Anchor announces new contracts as part of repairs and planned works transformation

Anchor has announced major new contracts as part of its transformation of repairs and planned works as it pioneers the digitisation of its operations.

With deals worth circa £1.7billion over 15 years, the organisation will move from a hybrid model of regional and local contracts across the country to seven regional contracts covering all repairs and planned works related to the structure and fabric of homes across the Anchor estate.

Anchor’s Chief Executive Sarah Jones said:

Completing repairs and planned property works on time, to a good standard, at a price that represents value for money, is central to our residents’ experience of their homes and it is vital that we get this right. We will work in partnership with our new contractors and our technology provider, Plentific, to achieve this outcome for residents, and make the process more efficient for colleagues.

Anchor is continuing to work with small to medium sized enterprises for the provision of other local services such as cleaning, gardening and facilities management.

Contracts have been successfully awarded to: Novus (South West), Axis (London and East Anglia), Cardo (London and South East), Ian Williams (Midlands), Equans (Yorkshire and Lincolnshire), WMS (Devon and Cornwall) and Novus (North West and Cumbria). Anchor is continuing to work with small to medium sized enterprises for the provision of other local services such as cleaning, gardening and facilities management.

Anchor consulted with residents prior to tendering the contracts and resident feedback has been central to the approach. Resident questions were included in all the tender documents and both residents and colleagues were involved in evaluating the contractors’ proposals. The new contracts also have an agreed pricing structure which incentivises efficiency and first-time fix from all the contractors.

The new contractors will be working alongside Anchor and its partner Plentific, with the Plentific platform serving as the central hub for Anchor’s work orders, integrating seamlessly with Anchor’s third-party housing management, contractors and accounting software. 

Plentific is a property technology company which provides a digital platform operating in real time and which is already used for more than 1.5m properties by six other social housing organisations. Plentific will connect Anchor colleagues with contractors, digitalise the supply chain and deliver property services more effectively to residents. The platform will make it much easier for Anchor colleagues to report a repair, schedule an appointment, check on what is happening with a repair and leave feedback on the service provided.

Crucially, working with local contractors and using the innovative Plentific platform, it will also deliver better value for money.

With 200,000 works orders placed each year across the country, and at a time of increasing consumer and safety regulation and a stretched workforce in the repairs and maintenance industry, the new approach should make things easier for Anchor colleagues and improve reliability and response for residents.

Find out more here about Anchor’s innovative approach to repairs and planned works transformation.