Hamlets Community Housing | 2,484,000 | 2,859,000 | -375,000 | -13.12 |
| Salvation Army Housing Association | 2,460,000 | 2,454,000 | 6,000 | 0.24 |
| SLH Group | 2,392,000 | 2,252,000 | 140,000 | 6.22 |
| Impact Housing | 2,297,000 | 3,194,000 | -897,000 | -28.08 |
| Two Rivers Housing | 2,284,000 | 2,505,000 | -221,000 | -8.82 |
| Staffordshire Housing Association | 2,270,000 | 2,475,000 | -205,000 | -8.28 |
| Orwell Housing | 2,225,000 | 2,217,000 | 8,000 | 0.36 |
| Severn Vale Housing | 2,219,000 | 2,259,000 | -40,000 | -1.77 |
| North Devon Homes | 2,211,000 | 2,298,000 | -87,000 | -3.79 |
| Trident Group | 2,190,000 | 2,117,000 | 73,000 | 3.45 |
| North Hertfordshire Homes | 2,161,000 | 2,268,000 | -107,000 | -4.72 |
| Advance Housing and Support | 2,113,000 | 1,627,000 | 486,000 | 29.87 |
| Trent & Dove Housing | 2,106,000 | 2,736,000 | -630,000 | -23.03 |
| Boston Mayflower | 2,104,000 | 2,244,000 | -140,000 | -6.24 |
| Colne | 2,101,000 | 1,382,000 | 719,000 | 52.03 |
| Ocean Housing Group | 2,084,000 | 1,994,000 | 90,000 | 4.51 |
| Connect Housing | 1,983,000 | 1,987,000 | -4,000 | -0.20 |
| Durham Aged Mineworkers' Homes Association | 1,977,000 | 2,057,000 | -80,000 | -3.89 |
| Bromsgrove District Housing Trust | 1,972,000 | 2,182,000 | -210,000 | -9.62 |
| Bournemouth Churches Housing Association | 1,922,000 | 1,886,000 | 36,000 | 1.91 |
| B3 Living | 1,905,000 | 2,117,000 | -212,000 | -10.01 |
| Look Ahead | 1,879,000 | 1,613,000 | 266,000 | 16.49 |
| Black Country Housing Group | 1,873,000 | 1,766,000 | 107,000 | 6.06 |
| CHS Group | 1,861,000 | 1,723,000 | 138,000 | 8.01 |
| South Lakes Housing | 1,820,000 | 1,705,000 | 115,000 | 6.74 |
| Suffolk Housing | 1,818,000 | 2,246,000 | -428,000 | -19.06 |
| Castles and Coasts (Two Castles HA) | 1,781,000 | 1,761,000 | 20,000 | 1.14 |
| Equity Housing Group | 1,751,000 | 1,866,000 | -115,000 | -6.16 |
| Christian Action Housing | 1,741,000 | 1,982,000 | -241,000 | -12.16 |
| Teign Housing | 1,718,000 | 1,870,000 | -152,000 | -8.13 |
| Industrial Dwellings Society | 1,694,000 | 1,827,000 | -133,000 | -7.28 |
| North Star | 1,685,000 | 1,899,000 | -214,000 | -11.27 |
| Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust | 1,673,000 | 1,813,000 | -140,000 | -7.72 |
| Eden Housing Association | 1,600,000 | 1,593,000 | 7,000 | 0.44 |
| Prima Group (Pierhead Housing) | 1,547,000 | 1,157,000 | 390,000 | 33.71 |
| Johnnie' Johnson Housing | 1,537,000 | 1,365,000 | 172,000 | 12.60 |
| Worthing Homes | 1,485,000 | 1,465,000 | 20,000 | 1.37 |
| Byker Community Trust | 1,484,000 | 1,683,000 | -199,000 | -11.82 |
| Croydon Churches Housing Association | 1,429,000 | 1,240,000 | 189,000 | 15.24 |
| Railway Housing Association | 1,385,000 | 1,454,000 | -69,000 | -4.75 |
| Cottsway | 1,375,000 | 1,448,000 | -73,000 | -5.04 |
| The Pioneer Group | 1,368,000 | 1,571,000 | -203,000 | -12.92 |
| Inquilab | 1,264,000 | 1,681,000 | -417,000 | -24.81 |
| Rosebery Housing Association | 1,241,000 | 1,199,000 | 42,000 | 3.50 |
| Howard Cottage Housing Association | 1,182,000 | 1,397,000 | -215,000 | -15.39 |
| Abbeyfield | 1,115,000 | 1,397,000 | -282,000 | -20.19 |
| Hundred Houses Society | 1,070,000 | 1,187,000 | -117,000 | -9.86 |
| United Communities | 1,059,000 | 1,204,000 | -145,000 | -12.04 |
| Brunelcare | 1,014,000 | 1,037,000 | -23,000 | -2.22 |
| Axiom Housing Association | 992,000 | 1,067,000 | -75,000 | -7.03 |
| Tuntum | 986,000 | 1,246,000 | -260,000 | -20.87 |
| Warrington Housing Association | 923,000 | 919,000 | 4,000 | 0.44 |
| Arawak Walton Housing Association | 914,000 | 1,019,000 | -105,000 | -10.30 |
| Arches Housing | 879,000 | 839,000 | 40,000 | 4.77 |
| St Mungo's | 867,000 | 835,000 | 32,000 | 3.83 |
| Manningham Housing Association | 823,000 | 919,000 | -96,000 | -10.45 |
| Central and Cecil Housing Trust | 815,000 | 647,000 | 168,000 | 25.97 |
| Arcon Housing Association | 814,000 | 838,000 | -24,000 | -2.86 |
| Mount Green Housing Association | 756,000 | 555,000 | 201,000 | 36.22 |
| Pickering and Ferens Homes | 688,000 | 723,000 | -35,000 | -4.84 |
| Nehemiah UCHA | 647,000 | 733,000 | -86,000 | -11.73 |
| Golden Lane Housing | 644,000 | 713,000 | -69,000 | -9.68 |
| Unity | 590,000 | 509,000 | 81,000 | 15.91 |
| Leeds and Yorkshire Housing Association | 489,000 | 399,000 | 90,000 | 22.56 |
| Salvation Army Housing Association (Chapter 1) | 482,000 | 296,000 | 186,000 | 62.84 |
| Local Space | 475,000 | 339,000 | 136,000 | 40.12 |
| Solon South West Housing Association | 475,000 | 467,000 | 8,000 | 1.71 |
| English Rural | 451,000 | 241,000 | 210,000 | 87.14 |
| Epic Housing | 380,000 | 254,000 | 126,000 | 49.61 |
| Bernicia Group (Four Housing) | 5,375,000 | -5,375,000 | ||
| Clarion Housing Group (Circle Housing) | 47,900,000 | -47,900,000 | ||
| Housing Plus (Severnside) | 3,287,000 | -3,287,000 | ||
| L&Q (East Thames) | 7,288,000 | -7,288,000 | ||
| Magna Housing | 3,630,000 | -3,630,000 | ||
| Places for People (Derwent Living) | 4,062,000 | -4,062,000 | ||
| Sovereign (Spectrum) | 12,104,000 | -12,104,000 | ||
| The Guinness Partnership (Wulvern) | 4,142,000 | -4,142,000 | ||
| Waterloo Housing Group (Acclaim) | 6,870,000 | -6,870,000 |
Source: 2016 and 2017 global accounts of private registered providers
*Clarion's 2015/16 figures are for Affinity Sutton
Like L&Q, it has embraced an in-house solution to repairs and maintenance, with 2016/17 the first full year of operation for its direct labour organisation.
Satisfaction with the repairs and maintenance service rose from 95.1% to 97.1% in the year – perhaps down to the number of responsive repairs completed on time rising from 96.34% in 2015/16 to 99.63%.
It puts this down to operatives covering “smaller, dedicated neighbourhoods” and customers getting used to “the same familiar faces”.
Not everyone thinks that in-house is the best way to go, however.
Manningham Housing Association says in its value for money statement that “unlike organisations which opt to have an in-house repairs service, we do not carry the overhead cost of an in-house workforce, and therefore a reduction in the number of repairs ordered leads to a direct reduction in the cost of service delivery.
During 2016/17 we achieved a 19% saving against budget for the year”. It is another association that has “reviewed the range of works which we will (and will not) undertake”. This approach has seen the average number of repairs a month fall from 663 in 2014 to 530 in 2016.
As mentioned, however, associations have made their bigger percentage savings in other areas – but some have warned that this is potentially building up problems for the future.
Gloucester City Homes, for example, has been cutting back on its wider investment programme and posted the ninth-biggest percentage fall in major repairs expenditure.
The 4,450-home association, formerly an arm’s-length management organisation, was set up following a stock transfer in March 2015.
Its 2016/17 value for money self assessment reveals that its early plans have already changed. Its original plans for a £32.4m investment programme to preserve the external fabric of many of its homes was changed “following the rent reduction”, it states.
Just months after the transfer “the programme was reduced to deliver essential works only”.
This is clearly less than ideal and may well build up costs in the longer term, it adds. “The reduction in investment will not improve fuel-related costs for residents and potentially will increase repairs and cyclical maintenance costs in our budget profile.”
It has also carried out a review of service standards “with an emphasis on cost reduction”, with one result being “the reduction of decoration in our empty properties and allocation of decoration vouchers” which will reduce void costs from £1,380 to “no more than £1,000” per property.
As last year’s round-up revealed, a number of associations have also been looking at the estimated life cycles of some of the components in their housing properties in order to make savings – reducing the number of times replacements have to be accounted for.
Thirteen Group has been looking at this. Its annual report states that reductions in its major repairs budget were initiated in response to the “requirement to make efficiency savings”.
Changes in spend on major repairs
| Organisation name | Total spend £ 2016/17 | Total spend £ 2015/16 | Difference (£) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thirteen Group | 23,498,000 | 31,727,000 | -8,229,000 | -25.94 |
| Sovereign | 21,935,000 | 17,968,000 | 3,967,000 | 22.08 |
| Aster Group | 13,788,000 | 11,889,000 | 1,899,000 | 15.97 |
| WDH | 13,231,000 | 19,202,000 | -5,971,000 | -31.10 |
| Notting Hill Housing | 11,600,000 | 9,600,000 | 2,000,000 | 20.83 |
| The Guinness Partnership | 11,100,000 | 8,500,000 | 2,600,000 | 30.59 |
| Red Kite Community Housing | 10,046,000 | 10,315,000 | -269,000 | -2.61 |
| Radian | 10,000,000 | 9,138,000 | 862,000 | 9.43 |
| Gentoo | 9,806,000 | 8,858,000 | 948,000 | 10.70 |
| Riverside | 9,598,000 | 9,537,000 | 61,000 | 0.64 |
| Curo | 9,542,000 | 10,401,000 | -859,000 | -8.26 |
| Network Homes | 8,558,000 | 8,703,000 | -145,000 | -1.67 |
| Vivid (First Wessex) | 8,503,000 | 8,322,000 | 181,000 | 2.17 |
| WM Housing | 8,481,000 | 14,540,000 | -6,059,000 | -41.67 |
| Plymouth Community Homes | 8,120,000 | 11,711,000 | -3,591,000 | -30.66 |
| One Vision Housing | 7,800,000 | 7,515,000 | 285,000 | 3.79 |
| Vale of Aylesbury Housing | 7,364,000 | 8,216,000 | -852,000 | -10.37 |
| WHG | 7,223,000 | 9,176,000 | -1,953,000 | -21.28 |
| Stonewater | 6,300,000 | 4,940,000 | 1,360,000 | 27.53 |
| Bromford | 6,058,000 | 6,196,000 | -138,000 | -2.23 |
| Together Housing Group | 5,859,000 | 4,183,000 | 1,676,000 | 40.07 |
| One Housing | 5,840,000 | 3,474,000 | 2,366,000 | 68.11 |
| New Charter Group | 5,637,000 | 5,346,000 | 291,000 | 5.44 |
| Bernicia | 5,621,000 | 6,289,000 | -668,000 | -10.62 |
| Magenta Living | 5,519,000 | 4,926,000 | 593,000 | 12.04 |
| Grand Union Housing Group | 5,507,000 | 4,993,000 | 514,000 | 10.29 |
| The Wrekin Housing Group | 5,481,000 | 6,853,000 | -1,372,000 | -20.02 |
| Rochdale Boroughwide Housing | 5,411,000 | 4,103,000 | 1,308,000 | 31.88 |
| Optivo (Viridian) | 5,389,000 | 4,797,000 | 592,000 | 12.34 |
| Yorkshire Housing | 5,316,000 | 6,423,000 | -1,107,000 | -17.23 |
| Waterloo Housing Group | 5,303,000 | 4,072,000 | 1,231,000 | 30.23 |
| Great Places Housing Group | 4,758,000 | 6,407,000 | -1,649,000 | -25.74 |
| Havebury Housing Partnership | 4,708,000 | 3,613,000 | 1,095,000 | 30.31 |
| Torus | 4,610,000 | 9,052,000 | -4,442,000 | -49.07 |
| DCH | 4,544,000 | 3,870,000 | 674,000 | 17.42 |
| Alliance Homes Group | 4,404,000 | 3,159,000 | 1,245,000 | 39.41 |
| Optivo (AmicusHorizon) | 4,187,000 | 4,555,000 | -368,000 | -8.08 |
| Midland Heart | 4,102,000 | 4,436,000 | -334,000 | -7.53 |
| Salix Homes | 4,057,000 | - | ||
| Fortis Living | 3,957,000 | 3,662,000 | 295,000 | 8.06 |
| Metropolitan | 3,951,000 | 1,968,000 | 1,983,000 | 100.76 |
| Places for People | 3,808,000 | 2,914,000 | 894,000 | 30.68 |
| Wythenshawe Community Housing Group | 3,775,000 | 5,652,000 | -1,877,000 | -33.21 |
| Coast & Country | 3,720,000 | 4,860,000 | -1,140,000 | -23.46 |
| First Choice Homes Oldham | 3,540,000 | 6,936,000 | -3,396,000 | -48.96 |
| Vivid (Sentinel HA) | 3,521,000 | 3,900,000 | -379,000 | -9.72 |
| Knowsley Housing Trust | 3,373,000 | 6,597,000 | -3,224,000 | -48.87 |
| Yorkshire Coast Homes | 3,264,000 | 3,691,000 | -427,000 | -11.57 |
| Yarlington Housing Group | 3,214,000 | - | ||
| Freebridge Community Housing | 3,133,000 | 3,200,000 | -67,000 | -2.09 |
| Halton Housing Trust | 3,064,000 | 4,027,000 | -963,000 | -23.91 |
| Home Group | 2,949,000 | 1,528,000 | 1,421,000 | 93.00 |
| Greenfields Community Housing | 2,834,000 | 2,686,000 | 148,000 | 5.51 |
| Progress Housing Group | 2,751,000 | 3,207,000 | -456,000 | -14.22 |
| Golding Homes | 2,679,000 | 4,039,000 | -1,360,000 | -33.67 |
| Broadacres Housing Association | 2,676,000 | 3,351,000 | -675,000 | -20.14 |
| Onward Homes (Symphony HG) | 2,604,000 | - | ||
| Ongo | 2,499,000 | 2,941,000 | -442,000 | -15.03 |
| Plus Dane | 2,494,000 | 4,273,000 | -1,779,000 | -41.63 |
| One Manchester | 2,467,000 | 3,911,000 | -1,444,000 | -36.92 |
| Merlin | 2,431,000 | 2,992,000 | -561,000 | -18.75 |
| Selwood Housing | 2,363,000 | 1,150,000 | 1,213,000 | 105.48 |
| Muir Group | 2,355,000 | 2,043,000 | 312,000 | 15.27 |
| Bracknell Forest Homes | 2,264,000 | 2,901,000 | -637,000 | -21.96 |
| Thames Valley Housing | 2,239,000 | 2,290,000 | -51,000 | -2.23 |
| Hexagon | 2,183,000 | 1,343,000 | 840,000 | 62.55 |
| Incommunities | 2,153,000 | 2,966,000 | -813,000 | -27.41 |
| Longhurst Group | 2,067,000 | 2,456,000 | -389,000 | -15.84 |
| Futures Housing Group | 2,043,000 | 3,629,000 | -1,586,000 | -43.70 |
| Wandle | 2,042,000 | 3,326,000 | -1,284,000 | -38.60 |
| Victory Housing Trust | 2,040,000 | 2,306,000 | -266,000 | -11.54 |
| Hyde | 2,010,000 | 1,183,000 | 827,000 | 69.91 |
| Poplar Harca | 1,981,000 | 2,273,000 | -292,000 | -12.85 |
| Your Housing Group | 1,942,000 | 2,978,000 | -1,036,000 | -34.79 |
| Raven Housing Trust | 1,920,000 | 2,112,000 | -192,000 | -9.09 |
| Weaver Vale Housing Trust | 1,911,000 | 1,778,000 | 133,000 | 7.48 |
| North Devon Homes | 1,846,000 | 2,444,000 | -598,000 | -24.47 |
| Moat | 1,801,000 | 2,303,000 | -502,000 | -21.80 |
| Teign Housing | 1,776,000 | 2,028,000 | -252,000 | -12.43 |
| Phoenix Community Housing | 1,745,000 | 1,523,000 | 222,000 | 14.58 |
| Nottingham Community Housing Association | 1,726,000 | - | ||
| ForViva | 1,664,000 | 483,000 | 1,181,000 | 244.51 |
| RHP | 1,663,000 | 1,284,000 | 379,000 | 29.52 |
| Broadland Housing | 1,663,000 | 1,351,000 | 312,000 | 23.09 |
| Knightstone | 1,643,000 | 1,468,000 | 175,000 | 11.92 |
| Westward | 1,612,000 | |||
| Equity Housing Group | 1,605,000 | 1,059,000 | 546,000 | 51.56 |
| Bournville Village Trust | 1,290,000 | 944,000 | 346,000 | 36.65 |
| Saxon Weald | 1,259,000 | 1,264,000 | -5,000 | -0.40 |
| Acis Group | 1,251,000 | 1,348,000 | -97,000 | -7.20 |
| Aldwyck Housing Group | 1,161,000 | 1,514,000 | -353,000 | -23.32 |
| Calico | 1,140,000 | 1,361,000 | -221,000 | -16.24 |
| Housing & Care 21 | 1,129,000 | - | ||
| Prima Group (Pierhead Housing) | 1,063,000 | 907,000 | 156,000 | 17.20 |
| Town and Country Housing | 1,041,000 | 1,317,000 | -276,000 | -20.96 |
| Salvation Army Housing Association | 1,039,000 | 1,214,000 | -175,000 | -14.42 |
| Coastline Housing | 1,026,000 | 984,000 | 42,000 | 4.27 |
| Luminus | 1,018,000 | 1,801,000 | -783,000 | -43.48 |
| Hastoe Group | 1,008,000 | 802,000 | 206,000 | 25.69 |
| Leeds Federated | 890,000 | 932,000 | -42,000 | -4.51 |
| Hightown Housing Association | 813,000 | 761,000 | 52,000 | 6.83 |
| Advance Housing and Support | 800,000 | - | ||
| County Durham Housing Group | 791,000 | 984,000 | -193,000 | -19.61 |
| Byker Community Trust | 788,000 | - | ||
| Castles and Coasts (Two Castles HA) | 760,000 | 813,000 | -53,000 | -6.52 |
| Cottsway | 718,000 | 870,000 | -152,000 | -17.47 |
| Worthing Homes | 688,000 | 839,000 | -151,000 | -18.00 |
| Howard Cottage Housing Association | 660,000 | 788,000 | -128,000 | -16.24 |
| Southway Housing Trust | 656,000 | 1,318,000 | -662,000 | -50.23 |
| The Community Housing Group | 654,000 | 3,350,000 | -2,696,000 | -80.48 |
| Bournemouth Churches Housing Association | 653,000 | 504,000 | 149,000 | 29.56 |
| Trent & Dove Housing | 648,000 | 1,461,000 | -813,000 | -55.65 |
| Colne | 622,000 | 687,000 | -65,000 | -9.46 |
| Adactus Housing Group | 601,000 | 798,000 | -197,000 | -24.69 |
| Habinteg | 589,000 | 731,000 | -142,000 | -19.43 |
| SLH Group | 589,000 | 1,035,000 | -446,000 | -43.09 |
| Boston Mayflower | 579,000 | 1,086,000 | -507,000 | -46.69 |
| Central and Cecil Housing Trust | 534,000 | 470,000 | 64,000 | 13.62 |
| The Pioneer Group | 506,000 | 431,000 | 75,000 | 17.40 |
| Mount Green Housing Association | 483,000 | 235,000 | 248,000 | 105.53 |
| Shoreline Housing Partnership | 483,000 | 657,000 | -174,000 | -26.48 |
| Industrial Dwellings Society | 479,000 | 256,000 | 223,000 | 87.11 |
| Look Ahead | 437,000 | 218,000 | 219,000 | 100.46 |
| CHP | 426,000 | 272,000 | 154,000 | 56.62 |
| Abbeyfield | 418,000 | 85,000 | 333,000 | 391.76 |
| Trafford Housing Trust | 417,000 | 264,000 | 153,000 | 57.95 |
| Warrington Housing Association | 414,000 | 396,000 | 18,000 | 4.55 |
| Arawak Walton Housing Association | 381,000 | 219,000 | 162,000 | 73.97 |
| Octavia Housing | 381,000 | 474,000 | -93,000 | -19.62 |
| Saffron Housing Trust | 363,000 | 1,071,000 | -708,000 | -66.11 |
| Watford Community Housing | 362,000 | 1,906,000 | -1,544,000 | -81.01 |
| Connect Housing | 349,000 | 344,000 | 5,000 | 1.45 |
| PA Housing (Asra Housing Group) | 348,000 | 66,000 | 282,000 | 427.27 |
| Pickering and Ferens Homes | 331,000 | 469,000 | -138,000 | -29.42 |
| Regenda | 329,000 | 528,000 | -199,000 | -37.69 |
| Wellingborough Homes | 323,000 | 412,000 | -89,000 | -21.60 |
| Arcon Housing Association | 304,000 | 337,000 | -33,000 | -9.79 |
| East End Homes | 302,000 | 559,000 | -257,000 | -45.97 |
| North Star | 296,000 | 423,000 | -127,000 | -30.02 |
| North Hertfordshire Homes | 289,000 | 664,000 | -375,000 | -56.48 |
| Estuary Housing | 288,000 | 908,000 | -620,000 | -68.28 |
| Mosscare St Vincent's (St Vincent's Housing) | 280,000 | 119,000 | 161,000 | 135.29 |
| Axiom Housing Association | 254,000 | 252,000 | 2,000 | 0.79 |
| English Rural | 223,000 | 151,000 | 72,000 | 47.68 |
| Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust | 188,000 | 480,000 | -292,000 | -60.83 |
| Ocean Housing Group | 185,000 | 294,000 | -109,000 | -37.07 |
| Solon South West Housing Association | 168,000 | 308,000 | -140,000 | -45.45 |
| Gateway Housing Association | 161,000 | 398,000 | -237,000 | -59.55 |
| EMH Group | 154,000 | 1,100,000 | -946,000 | -86.00 |
| Epic Housing | 149,000 | 296,000 | -147,000 | -49.66 |
| Golden Lane Housing | 145,000 | 181,000 | -36,000 | -19.89 |
| Mosscare St Vincent's (Mosscare Housing) | 127,000 | 159,000 | -32,000 | -20.13 |
| Leeds and Yorkshire Housing Association | 85,000 | 105,000 | -20,000 | -19.05 |
| Gloucester City Homes | 84,000 | 251,000 | -167,000 | -66.53 |
| Manningham Housing Association | 80,000 | 26,000 | 54,000 | 207.69 |
| Newlon Housing Trust | 60,000 | 239,000 | -179,000 | -74.90 |
| Brunelcare | 59,000 | 26,000 | 33,000 | 126.92 |
| Impact Housing | 55,000 | - | ||
| Local Space | 44,000 | 70,000 | -26,000 | -37.14 |
| Inquilab | 36,000 | 143,000 | -107,000 | -74.83 |
| West Kent Housing Association | 23,000 | 664,000 | -641,000 | -96.54 |
| Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association | 20,000 | 164,000 | -144,000 | -87.80 |
| Accent Group | - | - | - | |
| Accord | - | - | - | |
| Anchor Trust | - | - | - | |
| Arches Housing | - | - | - | |
| Aspire Housing | - | - | - | |
| B3 Living | - | - | - | |
| Black Country Housing Group | - | - | - | |
| Bolton at Home | - | - | - | |
| bpha | - | - | - | |
| Bromsgrove District Housing Trust | - | - | - | |
| Catalyst | - | - | - | |
| Christian Action Housing | - | - | - | |
| CHS Group | - | - | - | |
| Community Gateway Association | - | - | - | |
| Connexus (Herefordshire Housing) | - | - | - | |
| Connexus (Shropshire Housing) | - | - | - | |
| Cross Keys Homes | - | - | - | |
| Croydon Churches Housing Association | - | - | - | |
| Durham Aged Mineworkers' Homes Association | - | - | - | |
| Eden Housing Association | - | - | - | |
| Flagship Homes | - | - | - | |
| GreenSquare Group | - | - | - | |
| Hanover | - | - | - | |
| Housing Plus Group | - | - | - | |
| Housing Solutions | - | - | - | |
| Hundred Houses Society | - | - | - | |
| Irwell Valley Housing | - | - | - | |
| Johnnie' Johnson Housing | - | - | - | |
| Karbon Homes (Isos) | - | - | - | |
| L&Q | - | - | - | |
| Liverpool Mutual Homes | - | - | - | |
| Livin | - | - | - | |
| Omega Housing | - | - | ||
| Orbit | - | - | - | |
| Origin Housing | - | - | - | |
| Orwell Housing | - | - | - | |
| PA Housing (Paragon HG) | - | - | - | |
| Paradigm | - | - | - | |
| Peabody | - | - | - | |
| Peabody (Family Mosaic) | - | - | - | |
| Peaks & Plains Housing Trust | - | - | - | |
| Railway Housing Association | - | - | - | |
| Rooftop Housing Group | - | - | - | |
| Rosebery Housing Association | - | - | - | |
| Salvation Army Housing Association (Chapter 1) | - | - | - | |
| Sanctuary Group | - | - | - | |
| Severn Vale Housing | - | - | - | |
| Shepherds Bush Housing Group | - | - | - | |
| Soha Housing | - | - | - | |
| South Lakes Housing | - | - | - | |
| Southern Housing Group | - | - | - | |
| St Mungo's | - | - | - | |
| Stafford & Rural Homes | - | - | - | |
| Staffordshire Housing Association | - | - | - | |
| Suffolk Housing | - | - | - | |
| Swan Housing Association | - | - | - | |
| SYHA | - | - | - | |
| Thrive Homes | - | - | - | |
| Tower Hamlets Community Housing | - | - | - | |
| Trident Group | - | - | - | |
| Tuntum | - | - | - | |
| Two Rivers Housing | - | - | - | |
| United Communities | - | - | - | |
| Unity | - | - | - | |
| WATMOS Community Homes | - | - | - | |
| Clarion Housing Group | - | 16,976,000 | ||
| Genesis | - | 100,000 | ||
| Karbon Homes (Derwentside Homes) | - | 4,497,000 | ||
| Nehemiah UCHA | - | 42,000 | ||
| A2 Dominion | - | - | - | |
| Clarion Housing Group (Circle Housing) | - | - | ||
| Housing Plus (Severnside) | - | - | ||
| Magna Housing | - | - | - | |
| Bernicia Group (Four Housing) | 1,609,000 | |||
| L&Q (East Thames) | 34,000 | |||
| Places for People (Derwent Living) | 894,000 | |||
| Sovereign (Spectrum) | 6,668,000 | |||
| The Guinness Partnership (Wulvern) | 1,700,000 | |||
| Waterloo Housing Group (Acclaim) | 2,455,000 |
Source: 2016 and 2017 global accounts of private registered providers
*Clarion's 2015/16 figures are for Affinity Sutton
It also states that: “The budget decreases were achieved by reducing planned expenditure on boundary works and environmental programmes, disabled adaptations, external wall insulation and slowing down expenditure on various planned maintenance schemes where lifetimes of components may be extended without breaking Decent Homes requirements.”
It reduced its major repairs expenditure from £31.7m in 2016 to £23.5m in 2017. It hired Savills to survey 15% of its stock in 2016 to help it “better understand our cost liabilities regarding capital repairs and maintenance expenditure over the next 30 years”.
Jonathan Spearing, director of finance at Poplar Harca, says that because it has already completed an extensive refurbishment programme it “does not incur significant programmed maintenance spend as the components are still within their useful life cycle”.
Associations capitalised £1.6bn of major repairs expenditure in 2017 (down from £1.88bn in 2016).
As mentioned, though, the Grenfell tragedy focused many minds on why maintenance work is so important. Many annual reports addressed this directly.
One Manchester has 16 high rises of between nine and 16 floors with aluminium composite material on at least one side of the building. Its financial statements say that it has set aside £13m to fund “a comprehensive response”, including fire alarms, sprinklers and cladding replacement in 2017/18 and 2018/19.
In L&Q’s residents’ annual report, group chair Aubrey Adams said that the tragedy had brought a “sharp reminder that we must continue to invest in the quality and safety of our homes”.
“We will consider all possible methods of dealing with fire risk,” he added. “Cost will not be, and never has been, a barrier to providing the most appropriate solution.”
This sentiment seems like an appropriate one to end on. While associations are rightly looking to operate efficiently and maximise their ability to deliver new homes, they have one overriding responsibility: to provide their tenants with decent, safe housing.
