New repair and maintenance contracts set to deliver more flexible and responsive service for Birmingham tenants

From July 2026, three organisations will take responsibility for day-to-day repairs, improvement work on properties, and preparing empty homes for new tenants. This will also include planned maintenance programmes such as kitchen and bathroom upgrades.

After a detailed procurement process, Equans, Wates and Mears have been awarded a 10-year contract to repair and maintain about 60,000 council homes, with a possible 5-year extension. Equans will manage homes in the east of Birmingham, Wates in the north and south of Birmingham, and Mears in the central and west of Birmingham.

The decision to appoint new contractors follows extensive tenant feedback and aims to provide modern service that is more helpful, flexible, responsive and focused on tenants.

New arrangements will make repairs easier and more convenient for tenants. This includes a digitised repairs journey designed to improve communication and tenant satisfaction.

Tenants can expect clearer communication about upcoming works, timeframes, and any changes, as well as more freedom to reschedule appointments when needed.

New technology and systems to track the condition of Birmingham's council homes and to make them warmer and more sustainable to heat.

The new contract model offers better value for money for the council. It will support the delivery of the council's investment programme, which is investing more than £200m a year to provide better council homes. The new contracts are vital to help the council achieve the Government's Decent Homes requirements for all of Birmingham's council homes by 2032.

In the past year, 35,000 upgrades have been made to 6,000 council homes.

Cllr Nicky Brennan, Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness, said:

"The new contracts give us an opportunity to overhaul how we monitor repairs and maintenance of council homes and to ensure tenants are getting the quality of service our tenants rightly expect and deserve. Tenants should expect a more flexible and responsive service, with better communication.

"We are investing more than £200m a year to bring more council properties up to a better standard. We are installing new kitchens and bathrooms, and cutting energy bills by making homes cheaper and easier to heat. These new contracts will ensure we keep the pace of that investment so all our tenants and leaseholders are living in warm, safe and sustainable homes."

Picture caption

Left to right, Shaan Uddin (Electrician), Cllr Nicky Brennan (Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness), Joshua Koo's (Plumber), & James Lindsay (Operations Director at Equans).

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