Celebrating 30 years of repairs
We recently announced that from April 2024 we’ll be delivering all responsive repairs (unplanned repairs that customers tell us about) to our homes by a team of in-house experts.
This isn’t something that’s new to us. In fact, we’ve been doing it for 30 years!
1994
Our repairs and maintenance team was originally set up three decades ago. Mike Andrews, former Chief Executive and Director of Housing at the time, explains:
“It all started in 1994 with three men and two vans.
"The single most important service we provide to our customers is keeping their homes in good repair. In 1994, all of our maintenance services were carried out by external contractors, but we wanted to be in control of the people and the works happening in our homes.
"That’s when we made the decision to establish our own Direct Maintenance Service for some small, local repairs.
"We wanted our customers to have trust in the people who were coming to fix their home, so they wore NCHA uniforms and were trained in our core values and standards.”
Over the years, as the organisation has grown, we’ve expanded our maintenance services beyond recognition. We now employ over 160 colleagues to deliver plumbing and gas services, carpenters, painters, planners and grounds maintenance and more. Almost the only area we haven’t looked after ourselves is responsive repairs, which has remained with external contractors.
Being accountable
Now, 30 years after that original team of three, we’re once again taking back control and accountability. From 8 April 2024 we’ll be delivering a full response repairs service ourselves.
Current Chief Executive Paul Moat comments: “We know that recently our responsive repairs service has not been as good as our customers deserve or expect. That’s not acceptable to us, and we’re looking to change it.
"I’m really excited about this evolution of our Property Services team in their 30th anniversary year. We’re confident that bringing the service in-house will allow us to renew trust and deliver a service to be proud off.
“With thirty years of experience, our customers are in very safe hands.”
Reporting a repair
For now there’s no changes to our current repairs service. Customer don’t need to do anything differently when they report a repair.
