Report a council house repair

Following a comprehensive re-procurement process involving staff, residents, and leaseholders, we've appointed Breyer Group to handle repairs, maintenance and improvements to your home starting in October 2024. The current repairs and maintenance service contract is due to end in September 2024 and we need to ensure the council continues to fulfil these vital duties some of which are statutory.

If you have any questions email involvedinhousing@kingston.gov.uk

Introducing Breyer Group Plc

We are delighted to inform you that Breyer Group has been appointed to handle repairs, maintenance and improvements to your council property, starting this Autumn.

Breyer Group is one of the leading property services providers in the South and South East, with almost 70 years of experience working with local authorities and housing providers. Established in 1956 by Fred Breyer, the company remains a family-owned business and we pride ourselves on continuing to work with family values in place.

Our Work

Their specialist roofing, responsive repairs and refurbishment teams work hard to deliver professional, reliable property services in a personable, conscientious way. You’ll recognise our teams through their branded vans and clothing.

We will partner with Kingston Council not only to sustainably improve properties in this area but also to empower and enrich the lives of residents and communities here, through bespoke initiatives that truly meet your social and environmental needs. Also, we understand that, even though the work we do greatly improves properties, the process can be messy. So, we will do all that we can to keep residents informed of what to expect and when, and to keep disruption to the absolute minimum. We are highly committed to delivering an excellent service and to ensuring residents are extremely satisfied with our work. We will be providing opportunities for feedback to support this.

Our People

Our Resident Liaison Officers will be your main point of contact going forward. They will provide regular communications during our partnership with Kingston Council. However, if you have any questions or concerns at any time email us at rbk@breyergroup.co.uk.

As well as Resident Liaison Officers and operatives working in and around your homes, Breyer has a highly qualified and experienced Senior Management Team overseeing the improvement works. Visit our website www.breyergroup.co.uk to find out more about the leadership team at Breyer.

Our Commitments

We see it as a great privilege and responsibility to have been chosen to partner with Kingston Council in improving properties in the area. Among many other goals for this long-term partnership, we will be:

• delivering a 24/7 responsive repairs service
• providing an average of 16,850 home repairs each year
• reducing the carbon footprint of properties
• improving home insulation to enhance heating efficiency
• offering local apprenticeships and work placements
• remedying damp and mould issues

The procurement process

This procurement had unprecedented levels of resident involvement. There was communication that went out to all tenants and leaseholders. There were 9 public meetings, and a number of focus groups.

As part of the procurement of the new contract, a resident survey was run by the Council to gather residents views that will help shape the delivery of a new contract. We consulted with the resident Repairs Group on a monthly basis. At the start of the procurement process resident volunteers took part in the full tender process evaluating, interviewing and moderation of the tenders.

Learning from working with our residents informed what we asked for in the procurement process. At the heart of the tender was improving the quality of repairs and our residents experience of the service. We will start working with the Breyer Group Plc from June to the end of September. The contract will begin on the 1st October.

How this will impact and benefit residents

It will take a number of months for us to realise all the benefits we will gain from the new contract. However, some of the improvements that will come in over time will include:

• our residents experience and repairs journey will be radically different and lead to improvements in resident experience of the service.
• much better communication with residents through their preferred method either calls or through digital and text options. When the portal is built residents will be able to check on progress of their own repairs and any communal repairs.
• more effective reporting and repairs monitoring systems will also help to flag issues and resolutions much earlier. This will help prevent complaints to the Council and members.
• an improved appointment system that will allow greater flexibility and time slots, especially around residents' circumstances:
• more ways to make appointments either over the phone or digitally through a customer portal.
• crucially, the resident will receive an order number at the point of contact to change appointments and track repairs.
• follow-on appointments will be arranged and confirmed with operatives before they leave.
• the offer of out of hours appointments for compliance checks
• improvement to the delivery of planned works especially through greater provision of Resident Liaison Officers.
• much better identification of individual residents' circumstances and needs. This will include services designed around our customers especially those who are vulnerable and where there may be safeguarding issues.
• a culture that embeds empathy and respects and considers diversity in the delivery of the service.
• a much improved contact centre experience where operatives and customers will have access to repairs diagnostic tools to ensure that the correct tradespeople are sent with the appropriate tools and products.
• resident representatives on the Alliance Core Group will ensure that the successful Provider and the contract remain customer centric and deliver these outcomes.
• specialist services provided including effective and responsive damp and mould provision.

How this will impact ongoing repairs

Up until the end of September residents will continue to use the service in exactly the same way. These will be dealt with by Axis and our own Council staff. Anything that can’t be started and completed by Axis by the end of September will go across to  Breyer Group Plc. For planned work and major capital repairs if Axis have started the work before October they will complete it.

Annual gas inspections and 5 yearly electrical inspections will continue to the end of September with Axis, our existing servicing contractors. These will then be taken over by the new contractor Breyer Group Plc and their supply chain of subcontractors. It is important that these take place if you feel worried then do not hesitate to contact us or Axis.

Any changes to the contact informaton will be provided closer to the switchover date.