Keeping the lights on for Redditch Borough Council tenants

Case study: Redditch
Keeping the lights on for Redditch
Borough Council tenants
The challenge
Redditch Borough Council (RBC) owns over 6,000 properties. It’s essential to ensure
electrical standards for tenants in any kind of rented housing, sheltered or community
accommodation, but also RBC wanted to reduce its overall running costs.
Following an audit of its portfolio,
RBC was looking for a provider to
help manage a 5-year programme
of improvement works – wideranging works, to include electrical
rewires and the rollout of more
efficient, lower cost lighting
solutions (particularly in
communal areas).
The solution
Rather than proposing a propertywide blanket rewire, npower
Business and Social Housing
proposed a comprehensive,
ongoing programme of action
and support for the Council and
its residents, which included the
employment of a Tenant Liaison
Officer (TLO) in the area.
Our system of survey and testing
meant only conducting necessary
works: many homes didn’t need a
full rewire, an upgrade was enough.
We simply updated the bonding,
changed the accessories and fitted
new consumer units. This saved
RBC in excess of £1,200
per property.
In sheltered accommodation,
we fitted UK-manufactured LED
lighting with microwave sensors in
the communal areas (which brought
a further 60% annual cost saving);
we also installed hard-wired smoke
detectors and made sure that any
scheduled electrical works could
be carried out at the same time as
a programme of heating upgrades
that were taking place.
Client:
Redditch Borough Council (RBC)
Results:
• £1,200 saving on installation
in each property
• £800 saving per
communal area
• £248 per annum saving by
installing LEDs vs. standard
lighting fittings
Scope:
Electrical rewires and upgrades
to over 6,000 properties,
including LED lighting and
smoke detector installs to
communal areas
Duration:
5 years
(April 2012 to March 2017)
Savings, balanced with customer care
Although a reduction in overheads
was a priority, our experience in
running this kind of programme
meant we could help RBC provide
a service that prioritised its
tenants needs’ too.
The TLO engaged with residents
directly, and visited those
affected to explain what work
will be carried out, manage their
expectations and deal with any
issues up front.
Using RBC’s data, we contacted
tenants to arrange suitable
appointments (we also sent text
reminders, 24 hours before the
appointment – which led to a
90% first time access rate for
the contract).
We’ve also provided a 24 hour a
day, 365 days a year responsive
repairs service. This way, tenants
know they can make emergency
call outs for electrical breakdowns
at any time of day.
“npower is an excellent
contractor, works
are delivered on time
and within budget.
Complaints were at
minimum and npower
have an excellent track
record with customer
care; any rare complaint
is dealt with as a
matter of urgency in a
professional manner.”
Peter Vamplew,
Housing Capital Manager,
Redditch Borough Council
Contact us:
Visit
npower.com/socialhousing
Email
[email protected]
Or contact your Business Development Manager
npower is a registered trademark. Npower Business and Social Housing Limited (registered
in England & Wales No 00893718) whose registered office is at Windmill Hill Business Park,
Whitehill Way, Swindon, SN5 6PB is a member of the RWE Npower group.
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