Whoever wins the forthcoming election, there will be tough times ahead for fabricators and installers working in the social housing sector.
We are already hearing reports of local authorities and housing associations cutting budgets and capital spend and there is the threat of much worse to come as the whole country faces up to the reality of repaying the massive government deficit.
Added to this is the fact that, by the end of this year, the government claims that 95% of all social housing will meet the Decent Homes standard, so the replacement door and window work which has sustained many businesses since 2001 will inevitably dwindle.
It’s not all doom and gloom though. There are some key areas which Mila Maintenance has identified which I still believe can deliver new business opportunities in 2010.
The first, and perhaps most significant, is in fire safety. The Lakanal House tragedy last year highlighted a startling number of local authorities which are not carrying out fire risk assessments on their windows and doors nor acting on their findings.
Companies like Mila Maintenance who can provide both the assessment and the solution should be looking to target these authorities urgently to offer cost effective and efficient ways of meeting their obligations.
Alongside this is the opportunity for repair and maintenance of doors and windows rather than simple replacement. We have been promoting this as the greenest solution for the local authority market for several years and market conditions are likely to create new demand for specialist services such as ours.
From 2010 onwards, local authorities will be under increasing pressure to stretch what are likely to be reduced budgets as far as possible. The challenge which this industry now faces is how to respond.
Dave Cooke
Projects Director
Mila Maintenance