Housing associations face many challenges in delivering high-quality estate services while ensuring value for money. With rising costs and limits on rents and service charges, it is important to use best practices and get expert advice to handle these challenges well. Thornton & Lowe offers many resources and services to help housing associations get the most value for money in estate services.
This article highlights some of the key strategies and resources available from Thornton & Lowe:
- Navigating New Public Procurement Rules and Reforms: A full guide to help housing associations understand The Procurement Act 2023.
- Procurement Compliance and Value for Money: How to achieve procurement compiance and achieve value for money. Advice and our services.
- Grounds Maintenance Solutions for Social Housing: Whether you outsource or insource - how can you start improving your services.
- Managing Public Money: Guidance on handling public funds responsibly, focusing on accountability, value for money, and compliance with procurement laws.
- Contract Negotiation Strategies: Support in monitoring supplier performance, reducing risks, and achieving win-win results through clear communication and efficient processes. More scope for post tender negotiations as part of the Procurement Act.
- Weeds, Glyphosate, and Biodiversity: Exploring the impact of weed control methods on biodiversity and the potential alternatives to glyphosate use.
- Biodiversity Net Gain for Housing Associations: Guidance on implementing biodiversity net gain principles in estate management to enhance environmental value.
- Key Questions About Winter Maintenance: Assistance in reviewing winter maintenance arrangements, considering the use of a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS), and ensuring robust plans for cold months.
- Understanding Service Charges in Social Housing: Help in reviewing pricing structures, exploring partnerships, and ensuring transparency and fairness for residents.
- Contract Management Services: Streamlining business operations for efficiency through effective contract management. Another increasing requirement of the Procurement Act, but also a key tool in ensuring effective delivery!
- Procurement Options Appraisal: Guidance on evaluating procurement options to achieve value for money, compliance, and optimal solutions. Without the right prep you won't get the solution you are looking for.
- Writing Grounds Maintenance Specifications: Insights on creating comprehensive specifications for effective grounds maintenance management.
- GIS Mapping for Grounds Maintenance: Exploring the benefits of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for strategic planning and management of grounds maintenance services. Often a recommendation of our estate service reviews.
- Winning Grounds Maintenance Tenders: Strategies for securing competitive grounds maintenance contracts. For those with an insourced / DLO - can you effectively bid and win tenders?
- Grounds Maintenance Consultancy: The importance of expert consultancy for procurement and contract management to ensure exceptional service delivery.
- Benchmarking Service Delivery Costs: A guide for housing associations on understanding and comparing service delivery costs to improve efficiency and demonstrate value for money.
- Grounds Maintenance Service Development Programme: A tailored support package for housing associations to enhance their grounds maintenance services, including operational improvements and specialised training. After our reviews we will often support and mentor our clients to achieve their goals and work to the improvement plans we have identified.
- Resolving Common Grounds Maintenance Complaints: Strategies for addressing the top three grounds maintenance complaints in social housing, such as implementing customer portals, adopting "cut and mulch" techniques, and ensuring proper use of air blowers.
- Tree Surveys for Housing Associations: The importance of conducting regular tree surveys to ensure legal compliance, better estate management, and reduced risks to people and property.
Plenty of resources! If you have any questions do not hesitate to DM me or email [email protected]
This is a great roundup of resources for the social housing sector! It's always impressive to see such valuable insights being shared. If you're ever looking for ways to streamline expense management for your teams working in housing projects, happy to share some tips from our experience.