Contractor to provide housing repairs and maiintenance over nine months for council

Affordable housing contractor Lovell has picked up the contract to carry out housing repairs and maintenance work for Norwich City Council, filling the void left by the collapse of incumbent Connaught in September.

Under the terms of the new deal, Lovell will provide housing repairs and maintenance service over the next nine months.

In addition, the company will deliver Decent Homes kitchen and bathroom improvements, disabled adaptations to council homes and undertake a third contract to carry out electrical upgrading work.

The announcement marks the latest stage in what has been a controversial journey for the contract.

Connaught undercut rival Morrison by £5.5m to win the deal last December, but was prevented from taking it after Morrison persuaded a court that the bid of £17.5m was “abnormally low”.

The council later settled with Morrison, and the contract began in April. But the contract kicked off with a host of complaints, including ones about uncut grass that had grown to 2ft high.

Lovell regional director Simon Medler said: “Our team is delighted to have been chosen by Norwich City Council for these three contracts and we look forward to continuing to work with the council using our experience in housing refurbishment and maintenance work to deliver a high-quality service for residents

 “We would like to underline our continuing commitment to providing jobs for former Connaught staff wherever we can,” he added.

Following the collapse of Connaught, Lovell stepped in to provide the emergency housing repairs service for the council and is nearing completion of a range of building work to council homes previously started by Connaught.

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