Housing associations

Social housing providers looking to reduce void costs, rent loss and turnover should consider the provision of Beauflor cushion vinyl flooring in all rooms.

By providing floor coverings in all rooms of social housing, providers can achieve a reduction in void rent loss, a 50% reduction in void turnover and a £500 per property reduction in void costs, says the Longleigh Foundation report, ‘The Provision of Floor Coverings in Social Housing’. Yet, the same report also highlights that one-fifth of landlords still rip-out floor coverings for all new lets. 

The beginning of the 21st century saw a great many fresh ideas across the UK construction industry, from the adoption of digital technologies to a wider recognition of sustainability and the importance of reducing carbon emissions. Both innovations, we might add, that were whole heartedly embraced and harnessed by Vicaima in the development of its products and services.  However, alongside this forward-thinking approach, came the realisation that old habits in our industry are often difficult change, such as painting doors on-site, or the reluctance to consider complete door assemblies, rather than cobbling together a collection of disparate and non-compatible parts. The logic of cost-effective factory finishing or the long-term assurance provided by fully compliant door systems were still being ignored. Perhaps because it had always been done that way, or simply that the value of whole life costs were rarely discussed or that people to do a myriad of tasks on site, were always plentiful.

How OCL Reclad and its trusted supplier – Valcan, combined specialist delivery and product expertise to improve facade fire performance while preserving the character of an occupied residential building, in the heart of London.

For housing providers, a recladding project brings responsibilities that reach well beyond the external walls. Residents need to continue living in their homes, existing defects may only become apparent once work starts, and replacement materials must suit the building as well as the brief. At Inglewood Mews, these challenges made collaboration between OCL Reclad, Valcan and the wider project team central to delivery and project success.

Anti-social behaviour is one of the most difficult and persistent challenges faced by social housing providers.

For residents, the consequences can be profound. Persistent noise, intimidation, harassment, drug-related activity, damage, nuisance or the regular presence of unwanted visitors can affect not only quality of life, but a person’s sense of safety in their own home.

For housing professionals, however, there is another problem: evidence.

With the latest Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) guidance placing greater focus on Falls Between Levels, now is the time for housing providers to review their opening window safety measures and assess what the updated guidance means, and is having a restrictor fitted adequate.

The HHSRS provides a useful reminder that housing safety is about identifying and managing risk, rather than simply ticking off products or features. HHSRS covers 21 potential hazards, including Falls Between Levels: falls from one level to another, such as through a window where guarding or edge protection is too low or defective.

Premiere Kitchens has invested £3.25m in new manufacturing equipment for its Gloucester factory to give housing providers greater certainty across planned works, new-build and fast-moving void programmes.
For social landlords, manufacturing capacity matters most when it removes risk from a programme. A kitchen arriving late can hold up several trades, extend a void period and adding cost before a property is ready to let.

Tough metal pipe boxing from UK Boxings is installed in a diverse range of social housing projects to conceal exterior services, such as gas supply and low carbon distributed heating pipework as well as pipes and systems associated with ground source or air source heat pumps.