Sentinel praises DLO project
Just Housing consultants have been praised for the ‘excellent support and guidance’ given to Sentinel Housing Association, during a nine month project to bring its repairs service in- house.
Launched on the 3 September 2012, the new look service Sentinel HomeTeam is based in Basingstoke. Its 40 strong workforce, including three new apprentices, will maintain 8,400 homes in North Hampshire.
The transformation of the service was led by Just Housing, and involved staff and residents in its design.
The project was delivered on time and within budget, and included fitting out offices, procurement of fleet vehicles, IT systems, a materials supply chain, and the TUPE transfer of staff from the previous contractor.
Val Bagnall, Director of Customer Services at Sentinel says: "We are delighted with the launch of the new service. It gives us a real opportunity to extend the scope and quality of maintenance for customers, whilst delivering significant savings to reinvest in future services. The successful launch was achieved through the excellent support and guidance received from our consultants.”
Just Housing Director, John Pridmore says: "Sentinel is an excellent example of how to bring a repairs service in-house.
“The whole process, from concept, to project plan to completion, has gone smoothly; and our Project Manager Peter James received the support of everyone from the CEO down.
“The involvement of the staff in redesigning the service meant they had a clear understanding of their roles, making transformation a success, and creating a solid foundation for a new culture and ethos."
Sentinel HomeTeam will carry out approximately 500 repairs a week, and the state of the art IT system, Impact Applications will help minimise journey times and cut the carbon footprint of the HomeTeam vans.
To discuss bringing your repairs and maintenance service in house, contact john.pridmore@JustHousing.net, telephone 020 7055 8920.