Outsourced Procurement and Contract Management for Social Housing Repairs

Repairs contracts are where housing providers are judged every day. Delays, poor communication or repeat visits are immediately felt by residents. The Procurement Act 2023 now requires landlords to demonstrate transparency, accountability and continuous improvement across the full contract lifecycle. This means procurement and contract management cannot be treated as separate functions. They need to connect seamlessly from the moment a specification is drafted through to contract exit.

Thornton & Lowe provides outsourced procurement and contract management designed for social housing. We create specifications that are realistic and outcome-led, procure competitively, and then manage delivery against robust performance standards. Our services bring together procurement and management so contracts work in practice, not just on paper.

Explore our wider buyer services for public and third sector organisations, our social housing consultancy, our outsourced procurement consultancy and our public sector contract management solutions.

What goes wrong with repairs contracts

From working with housing associations including Longhurst Group, Gentoo, Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, South Lakes Housing, Incommunities and Thenue, the same issues often appear:

• Specifications do not reflect resident needs or property archetypes.
• Risks are pushed unfairly onto suppliers, creating instability.
• Performance measures count jobs, not value.
• Supplier data is late or unreliable.
• Change and variations are agreed informally and are not tracked properly.
• In-house contract management capacity is stretched.

These challenges lead to contract drift, higher costs and resident dissatisfaction. The solution is a joined-up model that links procurement with contract management.

How we connect procurement and contract management

During procurement

We design specifications and pricing structures that can be managed in practice. This means:

• Outcome-led KPIs such as first-time fix, no-access rate, right-first-time completions and resident satisfaction.
• Commercial structures that balance risk and reward, using open-book models where appropriate and service credits tied to performance.
• Governance, reporting and change control requirements built into tender documents and contract terms.
• Exit obligations written into contracts to make future transitions smoother.

During mobilisation

Before service commencement, we ensure:

• A Contract Management Plan is in place, setting out governance, KPIs, risk management and escalation routes.
• A live obligation tracker to monitor commitments from both parties.
• Clear data definitions and reporting formats, tested before go-live.
• A pilot reporting pack and variation log to confirm how data will be presented and reviewed.

During delivery

Once live, our model is based on regular, structured engagement and reliable data:

• Operational reviews weekly or bi-weekly, focused on exceptions.
• Monthly commercial reviews, including KPI packs, deductions, variations and benchmarking.
• Quarterly strategic reviews, assessing risks, improvement opportunities, capacity and market trends.

Supplier performance management in detail

We monitor and manage supplier performance with clear KPIs, audit trails and assurance processes.

Core KPIs include:

• First-time fix and right-first-time rates.
• No-access rates, with analysis of causes and hotspots.
• Emergency, urgent and routine job completion times.
• Work in progress ageing, highlighting jobs at risk of breaching SLA.
• Recall rates within 28 days.
• Complaints resolution times and escalation levels.
• Resident satisfaction scores, analysed by property and vulnerability.
• Health and safety compliance, including statutory checks.
• Voids turnaround broken down by stage.

Data assurance: supplier information is checked through sample audits, invoice reconciliation and exception testing. Dashboards provide real-time operational status, monthly commercial performance and resident impact trends.

Job completion controls

Strong administration prevents jobs from drifting or being closed without resolution. Our controls include:

• Triage standards at call-taking, including diagnostic scripts and parts requirements.
• Pre-appointment checks for access risks, property restrictions and resident needs.
• Mandatory completion data at job close, including resolution codes and photographic evidence.
• Recall flags for repeat visits within 28 days, routed to quality assurance.
• Escalation triggers for overdue jobs, with supervisor review after set intervals and commercial escalation for persistent issues.

Variations and change control

Variations can erode value if unmanaged. We implement one process for all changes:

• Every change requires a formal pack setting out the reason, cost, impact on KPIs, risks and deliverables.
• Variations are logged in a master register with unique IDs and supporting documents.
• All changes are documented in a consolidated redline contract to avoid ambiguity.
• Informal scope changes are not accepted.

This ensures transparency, protects budgets and prevents disputes.

Supplier meetings and governance cadence

A contract’s success depends on consistent, structured governance. We ensure:

• Inputs are provided in advance, including performance data, complaints analysis and risk updates.
• Standard agendas cover KPIs, resident impact, work in progress, variations, disputes and financials.
• Action logs are maintained with clear owners and due dates.
• Quarterly SRM meetings focus on innovation, capacity, market trends and social value.

This structure gives suppliers space to propose improvements while ensuring landlords retain control and accountability.

FAQs

What should we measure every month?

First-time fix, right-first-time, no-access, work in progress ageing, job recalls, complaints resolution, satisfaction, H&S compliance, voids milestones and variation values.

Can Thornton & Lowe manage contracts already in place?

Yes. We take on live contracts, review data quality, establish governance, and help landlords regain control of supplier performance.

How does the Procurement Act 2023 affect repairs contracts?

The Procurement Act 2023 increases the importance of transparent, outcome-led contracts with clear performance measures and robust management throughout the lifecycle.

What is the difference between procurement and contract management?

Procurement sets the contract structure, pricing and risk allocation. Contract management ensures the contract delivers, through monitoring, reporting and continuous improvement.

Do you involve residents?

Yes. We support resident engagement at specification stage and in performance reviews, making sure services reflect lived experience.

Next steps

If you need immediate support, our public sector contract management solutions provide day-to-day supplier oversight, KPI management and governance. Planning a new procurement? Our outsourced procurement consultancy designs tenders that build contract management in from the start. For broader support, our social housing consultancy and buyer services cover DLO formation, estate services audits, supply chain development and income generation strategies.