Contract Management

The Contract Management Team is responsible for delivering the Trust’s investment, planned and cyclical maintenance programmes. Our team of technical staff work with external consultants and contractors as well as KHT’s own Housing Maintenance Services to deliver a £300 million programme.

Successful completion of the Investment Programme represents a major part of the promises made to tenants at transfer and includes workstreams such as Kitchens and Bathrooms, Windows and Doors, Central Heating, Cavity Wall and Loft Insulation. The programme is due to complete in 2008/2009.

In order to protect the initial investment made into the stock Planned and Cyclical Maintenance programmes have been put in place covering items such as External Repair and Painting, Gas Maintenance and Grounds Maintenance.

The management of works contracts is achieved using best construction and procurement practice while working at all times within current legislation, Health and Safety and Building Regulations. All programmes are developed through full consultation with tenants, residents and service users through the implementation of the Resident Consultation Protocol.

Through membership of the Fusion21 procurement partnership, savings of some £18 million have been achieved which have been reinvested through the works programme.

Since November 2007 the team has also taken responsibility for re-modelling the Aids and Adaptations service and the gas maintenance client function. Other key operational areas include delivering new build schemes, managing demolitions, asbestos testing, solicitors repair enquiries, insurance claims and complaints resolution.

Scheme management arrangements and customer consultation standards

For all contracts we will appoint a Project Manager who is responsible for project delivery, managing the contractor and resident consultation. In developing new contracts the specific service standards we seek to achieve are:

• where major work is to be carried out inside customers’ homes a representative from the Contractor will visit each customer to fully explain the work.
• consult tenants in a variety of ways to ensure that everybody is fully informed of the proposed work, including:
- Individual letters to inform customers of scheme progress
- General newsletters
- Exhibitions to enable customers to view what is proposed and make choices where appropriate.

Before the work starts:

• The Residents’ Association/Area Board will have the opportunity to meet the Project Manager and the Contractor.
• For large scale modernisation and combined works programmes (eg. kitchen & bathrooms) a scheme booklet will be provided detailing work proposals, name of the Contractor, who to contact with queries or complaints together with an estimated timetable for the work and other scheme specific information.
• The Contractor will give customers two weeks written notice, a reminder letter at one week and a visit at least 72 hours prior to work commencing. Unforeseen changes to the programme will be notified to customers verbally without delay and a new start date arranged.
• KHT and / or its Consultants will issue letters to inform customers specifically of any changes in the scheme and to keep them up to date with progress generally.

When the work starts:

• On major refurbishments Contractors will employ a Tenant Liaison Officer who will work with customers to ensure the smooth running of the work.
• In line with KHT’s Complaints Policy. KHT will attempt to resolve problems immediately and inform the complainant of the action taken. If the issue cannot be resolved in 48 hours, the matter will be investigated and KHT will provide a written response within 5 days
• An emergency phone number will be provided in case customers need to contact KHT in an emergency out of normal business hours.
• in order to inform our aim of continual improvement, customers are encouraged to give feedback on the service they have received via postal and telephone surveys.

At the end of the annual programme a sample of residents who have experienced Improvement Works will be invited to attend a Focus Group to feedback their experiences to KHT.

Working with others

We work closely with a number of internal teams and external providers to deliver our service.
External consultants provide technical services to support on-site management and cost control.

Local housing officer colleagues play a vital role when the contractor faces difficulty in gaining access to a particular property for the purpose of carrying out works.
Contract Management and Housing Maintenance Services operate as client and contractor respectively to ensure the gas maintenance service is delivered efficiently.
A Partnering Agreement between KHT and KMBC's Occupational Therapy Service is being developed as a key feature of the Aids and Adaptations Service.