Peabody and Notting Hill Genesis to launch ‘digital marketplace’ for £400m repairs framework
Peabody and Notting Hill Genesis have teamed up to create a new ‘digital marketplace’ for £400m of responsive repairs in a move they hope will help transform the way they manage contractors.
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Under the new approach, vetted repairs suppliers would be able to put themselves forward for work posted on the platform and be selected on a job-by-job basis.
Their performance will be rated by residents to assess speed and quality. This would then determine how likely they are to be chosen for more work in future.
The London-based associations – which own and manage almost 125,000 homes between them – said that the one-off joint procurement exercise makes practical and economic sense, while allowing them to share knowledge and experience.
They are now looking to award a single supplier framework agreement to provide, manage and maintain a new software platform, which will be used by a pool of contractors contained on a separately procured dynamic purchasing system (DPS).
The platform allows an unlimited pool of contractors to form part of the supply chain, with the ability to join at any time.
The HAs said the move will allow easy selection of the best contractor for each individual job, based on their past performance, customer ratings, skills and availability to carry out the repair.
In addition, local SMEs will be able enter this market for the first time.
The change means a mixed approach to their supply chain, with some geographical areas moving to a marketplace model and others continuing with contractors and in-house repairs and maintenance services.
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Ashling Fox, chief operating officer at Peabody, described it as “an exciting opportunity to modernise responsive repairs services and improve satisfaction”.
She added: “It will provide choice and control to residents, empowering them to rate and select contractors themselves. It also opens the door for self-employed, skilled residents to bid for work themselves. This in turn will help drive local economies and boost prosperity.
“We see this being a modern and effective way of delivering repairs that will both improve services and empower residents.”
Jeremy Stibbe, group director of regeneration and assets at Notting Hill Genesis, said the move is a “cornerstone” of the group’s pledge to residents that it would improve its repairs service and offer a better digital service to those who want it.
“It will improve the experience of our residents from the moment they first report a repair through to when they get to leave feedback on the work carried out. It will mean residents always get the right person with the right tools to do the right job.
“It will give them greater choice and control over who does the work and when. It will allow them to track repairs and leave contractor reviews.”
He added that it will also help SME repair contractors, which has always been difficult with large multi-year contracts.
The HAs said the market place solution has been tested by both Peabody and Notting Hill with higher satisfaction and resolution of repairs, as well as a significant reduction in repeat visits.
The procurement process will run until spring 2020.
The HAs expect to enter into contract by the end of February, when they would start populating the framework with contractors to “go live” in April.
Hear from Ashling Fox at the Social Housing Annual Conference on 12 December 2019, with a session about embracing innovation in UK social housing
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