LOCARLA

Monthly UK Social Housing Update – Mar. 2025

I’m back! Did you miss me? I travelled to the Indian subcontinent, to prepare, and help out where I could, for the introduction of the 2023 Procurement Act. The sheer number of notices that came out the week leading up to that fateful weekend was, according to Roshani, and the team, “a delight to behold”.

So rather than the usual nonsense that would normally, and nominally, amount to an editorial, we’re going to dive straight in, as we have a lot to get through.

– What’s cooking in the Locarla kitchen post launch PA2023?
– Latest ESG 2024
– Latest EPC update
– The Leagues, news, contract lowdown & reports. What’s not to love!

Before we begin, a word in your shell like. Would anyone be interested in paying for API access to our 4.6M Social Home database, with 80 ‑ 85% UPRN indexed? It’s based on England & Wales Land Registry ownership, the addresses are formatted to AddressBase, and we update every month against CCOD. Connected EPC data as standard, updated quarterly.

We have been able to do this using AI, Machine Learning and lots, and lots, of people hours. Although our Works clients will have access to all the latest clean address data, and better EPC analysis as part of Locarla Properties, this latest offering, including the UPRN and the ability to clean thousands of records at a time, is a very different proposition. If you are interested, please get in touch with Gaz ‑ gaz.summer@locarla.com

‘Blue links‘ for all and ‘green links‘ are behind login so dependent on your licence.

Our new and renewing clients in February, thank you so much.

Procurement Act 2023 ‒ Locarla update

With the Procurement Act 2023 up and running, we need to make some changes to the site to accommodate the new notices.This is the plan:

My Locarla – we’re removing it for now.

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Business class clients will see the Housing section after login, that is probably preferable anyway as it’s the main starting point into the system. The ‘Company’ updates you had before will appear in a right‐hand panel from an icon in the header. ‘Access Stats’ will be built into a table and added to the ‘User Admin’ section.

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Premium & Works clients – You’se people will land on a Tender’s only page. Because of the number of notices being published, it’s going to get busy. We figured Tenders & the new ‘Planning’ notices are what you mostly want to look at first, so we’ll leave the main Contract table for research & analysis, post award.

My Notices – As now, Premium and Works clients can select any notices to appear in My Notices. With PA2023 there are 16 different notices, so we have colour coded them. Once a notice is selected, we will add all the connected notices that are published over the contract lifetime. Because someone asked, really nicely, if we could add a simple way of organising them during the bid process, we are.

Contract Panels – Each notice will have the normal details, plus a notice history, to move from one to another. The ‘Add to My Notices’ drop-down list, will include the ability to organise bids, and we’ll add a notes section when the first part is out of the way.
Yes, we do build software, and yes, we could build a damn fine bid management system, but our bag is big data, and we have to keep our eyes on the prize. Whilst you all go about your everyday business, we are collecting and organising data. The more accurate the data we receive, the more insightful we can be for you. And if we could put a ‘Large Language Model’ on the front of it, we think you would find that cool.

It’s all News to me!

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Bromford and Flagship Housing Groups have merged to form Bromford Flagship, managing 80,000 homes and planning to build 2,000 homes annually. Source: Bromford Flagship. Following the merger, the group secured a £100m Revolving Credit Facility with Royal Bank of Canada. Source: Bromford Flagship. Meanwhile, CHP and Estuary Housing Association are exploring a potential merger, which could unite 16,000 homes by the end of 2025. Source: CHP, and Wakefield & District Housing will rebrand as Vico Homes on April 1, 2025. Source: WDH

More than a dozen London authorities have purchased over 850 properties in English towns and cities since 2017 to house homeless residents, spending £140m in the process. Source: The Guardian. Meanwhile, Swansea Council plans to purchase 141 homes in Garden Village for affordable housing. Source: Wales Online

Harrogate Housing Association has raised £15m from Triodos Bank UK, allowing it to develop 200 new affordable homes in Harrogate. Source: Harrogate Informer. Meanwhile, Golden Lane Housing has secured £10m in financial backing from Lloyds Bank to support its expansion. Source: TheBusinessDesk.com

Hill Group and Peabody’s £116m deal with Goodstone Living will deliver 360 build-to-rent homes, kickstarting the 3,500-home Dagenham redevelopment. Source: Construction Enquirer. Bristol’s £4bn Temple Quarter seeks a private partner to deliver homes, business spaces, and transport upgrades. Source: Construction Enquirer. Pinnacle Group expands its Bellway Homes portfolio with five new sites. Source: FMJ. Thirteen Group is retrofitting over 100 homes in Stockton-on-Tees to boost energy efficiency. Source: Housing Executive

Kensa has launched an in-house drilling service Source: The Construction Index. Cardo Group has made its second Scottish acquisition in two months, expanding its building maintenance portfolio. Source: Construction Enquirer. Swiss firm Sika AG has acquired UK roofing supplier Cromar Building Products. Source: The Construction Index. Bailey has purchased The Parkside Group, including Comar architectural aluminium systems and Axim hardware. Source: Construction Enquirer

Construction insolvencies fell by 8% in 2024, according to the Insolvency Service. Source: The Construction Index. Essex-based M&E specialist Sana Mechanical and Electrical has entered administration, appointing Quantuma as administrators. Source: Construction News. Dorset-based Acheson Construction has also gone into administration, with most of its 48 employees made redundant. Source: Construction Enquirer

Brick deliveries rose 8.5% in January 2025 compared to the previous year. Source: GOV.UK. UK housing construction saw a 12% drop in project starts, with main contract awards and planning approvals both down 22% year-on-year. Source: Construction News. BCIS reports a 0.5% rise in tender prices from Q4 2024 to Q1 2025, with annual growth at 2.3%, down from a 10.3% peak in Q2 2022. Source: BCIS. As of January 2025, 5,025 high-rise buildings with unsafe cladding are being tracked for remediation, up by 14 since December 2024. Source: GOV.UK

Up to 170,000 homes in England will receive energy efficiency upgrades to help families cut bills and stay warm. Source: GOV.UK. Heat pump installations hit a record high, with a 52% increase compared to 2023. Source: BBC. Over 40% of new homes built in England last year included solar panels, according to Solar Energy UK. Source: Solar Power Portal. Meanwhile, a report from Smart Data Foundry found that only 20% of Scots can afford the retrofitting costs needed to meet 2045 net zero targets. Source: Scottish Housing News

Seven firms involved in the Grenfell Tower refurbishment may be barred from government contracts under new building safety plans. Source: The Guardian. Despite their involvement, they have received £355m in public contracts since the fire, according to government findings. Source:The Construction Index

The UK government plans a major building boom with planning reforms to speed up development. Source: GOV.UK. It also aims to end “feudal” leasehold with the new Commonhold White Paper. Source: GOV.UK. Meanwhile, 75 housing associations and councils are calling for a funding overhaul to boost housing investment. Source: Housing Today

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Latest Housing Association ESG Data

Click here for the full PDF.

Show me the money!

A PDF guide to contract management on Locarla.

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This month unveils game-changing contracts, driving investment in housing, infrastructure, repairs, maintenance, sustainability, and compliance. Leading the tenders, Haringey London Borough rolls out a £3bn London Construction Programme Framework, delivering new builds, retrofits, fire safety, and maintenance across 16 lots, advancing net zero, innovation, and inclusive procurement for 60+ public sector bodies. Driving large-scale improvements, Southern Housing launches a £1.45bn Capital Investment Works Framework to deliver external (windows, roofs, doors) and internal (kitchens, bathrooms) upgrades across 10 lots including fire safety, retrofit works, asbestos removal, and covers CDM and Building Safety Act roles. Taking a proactive approach, Watford Community Housing Trust has introduced a £1.42bn Maintain Framework – Repairs and Empty Homes Works, ensuring seamless repairs, void refurbishments, and essential maintenance across multiple regions. Leading the charge in multi‑faceted construction, CHIC Limited is rolling out a £970m Multiple Elements of the Built Environment Framework (2025‑2029), covering roofing, insulation, electrical systems, void works, scaffolding, and kitchen and bathroom upgrades. Focusing on energy solutions, Efficiency East Midlands Ltd is offering an £850m Heating and Hot Water Systems Framework, providing comprehensive services for gas, oil, solid fuel, and renewable heating technologies. Adra’s £500m Managed Service ‑ Materials Framework is paving the way for streamlined material procurement, ensuring housing associations have direct and efficient access to vital resources. Strengthening local housing services, Portsmouth City Council’s £500m PIN ‑ Housing, Neighbourhood and Building Services ‑ Repairs & Maintenance, Gas Servicing & Repair and Fire Safety Compliance Services ensuring communities receive quality maintenance and protection.

Putting vacant homes back into use, Notting Hill Genesis has launched £500m Empty Homes (Voids) Refurbishment Works Framework to focus on asbestos surveys, gas safety inspections, and energy performance enhancements to accelerate turnaround times and enhance tenant experiences. Aiming to combat one of the sector’s biggest challenges, Places for People Group is seeking contractors for a £400m Damp and Mould Works and Services Framework to deliver nationwide surveys and mitigation measures to create healthier homes. Setting high standards in asset care, Peabody Trust has unveiled a £320m Mechanical & Electrical Building Services Framework delivering round-the-clock repairs, proactive maintenance, and vital upgrades for fire safety, security systems, and communal electrics. Enhancing community upkeep, Hyde Group has issued a £200m Communal Cleaning, Waste Collection, and Japanese Knotweed Services Framework, improving the external environment of social housing estates. Securing long‑term roofing solutions, LHC is rolling out a nationwide Roofing Systems & Associated Works Framework under the RS5C initiative, covering England (£165m), Scotland (£80m), and Wales (£40m), supporting roofing installations, refurbishments, and maintenance for social housing including public sector buildings, and emergency services. Additionally, driving sustainability forward, it has introduced Energy Efficiency & Renewable Technology DPS across England (£75m), Wales (£50m), and Scotland (£30m) to revolutionise heating, ventilation, insulation, and renewable energy procurement. Boosting resilience across the capital, Camden London Borough is offering a £118m M&E Service, Repair and Maintenance Contract split into six packages covering everything from communal heating and bulk gas to lift systems, electricals, and door entry solutions. Focusing on critical compliance and safety, Havering London Borough’s £80m Compliance Works & Services covers asbestos assessments, fire risk evaluations, lift maintenance, and water hygiene services. Driving modernisation in Welsh communities, Trivallis is launching a £31.2m Kitchens & Bathrooms Programme delivering modern upgrades like kitchen and bathroom renewals, walk-in showers, rewiring, and wellbeing initiatives through a multi-lot approach.

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Social Housing EPC Analysis

The Other League Tables

Along with our main monthly league tables, ❲see below❳, we also produce tables based on the following trades: Retrofit, Asbestos Survey, Fire Risk Assessment, Water/Legionella & Stock Condition Survey. ❲Premium Clients, click here for the PDF❳

Top of the league in each table are ….

Retrofit:

Wates Living Space

Asbestos Survey:

Scope iT

Fire Risk Assessment:

Frankham Consultancy Group

Stock Condition Surveys:

Savills (UK)

Water / Legionella:

Aquatrust Water & Ventilation

February League Tables

Built Environment Contracts

The trades we cover; Responsive Repair, Planned Works (Kitchen/Bathrooms, Doors/Windows), Gas Servicing/Central Heating, Voids, Fire Safety & Roofing.