Summary
Discover how engaging staff, shifting culture, utilising data, and updating procurement practices can help social housing providers reduce inefficiencies and optimise spending.
Responsive repairs have long posed challenges for social housing, and this year is no exception. New legislation addressing damp and mould, tenant satisfaction measures, economic uncertainties, and competing priorities – such as net-zero targets, fire remediation, and development – are placing additional strain on housing providers.
Among these pressures lies a recurring issue: unpredictable and inefficient spending within repairs teams, often driven by “maverick” purchasing behaviours. Housing providers frequently report that operatives favour certain brands, make unnecessary trips to preferred merchants, and stock up on discounted products, creating a ripple effect of inefficiencies.
While off-contract spend is not unique to repairs teams, its impact is particularly pronounced in the current economic climate. Here’s how housing organisations can tackle this issue head-on!
- Engage and understand operatives
A crucial first step is understanding what drives purchasing habits among repairs staff. Do certain brands have a reputation for underperformance? Are specific merchants inconveniently located? Is there a recurring shortage of key materials?
This approach aligns with the Rethinking Repairs and Maintenance (RERAM) initiative, developed by CIH and NHF, which advocates involving staff in the review and improvement of repair services. Staff engagement not only uncovers valuable insights but also fosters collaboration and alignment.
2. Shift front line culture
Changing ingrained behaviours requires a cultural shift. This should be an integral part of your materials procurement strategy. By leveraging staff feedback, organisations can implement measures to inform, inspire, and motivate operatives to embrace new purchasing processes.
Effective strategies may include peer mentoring, live demonstrations, internal communication campaigns, training sessions, and team-building activities. Investing in this “softer side” of challenging rogue spend can yield long-term benefits.
3. Make data work for you
Spend visibility is key to identifying patterns and managing behaviour. Technologies such as van stock management systems or account cards help link operatives to specific transactions and products, highlighting opportunities for improvement.
However, siloed systems remain a stumbling block for many housing associations. Repairs managers often have access to merchant data, but this information is rarely integrated across departments. Procurement and finance teams frequently express the need for line-level visibility to track purchases against contracts and invoices.
To address this, housing organisations should explore platforms or interfaces that align data across systems, enabling seamless reporting and better decision-making.
4. Regularly review your shopping basket
When procuring a repairs contract, organisations often create a “basket” of goods – core items operatives purchase most frequently – with discounted rates. However, as contracts evolve and staff change, this basket can become outdated, leading to off-contract spending.
Regularly reviewing and updating your basket ensures that it continues to represent around 70% of operatives’ purchases, maintaining efficiency and securing discounts on high-volume items.
5. A shared responsibility
With a record £8.8 billion spent on repairs and maintenance in 2023/24 – a 13% increase on the previous year and 55% above pre-Covid levels—the need to manage repairs spending efficiently has never been more critical.
By engaging staff, fostering cultural shifts, leveraging data visibility, and maintaining robust procurement practices, housing organisations can combat unpredictable repairs spend and deliver better outcomes for both tenants and budgets.
A version of this article has featured in Inside Housing, to view please click here.
