LMH names subsidiary as £200m contractor

Liverpool Mutual Homes has awarded a £200m repairs, maintenance and investment contract to its subsidiary Housing Maintenance Solutions.

HMS will carry out work on Liverpool Mutual Homes' 15,000 properties for the next four years.

The contract will see HMS provide a maximum of 75% of all of Liverpool Mutual Homes' repairs and maintenance work with the remaining 25% going out to tender.

The award followed a market testing exercise which complied with EU public procurement requirements.

The contract includes investment projects that will see HMS provide environmental works and refurbishments of empty homes. The agreement also allows other organisations to use HMS over the next four years on the same pre-tendered rates.

According to Liverpool Mutual Homes, HMS expects to make a £3.4m profit from the deal which will be reinvested into a social dividend to support initiatives that address deprivation, promote inclusion and support communities.

Steve Coffey, chief executive of Liverpool Mutual Homes, said: "This structure gives us the best of both worlds, enabling us to deliver the highest quality services for tenants at very low risk and always achieving a market price.

"It means work can be carried out quicker, we can build a closer relationship with one predominant contractor and tenants will become accustomed to knowing what HMS is, does and stands for.

"The works which are not carried out by HMS will see us go out to tender so we are competitive and it keeps us in touch with market values."