Property services business Liberty has retained two domestic heating contracts with Wrexham County Borough Council (WCBC) worth a combined £1.3m per annum.

The new heating programme contract was awarded via mini-competition from the council’s framework, the maintenance and servicing contract was awarded via a competitive contract and are the latest in a long-term partnership which has seen Liberty work with WCBC since 2014.

The 4-year contract, started in October 2023, and Liberty has been awarded a £700,000 per annum Gas Servicing and Maintenance contract where Liberty will ensure the safety and efficiency of heating systems in the borough as well as delivering repairs and maintenance to them as required.

Liberty also secures a 1-year Installation of Domestic Heating Systems contract, valued at over £575,000 to deliver a programme of planned new heating installations to 150 domestic properties. The new state-of-the-art boilers will replace aging system with more efficient models helping tenants save money on their heating bills.

Operations Director for the North, Lawrence Gilsenan, said: “These contracts goes beyond mere heating servicing, maintenance and installations; it’s a commitment to keep people safe and warm in their homes. With proper long-term maintenance and the installation of state-of-the-art boilers, we’re fostering a warmer and more efficient future for the people of Wrexham. We have a fantastic long-term working partnership with WCBC and we will continue to support them deliver great value for money.”

Councillor David A Bithell, Deputy Leader of the Council and Lead Member for Housing said: “We are pleased to be working alongside our long-standing partners on the new heating programme contracts. It is important to us that we are committed to keeping homes warm and reduce cost for our contact holders, particularly over the upcoming winter months. We will continue to support Liberty throughout the process and look forward to further working together.”

Mae busnes gwasanaethau eiddo Liberty wedi cadw dau gontract gwresogi domestig gyda Chyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Wrecsam (gwerth dros £1.3 miliwn y flwyddyn).

Cafodd y contract gwresogi newydd ei ddyfarnu ar ôl cystadleuaeth fach yn unol â fframwaith y Cyngor, a dyfarnwyd y contract cynnal a chadw a gwasanaethu drwy broses gystadleuol – a rhain yw’r contractau diweddaraf yn y bartneriaeth hirdymor gyda Liberty (sydd wedi bod yn gweithio gyda’r Cyngor ers 2014).

Mae’r contract 4 blynedd, a ddechreuodd ym mis Hydref 2023, yn ddyfarniad o £700,000 y flwyddyn i wasanaethu a chynnal a chadw systemau nwy; a bydd Liberty yn sicrhau diogelwch ac effeithlonrwydd ein systemau gwresogi yn y fwrdeistref yn ogystal ag atgyweirio a chynnal a chadw systemau yn ôl yr angen.

Mae Liberty hefyd wedi sicrhau contract blwyddyn gwerth £575,000 i osod systemau gwresogi domestig i ddarparu rhaglen o waith gosod systemau gwresogi newydd i 150 o eiddo domestig. Bydd y boeleri newydd sbon danlli yn fwy effeithlon na’r hen system, gan helpu tenantiaid i leihau eu biliau gwresogi.

Meddai Lawrence Gilsenan, Cyfarwyddwr Gweithrediadau’r Gogledd: “Mae’r contractau hyn yn fwy na chontractau gwasanaethu, cynnal a chadw a gosod systemau gwresogi, maen nhw’n ymrwymiad i gadw pobl yn ddiogel a chynnes yn eu cartrefi. Gyda gwaith cynnal a chadw hirdymor cywir a gosod y boeleri newydd diweddaraf, rydym ni’n meithrin dyfodol cynhesach a mwy effeithlon ar gyfer pobl Wrecsam. Mae gennym ni bartneriaeth waith hirdymor wych gyda CBSW a byddwn yn parhau i’w cefnogi nhw i ddarparu gwerth gwych am arian.”

Meddai’r Cyng. David A Bithell, Dirprwy Arweinydd y Cyngor ac Aelod Arweiniol Tai: “Rydym ni’n falch iawn o weithio ochr yn ochr â’n partneriaid hirsefydlog ar y contractau gwresogi newydd yma. Mae’n bwysig i ni ein bod ni’n ymrwymo i gadw cartrefi yn gynnes a lleihau costau ein deiliaid contract, yn enwedig yn ystod misoedd y gaeaf. Byddwn yn parhau i gefnogi Liberty drwy gydol y broses, gan edrych ymlaen at ragor o gydweithio efo nhw.”

Property services business Liberty has been awarded a place on Procurement for Housing’s Decarbonisation & Retrofit Framework until 2027.

The business has been successful in Lot 1a Solar PV, Lot 2 Air-Source Heat Pump and Lot 4 Insulation, which relates to the heating and compliance and repairs and maintenance divisions of the business.

The framework, worth an estimated £225m over four years, is aimed at supporting social housing providers and local authorities reduce dependency on fossil fuels and better insulate homes. With 40% of the carbon emissions from UK homes coming from heating and hot water systems, ditching fossil fuels for good must be a key part of all decarbonisation retrofit plans.

Liberty is committed to helping clients achieve their decarbonisation goals through a range of fabric improvements and greener heating solutions.

Ray Jones, Group Managing Director at Liberty, said: “We are really excited to have been awarded a place on Procurement for Housing’s decarbonisartion and retrofit framework. Decarbonisation is on the minds of many social housing providers across the UK and Liberty’s mission is to deliver smart retrofit programmes which will not only support crucial green targets but help tackle fuel poverty by better insulating leaky homes.”

Procurement for Housing said in a statement: “We are delighted to welcome Liberty onboard our Decarbonisation & Retrofit Framework, and we look forward to working together over the course of the framework with a shared commitment to sustainability and creating a lasting positive impact on the environment.”

To learn more about the framework, visit the Procurement for Housing website here.

After narrowly missing out on the top spot in the Team of the Year category, the judges awarded Liberty’s Damp and Disrepair Team ‘Highly Commended’ in recognition of how close the judging was.

Read on to learn more about how the team go above an beyond to deliver excellence for their clients.

Launched in 2021, the 32-strong Damp & Disrepair team is part of Liberty’s Repairs and Maintenance division based on Salford. Each month the team averages 290 surveys and 109 repairs.

Their works include:

• Intrusive damp repairs, injected damp proof course, plaster removal and renewal,
• Ventilation improvements,
• Installation of thin internal wall insulation (TIWI).

The team’s expertise enables them to offer high-quality assurance and compliance and accurately identify homes where work isn’t needed, reducing unnecessary spending.

The team has a 93% success rate across all repairs with success defined as “no reoccurrence of damp and mould after a repair”.

Effective teamwork

Monitoring shows 50% of damp/mould cases are caused by lifestyle. As a result, the team developed practical guidance for residents to reduce the risk of damp and mould.

Lee Ferendenus, Head of Maintenance at ForHousing said:

“Liberty’s service is of high quality and works are delivered in a timely manner, agreed schedules are adhered to and customer satisfaction is high.

“Close partnership working ensures the contract is run effectively making efficiencies year on year without impacting on the quality of service we or our tenants receive.”

 Positively impacting lives

Example: A tenant in Worsley had made multiple complaints about damp/mould before the team launched. On inspection, complex problems were found that had been misdiagnosed previously.

The survey revealed the underlying cause was elevated ground levels outside the property, alongside excess condensation from the magnesite floor slab.

A customised damp-proofing plan was developed:

• The floor slab was coated in a bitumen-based damp-proof membrane.
• A damp-proof membrane was applied to walls, creating a condensation barrier.
• Plaster was removed to 1.5m from ground level.
• A 3mm membrane was installed and a damp proof course injected into the mortar bed of the property’s brickwork, followed by re-plastering.

The work took four months, and there has been no reoccurrence of dampness.

The customer said: “I can’t thank the team enough for the work that was carried out. After many years of trying to find a solution to the damp problems, we have finally got there!”

Tenant engagement

Example: A tenant in Salford had heavy mould growth from a cold bridge.

The tenant was concerned about the disruption standard approaches to resolve the issue would bring. So the team innovated to minimise the impact.

They suggested TIWI which is effective at insulating and reducing condensation. It also acts as a vapour barrier and damp-proof membrane, preventing penetrating damp.

The resident agreed to be a pilot for this product, and it was a success.

They said; “Works were explained to me and carried out within four weeks. The change has been amazing. I don’t need to have my radiator on for as long and the mould hasn’t come back.”

Proudest achievement

The team’s proudest achievement is their work to rid 1,636 households in Greater Manchester of damp and mould.

After narrowly missing out on the top spot in the Team of the Year category, the judges awarded Liberty’s Damp and Disrepair Team ‘Highly Commended’ in recognition of how close the judging was.

Read on to learn more about how the team go above an beyond to deliver excellence for their clients.

Launched in 2021, the 32-strong Damp & Disrepair team is part of Liberty’s Repairs and Maintenance division based on Salford. Each month the team averages 290 surveys and 109 repairs.

Their works include:

• Intrusive damp repairs, injected damp proof course, plaster removal and renewal,
• Ventilation improvements,
• Installation of thin internal wall insulation (TIWI).

The team’s expertise enables them to offer high-quality assurance and compliance and accurately identify homes where work isn’t needed, reducing unnecessary spending.

The team has a 93% success rate across all repairs with success defined as “no reoccurrence of damp and mould after a repair”.

Effective teamwork

Monitoring shows 50% of damp/mould cases are caused by lifestyle. As a result, the team developed practical guidance for residents to reduce the risk of damp and mould.

Lee Ferendenus, Head of Maintenance at ForHousing said:

“Liberty’s service is of high quality and works are delivered in a timely manner, agreed schedules are adhered to and customer satisfaction is high.

“Close partnership working ensures the contract is run effectively making efficiencies year on year without impacting on the quality of service we or our tenants receive.”

 Positively impacting lives

Example: A tenant in Worsley had made multiple complaints about damp/mould before the team launched. On inspection, complex problems were found that had been misdiagnosed previously.

The survey revealed the underlying cause was elevated ground levels outside the property, alongside excess condensation from the magnesite floor slab.

A customised damp-proofing plan was developed:

• The floor slab was coated in a bitumen-based damp-proof membrane.
• A damp-proof membrane was applied to walls, creating a condensation barrier.
• Plaster was removed to 1.5m from ground level.
• A 3mm membrane was installed and a damp proof course injected into the mortar bed of the property’s brickwork, followed by re-plastering.

The work took four months, and there has been no reoccurrence of dampness.

The customer said: “I can’t thank the team enough for the work that was carried out. After many years of trying to find a solution to the damp problems, we have finally got there!”

Tenant engagement

Example: A tenant in Salford had heavy mould growth from a cold bridge.

The tenant was concerned about the disruption standard approaches to resolve the issue would bring. So the team innovated to minimise the impact.

They suggested TIWI which is effective at insulating and reducing condensation. It also acts as a vapour barrier and damp-proof membrane, preventing penetrating damp.

The resident agreed to be a pilot for this product, and it was a success.

They said; “Works were explained to me and carried out within four weeks. The change has been amazing. I don’t need to have my radiator on for as long and the mould hasn’t come back.”

Proudest achievement

The team’s proudest achievement is their work to rid 1,636 households in Greater Manchester of damp and mould.

Property services business Liberty has been awarded two contracts with Salford-based landlord ForHousing worth approximately £2.8m.

ForHousing, which owns and manages more than 24,000 homes across the North-West, re-appointed Liberty to its servicing contract for communal gas and biomass heating systems.

The contract was secured through a mini competition on the Fusion21 Heating & Renewables 2020-24 Framework.

With a value of £450,000 the one-year contract, which recently got underway, covers a portfolio of nearly 2000 properties. The contract includes the possibility of a one-year extension.

The business has also secured a contract to replace kitchens and bathrooms and void works worth over £2.4m. The one-year contract will increase the living standards for tenants for years to come.

Ray Jones, Group Managing Director at Liberty, said: “Retaining this significant heating systems contract, and a new repairs and maintenance contract with ForHousing is testament to the high standard of services we consistently provide and the trust our clients place in us.”

Nigel Sedman, Executive Director of Homes at ForHousing, said: “We are committed to providing well-maintained, sustainable homes for our tenants and their safety is our number one priority.

“Everything we do aims to positively impact the lives of our social housing tenants.

“Working collaboratively with Liberty means we can deliver on being 100% gas compliant and ensure we deliver excellent performance in maintaining the heating of our tenants’ homes.”

Property Services company, Liberty, is spearheading a series of nationwide events during Gas Safety Week (11th to 17th September 2023).

Merseyside-based Liberty will be working with more than 60 clients nationwide to help share essential gas safety tips with thousands of members of the public.  

Working with partners, the business will be holding various pop-up events and distributing advice leaflets throughout the week in order to reach as many residents as possible to share the importance of being gas-safe. They will also be giving out 100 free carbon monoxide alarms, donated by Aico.

Neglected boilers, ovens, gas fires, and other gas appliances can pose significant risks, including gas leaks, fires, explosions, and the silent threat of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, making Gas Safety Week all the more crucial.

Liberty and partners are sharing top tips on responsible gas appliance upkeep and how to spot signs an appliance is unsafe.

In Wigan, the service delivery team will be sharing gas safety leaflets with tenants as part of their annual boiler service and will be targeting hard to access tenants to ensure their home is safe and remind them of the importance of having a boiler serviced regularly.

Karen Sloan, Managing Director for Heating and Compliance at Liberty, said: “As a leader in the property services sector, Liberty is proud to take a proactive stance in promoting Gas Safety Week.

“We believe in the power of awareness and education to empower individuals to make informed decisions that positively impact their safety and the safety of those around them.

“With over a quarter of a million homes serviced by Liberty, we want to reach as many people as possible so we can all play our part in keeping our homes gas-safe.”

Jonathan Samuel, Chief Executive Officer for Gas Safe Register, said: “We’re delighted to see so much support for Gas Safety Week 2023 – now in its thirteenth year. This year we are celebrating the breadth and diversity of gas engineers, their skills, and experiences, which help to keep the nation gas safe all year round. And we’re reminding the public of the importance of always using a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer to fix, fit or service gas appliances.”

Top tips are:

• Check for warning signs that could indicate your gas appliances are not working correctly. Signs may include lazy yellow /orange flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks on or around the appliance, a pilot light that keeps going out, or too much condensation in the room
• Be aware of the six main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse, and loss of consciousness.
• Fit an audible carbon monoxide alarm and make sure your friends and relatives have one too.
• Make sure you have your annual safety check. Gas appliances should be safety checked once a year and serviced regularly by a Gas Safe registered engineer. If you rent your home make sure your landlord arranges this. Set a reminder so you don’t forget at StayGasSafe.co.uk.

Liberty is a reputable company with more than 50 years’ experience in heating solutions and compliance services. It’s operatives complete safety checks and maintain gas appliances in around a quarter of a million homes nationwide. They currently deliver close to 100% gas safety compliance for clients (99.996% as at July 31).

Leading property services business Liberty has secured a new General Building Works and Property Refurbishment Framework to void properties for Flintshire County Council.

The multi-year contract will see the business repair and refurbish empty homes to an updated and modern standard for new tenants across the council’s c.7,300 properties until 2027.

As part of the new contract, the business is committed to supporting the local community. One apprenticeship will be available for young people in the local area as well as improved skills workshops and a carbon emissions reduction plan through the use of electric vehicles.

Bryan Tennant, Regional Director (R&M and Construction), said:

“I am thrilled to be partnering with Flintshire County Council. This significant milestone allows us to breathe new life into vacant properties, revitalizing them to meet the highest modern standards for the benefit of the Councils tenants.

“Together with Flintshire County Council, we embark on a transformative journey. Our shared vision encompasses not only the renovation of properties but also the empowerment of individuals. At Liberty, we are proud to be catalysts of positive change and progress.”

Flintshire County Council’s Chief Officer for Housing & Communities, Vicky Clark said:

“We are looking forward to working with Liberty to refurbish our empty housing stock.  It is positive that the company is committed to supporting the local community in what will be an ambitious project to bring our void properties up to modern standards and to be able to offer a home for those in need.”

Port Sunlight Village Trust, a renowned heritage conservation organisation, has awarded property services business Liberty a contract for electrical inspection and condition reports (EICR).

The one-year contract will see the business inspect and test electrical installations across 68 grade II listed properties in the Wirral.

The unique nature of this contract holds significant community benefits. By conducting comprehensive EICR testing, Liberty will contribute to the overall safety and reliability of the electrical systems in the heritage properties. This, in turn, will help protect the residents, preserve the historical value of the buildings, and maintain the unique character of Port Sunlight Village.

Lawrence Gilsenan, Liberty’s Regional Director for the North West, said: “The unique combination of grade II listed properties and the critical role of electrical testing and inspections makes this contract particularly interesting. It showcases the commitment of Port Sunlight Village Trust to preserve the historical heritage while ensuring the continued safety and wellbeing of its residents.”

Lin Whalley, Director of Operations at Port Sunlight Village Trust, said: “Following their proven track record, we’re delighted to have appointed Liberty to conduct EICR testing in some of our tenants’ homes. As custodians of Port Sunlight and a private landlord, it is important the electrical systems in the buildings we care for in this unique village continue to be safe and sound. We’re confident in Liberty’s expertise to help safeguard our properties for many more years to come.”

The decision to award the contract to Liberty was influenced by their proven expertise in delivering high-quality heating services for Port Sunlight Village Trust for over three years, further solidifying their reputation as a trusted provider for property services.

The collaboration between Port Sunlight Village Trust and Liberty sets a positive example for other conservation organisations and highlights the importance of maintaining the electrical infrastructure in historically significant buildings. With this contract in place, Port Sunlight Village can continue to thrive as a cherished heritage site, safeguarding its residents for future generations.

Liberty secures Legionella services contract worth more than £1 million with Riverside Group

Leading property services business Liberty has recently secured a Legionella services deal worth £1.16 million with national landlord Riverside.

The appointment of the Merseyside-based business expands on a successful existing relationship with the landlord which manages more than 75,000 homes across England and Scotland.

The three-year contract, with an optional two-year extension, will see Liberty’s teams provide a Legionella Risk Assessment service to keep Riverside tenant’s water safe. The firm will also deliver maintenance repairs and routine monitoring for homes in Liverpool and across the North of England.

Liberty is committed to giving back to the communities it works in.

Over the course of the contract, it will donate a total of around £10,000 to the landlord’s charity, the Riverside Foundation, which exists to transform lives.

Working in partnership with the charity, Liberty will provide six part-time jobs to Riverside residents and 300 week-long work experience placements to help increase people’s skills and employment prospects.

Liberty will also provide school visits, career sessions, and skill-building sessions for Riverside tenants.

Pierce Moloney, Service Delivery Manager, said: “Through our partnership with The Riverside Group, Liberty is not only providing legionella services but also fortifying our commitment to make a social impact in the communities we work.

“As we expand our services across Liverpool and the North of England, we go beyond routine maintenance and repairs. We aim to make a lasting difference in the communities we serve, donating £10,000 to the Riverside Foundation and providing 50 invaluable work placements and skill-building sessions in local schools.

“Liberty is dedicated to enhancing lives and creating meaningful change, one home and one opportunity at a time.”

Hugh Owen, Director of Strategy and Public Affairs at Riverside, said: “We are looking forward to working with Liberty and want to thank them for pledging to donate £10,000 to the Riverside Foundation.

“This generous commitment will enable us to continue to invest in a wide variety of community projects that directly impact our customers at Riverside, and to support initiatives that deliver long-lasting benefits.”