Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) has now signed its new repairs and maintenance contract, which will be introduced on 1 April 2009.

The new £40m per year contract will deliver a more comprehensive and customer-focussed service to GHA's 65,000 tenants and 26,500 homeowners. With more than 200,000 repairs currently carried out each year, the new contract will also provide better value for money and ensure speedier repairs that are right first time.

The five-year repairs and maintenance contract, valued at £200m, was awarded to two companies - City Building (Contracts) LLP for the north east and north west of the city and Connaught Partnerships Limited for the south of the city.

-- Advertisement --

The award of the contract followed a robust year-long European procurement process, involving representatives of tenants, homeowners and the trade unions, senior GHA staff, specialist external advisers and independent assessors.

Sandra Forsythe, Tenant Chair of GHA Board said: "The new contracts set higher standards of service for tenants and owners and will provide better quality repairs and more accessible appointments.

"A key priority will be a regular programme of maintenance of all GHA homes and improved maintenance of the surrounding areas, including the cleaning of gutters and the painting of closes."

Under the new contracts, staff will contact customers to confirm repairs appointments by text or phone and customers will be kept up-to-date on the progress of the repair.

Approximately 250 staff from the current single contractor City Building LLP will transfer under TUPE legislation to Connaught.

Pension rights of transferring staff will be protected. Working closely with both City Building and Connaught, GHA will continue to support Glasgow City Council’s commitment to developing apprentice training opportunities in the city.

(GK/JM)