News
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Join Lex Autolease at Green Fleet 2013
30th April, 2013
Lex Autolease will be exhibiting at the event and would like to welcome PfH Members to their stand. The day will feature afternoon seminars as well as the chance to see a wide selection of low and zero emissions cars and commercial vehicles.
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Members receive rebate from Decorating Vouchers Agreement!
24th April, 2013
Members achieved the maximum savings on the decorating vouchers framework for their spend between September 2011 - August 2012.
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Are you looking to improve your telecoms strategy?
23rd April, 2013
Join PfH and the newly appointed PfH Telecoms suppliers for a webinar that will help you to develop your strategic approach to telecommunications. The webinar will provide you with vital information surrounding managing calls and lines, mobile technologies such as 4G, mobile reporting and digital inclusion.
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Quantum leap - PfH Members to get improved billing and reporting service
23rd April, 2013
PfH is pleased to announce that your central billing service will be upgraded over the next few months.
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Sohas Resource-ful approach makes it a winner
23rd April, 2013
Resource Housing has played a major role in the success of Soha Housing at the TPAS awards in London.
The Oxfordshire housing association took the top spot for its annual report that was developed by residents with a helping hand from the team at Resource. -
Office Depot get World Class Accreditation
23rd April, 2013
Office Depot UK Procurement & Supply Chain (P&SC) has been awarded 'World Class' accreditation from Warwick Business School.
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Product group members required for Residential Furniture & Furnishings agreement
22nd April, 2013
This framework is now due to be retendered and we would like to invite interested Members to join an Residential Furniture & Furnishings product group. Product groups play a vital part in specifying what the sector needs which is critical to the success of all framework agreements. By taking part, you not only ensure that your organisation gets the right agreement, you also help to improve the offer for the whole sector. For more information on product groups, please click here.
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Government applauds Plumb Center
22nd April, 2013
The Government has applauded the work Plumb Center is doing on Green Deal, which will help put more money in installers’ pockets.
Energy efficient improvements under Green Deal can be financed with reduced, or in some cases, no up-front costs to the householder, with the costs repaid over time by the savings made by the energy efficient measures.
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Places are still available on Achilles EU Academy
18th April, 2013
Achilles' EU Academy is a series of 6 training modules tailored to the public sector, providing procurement professionals with a level of training that ensures full understanding of the complexities of EU procurement legislation from first principles to complex EU projects. In-depth understanding of the EU rules will help professionals to reduce risk for their organisations, make informed decisions and save time.
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Derwentside Homes halve their carbon emissions
3rd April, 2013
Elvet Consultants were appointed by PfH member Derwentside Homes as lead consultants to develop a scheme for an efficient heating system in four hard to heat properties.
The main heating system was a solid fuel back boiler with an immersion tank for the hot water. It was not financially viable to install a mains gas supply to the village so another innovative solution was required.
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Rent payment under the microscope as welfare reform draws closer
27th March, 2013
As welfare reform starts to take effect in April, social housing providers throughout the country are preparing for major changes in their rent collection operations. According to the recent report published by Ipsos MORI for the National Housing Federation, rent arrears are set rise by 51% and rent collection costs are set to increase significantly.
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3 Steps towards an energy efficient home
26th March, 2013
Most energy conservation measures are well known and the more common items such as insulation and lighting have usually already been put in place. What else can you do to improve your energy saving practices?
Step 1 - get a thorough understanding and investigate the options;
Step 2 - establish the economics of measures;
Step 3 - through careful design, implement the most appropriate and cost-effective solution. -
Learning to love the Green Deal
26th March, 2013
It’s very easy to take pot-shots at the Green Deal, and the media has been full of sniping journalists and commentators blasting away at this barn door of a policy.
But there really isn’t much sport in hitting such an easy target. The real challenge is in making the Green Deal and the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) actually work – particularly to help us bring the UK’s pre-war homes up to standard to make them low carbon and affordable to heat.
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All you need to know about smart meters
26th March, 2013
To achieve optimum energy prices, a growing number of businesses have chosen to invest in the next generation of intelligent smart metering that can be remotely and automatically read.
By virtue of accurate real-time data being collected, potential energy providers are able to limit their exposure to estimated usage inaccuracies and therefore price accordingly.
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Smart tips for your energy management strategy
26th March, 2013
For social housing providers the rising cost of energy and the impact this has on the cost of living of tenants is becoming a fundamental concern.
Individual organisations cannot control energy prices, government policies or the global economy, but you can improve the way you manage and control energy spend. Below we share top tips for energy management – the DOs and the DON’Ts.
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Procurement know how
21st March, 2013
The economic climate is causing housing staff to be stretched. Procurement is one of those affected areas
with small teams regularly managing dozens of complex purchasing exercises each year. -
HouseMark Procurement Clubs in 2013
4th March, 2013
Following the inaugural success of the HouseMark Procurement Clubs, PfH is delighted to announce dates for 2013.
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Do you know the true cost of rent and bill payment?
28th February, 2013
As welfare reform starts to take effect in April, social housing providers throughout the country are preparing for major changes in their rent collection operations. According to the recent report published by Ipsos MORI for the National Housing Federation, rent arrears are set to rise by 51% and rent collection costs are set to increase significantly. In addition, social housing providers expect to spend significantly more on resourcing the management of rent collection. By 2014, organisations will be spending an average of £19,000 more on rent collection and larger organisations with over 10,000 properties, over £90,000 more.
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How to beat increasing office energy costs
26th February, 2013
“With the recent rises in energy costs there is increasing pressure to make offices more cost effective. You’d be surprised at how simple changes in your office environment can make a difference.” Andy Hargreaves, Sales Manager at Altodigital comments on the possible ways organisations can reduce carbon impact.
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Plumb Center warning on CO poisoning
26th February, 2013
Around 50 people a year die from carbon monoxide poisoning in England with a further 4,000 hospitalised, according to Health and Safety Executive figures.
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Housing sector to make major savings on telecoms procurement
13th February, 2013
Procurement for Housing has launched a new telecommunications agreement which will create significant savings for social landlords on the procurement of calls, lines, data and unified communications as well as mobile communication, training and consultancy.
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Visible savings on your vehicle leasing
6th February, 2013
As you might be aware PfH is currently managing the tender process for a new Vehicle Fleet Services Framework. As part of the development process for this agreement, PfH has been working with Vehicle Leasing experts and a Member product group to ensure that it addresses the needs of the sector. The new agreement is due to be awarded in April and more information will be made available closer to the launch date.
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Denislava Ivanova wins a place on Achilles academy training course.
19th December, 2012
PfH would like to congratulate Denislava Ivanova, Head of Procurement at Homes for Haringey on winning a place on the Achilles academy training course after completing the procurement services questionnaire that we featured in last month's Inside Procurement newsletter.
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Product group members required for Office Supplies Agreement
18th December, 2012
This framework is now due to be retendered and we would like to invite interested Members to join an office supplies product group.
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PfH to extend its mini-competition service in the New Year
18th December, 2012
PfH has developed a more flexible mini-competition service with a selection of tools and templates for you to take advantage of depending on your needs. More details about this new mini-competition service is to be announced in the New Year.
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Resource Housing gains Carbon Balanced Publication Printer status.
17th December, 2012
Leeds-based Resource Housing has been granted Carbon Balanced Publication Printer status in partnership with Rothera and Brereton, its local PaperCo merchant.
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Members will save even more in the final year of the Decorating Vouchers Agreement
14th December, 2012
To make it even easier to achieve maximum savings, for the final year of the agreement (1st September 2012 – 31st August 2013) Procurement for Housing and B&Q have lowered the target spend threshold for decorating vouchers to £5.5million to achieve 14% discount.
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Find out how the PfH Bill Payment Services Agreement can help you combat the planned Welfare Reform.
14th December, 2012
Members have been airing their concerns about the potential impact on rent collection rates when planned changes to Welfare Reform are introduced in April 2013.
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Arena Group Christmas Open Event
20th November, 2012
Meet the number one approved provider of photocopiers, MFDs and managed print services on the Procurement for Housing (PfH) framework.
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Take the EU Academy training course at a discounted rate
14th November, 2012
Achilles would like to invite you to attend the Public Sector EU Academy, being hosted by PfH at their offices in Warrington.
Achilles' EU Academy is a series of training modules providing procurement professionals with a level of training that ensures full understanding of the complexities of EU procurement legislation from first principles to complex EU projects. In-depth understanding of the EU rules will help professionals to reduce risk for their organisations.
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Don't forget the heating controls, says Honeywell
9th November, 2012
As we move into the heating season, the topic of energy efficiency and reducing heating bills is high on every landlord’s agenda. A recent poll by the National Landlords Association (NLA) which found that 56 per cent of landlords are considering taking advantage of the Green Deal which reinforces their commitment to energy efficiency and improving the energy performance of their properties. Fitting heating controls will not only make complying with regulations for the landlord easy, but will also reduce energy bills for the occupier by up to £120* per year making your property a more attractive prospect in a competitive market.
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CO-ronation Street
8th November, 2012
The deadly threat of carbon monoxide poisoning will be the focus of a Christmas storyline on ITV’s Coronation Street.
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Furniture Resource Centre achieves Social Enterprise Mark
6th November, 2012
Furniture Resource Centre are ranked the number one supplier of furniture on the Procurement for Housing Framework, and now they can add to their credentials after being awarded the Social Enterprise Mark – the only authorised certification for social enterprises.
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Introducing EasyFit from Impey
1st November, 2012
Innovation is Impey's lifeblood, they pioneered wet room floor formers with a built in gradient in 1999 and have now revolutionised the wet room industry. Their new offering EasyFit has been engineered and manufactured to deliver a product that makes installation of wet room floors faster and easier.
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The office printer - the enemy within?
31st October, 2012
“Businesses need to re-evaluate their existing printing and MFD fleet to enhance security, minimise waste and promote more flexible printing practices.” Andy Hargreaves, Altodigital Networks Ltd comments on the challenges document security can bring within the office technology environment.
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Alliance to attend Homes 2012
29th October, 2012
14th -15th November at ExCel London.
Homes 2012 is a new event for the affordable housing community and is a must for everyone involved in asset management, repairs and maintenance, retrofitting and sustainability in housing. Don’t miss your chance to meet the Alliance team at stand F14 and discover the procurement efficiencies and social benefits that working with Alliance can bring to your organisation.
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Take part in our website development survey
1st October, 2012
Over the next few months PfH will be developing a new website. We believe the new site will be more critical than ever, in ensuring that Members have the best possible customer experience. Before we specify what is required on the new site we would like to collect your feedback on our current website so that we can ensure the new site meets your requirements. Have your say by completing our website development survey.
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Domestic voltage optimisation a growing market
30th August, 2012
The market for domestic voltage optimisation is increasing in the UK, particularly with the combined impact of rising bills, fuel poverty issues and the green agenda. Importantly, the technology has been proven to work both domestically and commercially, and the sector has now grown to include a number of established manufacturers. The advantages of voltage optimisation are clear too; the technology can reduce electrical consumption in the home, save money for tenants and homeowners, cut carbon emissions and extend the life of devices and appliances.
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Merlin Housing Society benefits from office refurbishment
30th August, 2012
Having acquired more office space in a property adjacent to their current building, Merlin Housing Society made the decision to completely refurbish their offices at Riverside Court in Bristol, covering a total of 23000 sq ft.
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Peelmount launch their PfH brochure and new website
29th August, 2012
Peelmount, a supplier on the Furniture and Associated Products Agreement, has announced the launch of their PfH brochure and new website.
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Print, storage and distribution: why single sourcing makes a real difference
29th August, 2012
Housing Associations face many challenges when it comes to managing printed output. Above all, it’s important to ensure you benefit from maximum cost savings and processing efficiencies.
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Vehicle Fleet Management Agreement extended until December 2012
29th August, 2012
PfH is pleased to announce that Automotive Leasing, Lex Autolease, and Northgate will continue as PfH approved suppliers on the Vehicle Fleet Management Agreement until December 2012 when the contract will be retendered.
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Impey Showers reveals unique lifting shower doors
19th July, 2012
Impey Showers, a nominated supplier on the Materials agreement, has revealed their latest technology in showering for those with mobility issues.
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Arena Wins Top Spot On National Framework
18th July, 2012
Steve Hobson, Arena's Managed Services Sales Manager said:" We are delighted to be appoin... -
Regent Cleaning wins prevention of accidents award
18th July, 2012
PfH would like to congratulate Regent Cleaning, a supplier on the PfH Building Cleaning Agreement, on winning a silver RoSPA award.
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Digital Inclusion for your tenants
17th July, 2012
The Government’s putting on the pressure, but what does this mean for you? Its Digital Inclusion Strategy asks you to support the supply of internet facilities to your tenants. The ‘how’ to do so isn't explained, nor is the ‘who’ of ‘who is going to pay’!
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Gaining efficiency from Managed Print Services
17th July, 2012
“Housing Associations across the Country are now facing their toughest challenges, regardless of size, locality or structure.” Andy Hargreaves from Altodigital comments on the efficiency gains that can be achieved through Managed Print Services.
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PfH Live brings procurement insight to the sector
13th July, 2012
PfH had a really positive response from attendees at PfH Live 2012 and all of the feedback we received will be critical in ensuring the success of future events. The co-located event was obviously a big change from previous annual conferences and our Members voted with their feet, with attendee numbers up by over 83%.
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Altodigital back on PfH
4th July, 2012
Altodigital has secured a highly coveted position of the Procurement for Housing (PfH) procurement consortium to supply optimised print solutions to housing associations and local authorities across the country.
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Are you EuP ready?
28th June, 2012
There is now less than a year to go until the 1st January 2013 Energy Using Products (EuPs) deadline that will change the standalone circulator market in Europe forever.
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How to secure value is poorly understood Colin Cram speaking before his session at PfH Live.
16th May, 2012
'No man is an island entire of itself', John Donne 1572-1631. For many organisations procurement will be its biggest area of expenditure. It can make or break them. Yet how to secure value is poorly understood. The mechanics of procurement sound simple - follow the right procedures and one will secure value for money and protect the organisation from fraud. The reality is very different.
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Deal or no deal? Steve Malone, Luke Smith and Paul Burns explore how the Green Deal will change the housing sector
9th May, 2012
Fuel poverty is probably the biggest challenge facing social landlords today. Nearly one fifth of social homes are so badly insulated and poorly heated that their tenants are classified as living in fuel poverty.
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PfH offers opportunities beyond the basics
5th April, 2012
When a Lancashire independent threw itself into PfH, it found a whole new way of trading – with a lucrative outcome. One merchant who has done exceptionally well with Unimer’s Procurement for Housing deal is Building Supplies (West Coast).
In a thrilling David and Goliath scenario, managing director Peter Worthington took on the nationals and was able to demonstrate significant savings for Blackpool Coastal Housing – cutting the housing association’s transportation costs, downtime and providing a more competitive offer on building materials. -
How feasible are Solar PV projects for you?
7th March, 2012
Retrofit for Housing has developed a tool that will provide you with an indication as to when your organisation will start seeing a return on investment on solar photovoltaic projects.
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Budget pressures demand a focus on building a Talent Pool
7th March, 2012
As pressure increases to maximise budgets and provide real value to stakeholders and tenants within social housing it has become more and more important for Registered Providers to build successful partnerships within their supply chain. As an established partner to local and central government and one of the recruitment providers through the Procurement for Housing Recruitment Services Framework Certes have recognised the need to provide more cost effective IT recruitment support. With this in mind Certes have developed a Talent Pool within their Turnkey Staffing division that will enable housing associations to save up-to 30% against their standard temporary IT costs.
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Bill Payment Services Update
7th March, 2012
The recent round of government spending cuts has left many Housing Associations considering how they can cost-effectively maintain the scope and quality of the services they offer.
One area where PfH and The Co-operative Bank can help is revenue collection. In February 2011 PfH awarded the Bill Payment Services Agreement to sole supplier The Co-operative Bank and this agreement is currently enabling PfH Members to achieve average savings of over 13%.
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Print Management, Photocopiers and Associated Services Agreement update
6th March, 2012
PfH is currently working hard on the new Print Management, Photocopiers and Associated Services tender which is due to go live in May. This new agreement will be split into the following three lots:
• Print Management and Associated Services
• Supply of photocopiers, printers and multi-functional devices (MFD’s) and related services
• Office based managed print services (MPS) -
Alliance launch proves to be a success
5th March, 2012
Following the launch of The Alliance, a partnership between PfH, Fusion 21 and The Northern Housing Consortium at the Retrofit for Housing product seminar, on the 2nd February in Manchester, we would like to thank everyone who attended and made the launch of this collaboration a great success.
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Sustainable procurement in social housing
1st March, 2012
Procurement for Housing is supporting an academic research project on ‘sustainable procurement in social housing’, which is being conducted jointly by the University of Liverpool and Liverpool John Moores University.
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Supplier fraud on the rise
7th February, 2012
Following the recent ‘Fighting Fraud in Government’ study public sector procurement professionals are being warned about the risk of supplier fraud. The report highlights a rise in supplier fraud from 13% to 32% in just two years, with value said to have reached the £2 billion mark for the first time last year.
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PfH releases its Annual Report
6th February, 2012
Once again, it's the time of the year for PfH to review its accomplishments in 2011 and share its visions for the future. Over the last year PfH has continued to meet its growth targets. It has launched seven new agreements, formed an alliance with other consotia Fusion21 and Northern Housing Consortium and developed a new range of consultancy services.
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Inenco named 'Energy Broker of the Year'
3rd February, 2012
PfH is delighted to inform Members that Inenco, a supplier on the PfH energy framework has been named 'Energy Broker of the Year' at the Energy Awards in London.
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Automotive Leasing Wins Green Fleet Award
3rd February, 2012
Automotive Leasing has been recognised for proactively introducing zero and low-carbon vehicles into the public sector, winning the Green Fleet Award's Leasing Company of the Year. This included key work in Scotland which has set itself the world's most ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets of a 42% in CO2 emissions by 2020.
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PfH forges a new procurement alliance
1st February, 2012
PfH has announced that it is delighted to be one of the founder members of a new procurement alliance that will generate social outcomes as well as achieving the primary aim of creating more cost savings for over 1,000 social landlords. Alliance is a partnership between PfH, Fusion21 and the Northern Housing Consortium.
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Get more savings and choice with the new PfH Materials Agreement launched today!
1st February, 2012
Developed in partnership with the PfH Materials product group, the new Materials and Associated Managed Services Agreement has been launched today.
PfH decided to retender the previous PfH materials agreement early, due to major changes in the supplier landscape, this provided PfH with an opportunity to increase the level of choice, flexibility and competitiveness available within the new agreement.
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Vehicle Purchasing Agreement offers Members a variety of benefits including up to 44 percent savings
11th January, 2012
In early 2011 PfH teamed up with The Procurement Partnership Limited (TPPL), a leading procurement club that specialises in purchasing cars, vans and HGVs for more than 370 local authorities, social landlords, fire authorities, universities and leisure trusts in the UK.
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Retrofit for Housing Seminar Invitation
19th December, 2011
Meeting the retrofit challenge - Thursday 2nd February 2012, Manchester Conference Centre
Fuel poverty is probably the biggest challenge facing social landlords today. Nearly one fifth of social homes are so badly insulated and poorly heated that their tenants are classified as living in fuel poverty.
Things are set to get worse, the cost of carbon-based energy is predicted to rise dramatically in the next ten years as demand exceeds supply and the result is that one quarter of households, across all tenures, are expected to sink into fuel poverty.
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Special offer from Office Depot
24th November, 2011
To all members thinking about stationery & office supplies savings. If you would like us to conduct a benchmarking exercise on your behalf and receive a FREE desktop diary please contact cchamberlain@procurementforhousing.co.uk for further information.
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Quick wins to drive savings
23rd November, 2011
The effects of the Government’s £4 billion budget cut for social housing are far from over. Most of you will have seen staff redundancies, fewer affordable homes delivered and more people added to England’s 4.5 million housing waiting list. Budgets are under increased scrutiny as social housing providers scramble to help families into homes, so it is a smart approach to look at in-house costs and how they can be reduced before looking at more staff redundancies.
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CDP Print Management Celebrates 25th Acorn Client
22nd November, 2011
In a milestone event, Walsall Housing Group (WHG) has become the 25th Social Housing provider using CDP Print Management’s “Acorn” web ordering and template system.
“WHG own over 19,000 homes and is one of the largest and most successful providers of high quality housing in the West Midlands” says Fay Wood, Facilities Coordinator, WHG. ““Print is a key communications channel for whg and we needed to look at ways where we could streamline our processes, reduce admin, improve efficiencies, and deliver true VFM for our Tenants”.
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Apollo is constantly striving to raise health, safety and environmental standards for their customers
22nd November, 2011
Apollo Property Services Group, a supplier on the Solar PV, Solar Thermal and Voltage Optimisers Framework, has recently announced how it maintains a keen focus on continuous improvement in its approach to health, safety and the environment, across the business.
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Wolseley sale provides opportunity to deliver more on Materials
21st November, 2011
Builders Merchant and PfH Materials supplier Wolseley, has announced that it is selling its Electric Center and Build Center brands and both will cease being legal trading entities over the next few months. Electric Center will be sold to and branded as Edmundson, while Build Center will be sold to Saint-Gobain (subject to European approval) and branded as Jewson.
Steve Malone, Managing Director explains what this means for PfH Members.
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Contract challenges on the rise
6th October, 2011
The rise in contract complaints from suppliers to the public sector has been in the news recently. The Financial Times reported that 73 complaints were made to central government about public sector procurement last year compared with only fourteen complaints between 2007 and 2008.
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Bramall Construction (part of Keepmoat) help teenagers to build new futures for themselves
29th September, 2011
Regeneration specialist Bramall Construction (part of Keepmoat) along with Preston Vocational Centre has given two teenagers an apprenticeship to help turn their lives around. Since being taken on by Bramall Construction and Preston Vocational Centre the teenagers have gained qualifications and vast experience in this industry.
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One purpose, two events, three vital days!
23rd September, 2011
PfH is pleased to announce the launch of their extended three day annual conference. PfH Live takes place at Manchester Central on 12th - 14th June 2012 and is co-located with the Chartered Institute of Housing, Housing 2012 conference and exhibition. Packed with content, both events will provide the information, debate, networking and ideas to enable you to meet your professional challenges for the year ahead.
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Developing a clear organisational wide print stratergy can deliver huge savings on your printing costs
21st September, 2011
Printing costs are often seen as hidden, small or incidental costs within an organisation that have no or little bearing on the overall financial position of an organisation.
Gartner the world’s leading information technology research and advisory company, has proven that on average 3% of the total revenue of any organisation can be attributed to printing costs. For a typical Housing Association, that can run well into the hundreds of thousands of pounds every year, for example every £10million turnover/revenue then generates approximately £300,000 of print costs.
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Less than one month left to achieve the 14 percent Decorating Voucher Discount
10th August, 2011
The B&Q Decorating Voucher Scheme provides PfH Members with a flexible, efficient and secure method of funding tenants' decorating requirements. The Decorating Vouchers Scheme puts members in control, whilst giving tenants access to a wide range of decorating products.
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Automotive Leasing Rental Services
9th August, 2011
Automotive Leasing Rental Services are committed to providing a daily rental solution that makes it easier for PfH members' to manage business and employee travel through the Daily Rental Framework.
Automotive Leasing supply partners work to the highest standards and our supply base for 2011 is designed to meet the range of requirements in all organisations across the housing sector. -
TNT post: How managed postal services can help reinvigorate public sector departments by marrying specialist expertise to local requirements.
9th August, 2011
Since the postal market was deregulated in 2004, TNT Post has delivered savings of more than £150m for the public and private sector. In TNT's experience even a medium-sized council can make six figure savings on its postal business over the course of a year. However the ability to deliver savings is not the only reason for switching supplier. TNT's focus is to deliver a high level of service. With Definite Day Delivery they can ensure that bills and information bulletins arrive on time.
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Northgate and PfH -Working in Partnership
9th August, 2011
Northgate is the only vehicle hire company represented on the framework and it has recently secured an agreement to have short term rental rates displayed to members on the PfH website. Kimberly Meachin from PfH said: “The relationship between PfH and Northgate is mutually rewarding and our relationship is very much a two-way street.''
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PfH announces the launch of Debt Management Services Agreement
29th July, 2011
Procurement for Housing is delighted to announce the launch of a new agreement area for the supply of Debt Management Services that is set to provide substantial cost efficiencies of up to 3% on the rate of commission paid for the collection of debt. The Agreement is set to run for the duration of three years with an additional 12 month extension for satisfactory performance.
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PfH announces launch of new Building Cleaning Services Agreement
25th July, 2011
PfH is pleased to announce the launch of its new Building Cleaning Services Agreement, a fully EU compliant framework through which current and future Members can procure cleaning services.
The Agreement has been awarded, in six geographic lots to cover main regions of the UK, to seven suppliers: AM Support Services; Hi-Spec Facilities; Mitie; Ocean Contract Cleaning; QFSL Cleaning; Regent Cleaning and; Superclean Services.
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MVVR and HRRV: the third agreement in the Retrofit Solution
25th July, 2011
The third agreement from PfH and Fusion21 in the Retrofit Solution covers Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) and single room Heat Recovery Room Ventilation (HRRV) units.
As with all the Retrofit agreements, these products are intended to be procured and installed as part of a low carbon refurbishment package for existing housing stock. The overall package of measures to be installed will depend on a range of factors and the ‘whole-house’ performance standards being aimed for. The refurbishment package could be delivered all in one go or as part of an incremental improvement. -
Green Deal discussions - Huhne acknowledges the Federation's valid concerns
20th June, 2011
On 14 July, the Federation's Chief Executive, David Orr, will meet with Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne to discuss the leading role the social housing sector can help to deliver the Government's Green Deal programme. As the whole sector knows, the Green Deal aims to enable home owners, tenants and landlords carry out home and domestic energy efficiency improvements.
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Insulation and Airtightness: Second Retrofit Solution Agreement
20th June, 2011
The second Agreement from Procurement for Housing & Fusion21's Retrofit Solution encompasses Insulation and Airtightness. The framework will cover the supply and/or installation of the energy efficiency products in the following categories:
Internal wall insulation
External wall insulation
Loft insulation for 'more advanced applications'
Air tightness and draught-proofing products -
Nearly half of British homes are 'not properly insulated'
20th June, 2011
Almost 50% of British homes are not properly insulated according to a Government warning released 17 June 2011. As a result, householders are wasting at least £100 a year on their bills.
While fuel costs rise for households, the latest estimated figures released by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) show that only 57% of Britain's lofts and only 58% of cavity walls have been insulated sufficiently. -
How etrinsic can save you money by managing VAT mitigation on printed material
13th June, 2011
With VAT at 20%, management of this tax is even more crucial, particularly for those organisations who cannot reclaim it.
VAT regulation on printed material can be something of a minefield. Some items of printed output - such as the printing itself - are zero-rated, while others - like the production of artwork - attract the standard rate. -
Track your vehicles 24/7 with Northgate's Vehicle Monitoring system
13th June, 2011
Northgate Vehicle Hire, Europe’s leading vehicle hire company, has enhanced its customer proposition with its Vehicle Monitoring package. Vehicle Monitoring gives customers the ability to track their vehicle fleet 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. Should anything unexpected happen to one of your vehicles, you will automatically be sent a text, email or live message on your PC.
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Annual Reports: "Business as usual" say Nonconform
27th May, 2011
Hands up if, just over 12 months ago, the mere mention of ‘Annual Reports’ was enough to make the hairs on your neck stand on end.
Well, you weren’t alone. The absence of guidance from the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) on the integration of its six standards and its expectations for size, structure or format for the Annual Report created widespread panic, confusion, eyebrow raising and tongue wagging across the sector. -
FRC make headlines in the FT
24th May, 2011
Furniture Resource Centre (FRC) has recently been praised in the Entrepreneur column of the Financial Times.
FRC is a social enterprise based in Liverpool and provides contract quality furniture to social landlords throughout the UK and supplies everything required to furnish a single room or a whole hostel. -
Shapps sets out Zero Carbon Homes standard
24th May, 2011
Housing Minister Grant Shapps has announced a tough, but realistic, definition for zero carbon homes that manages to strike the right balance between delivering the zero carbon homes of the future and creating the appropriate conditions to get the homes the UK needs building.
The Zero Carbon Homes standard (to which all new homes started after 2016 must adhere) will ensure that new homes do not contribute to the country's carbon footprint.
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PfH announces launch of new Vehicle Purchasing Agreement
23rd May, 2011
The new PfH Vehicle Purchasing Agreement is due to be launched to Members shortly and will offer a variety of features and benefits that will provide tangible cost efficiencies and savings. This Agreement supplements the current PfH Vehicle Leasing framework giving all Members the option of either leasing vehicles or outright purchase.
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Protect your rental income stream, advise HouseMark & CIH
18th May, 2011
Swingeing public sector cuts and welfare reform will cause housing providers to re-focus on collecting as much rent as possible at the lowest cost, according to a new joint report written by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and HouseMark.
Protecting your rental income stream is going to be of paramount importance to social housing organisations which will need to be fully prepared for the potential impact of all the changes expected to arise in the next four years.
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Eco-friendly kitchens from Moores Furniture Group
18th May, 2011
‘ReAction’ is Moores Furniture Group’s newest range of eco-friendly kitchens, which reduces, re-uses, recycles and is responsibly sourced.
Moores’ ReAction kitchen has been reviewed by a BREEAM Code for Sustainable Homes Assessor and is a huge step forward in the industry, achieving 17 points on the Code for Sustainable Homes.
Designed for longevity and to reduce waste, the ReAction range uses innovative techniques to put into practice Moores Furniture Group’s commitment to sustainability. -
Make further savings through PfH mini-competitions
18th May, 2011
EU Procurement regulations state that mini-competitions are a legally compliant method of calling off goods and services from framework agreements. In situations where member requirements are bespoke to the organisation or where there are significant levels of committed volume, mini-competitions are a proven method of delivering significant additional cost savings.
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Forthcoming Retrofit Agreements from PfH and Fusion21
27th April, 2011
PfH and Fusion21 have been working together for the last 12 months to develop a Retrofit Solution which will help the social housing sector meet one of the biggest challenges of the decade. The project takes a holistic approach to sustainable retrofitting, incorporating contractors, consultants, suppliers, products, services, skills, jobs and resident training, which will be focused on meeting the Green Deal and wider sustainability agendas.
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PfH Announces Imminent Launch of Building Cleaning Services Agreement
26th April, 2011
The new PFH Building Cleaning Services Framework is due to be launched to Members shortly and will cover the supply of cleaning services within the property portfolio of individual Member organisations, including offices and communal or shared areas within sheltered accomodations, for instance.
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PfH and Fusion21 Announce Forthcoming Photovoltaics and Solar Agreement
26th April, 2011
One of the biggest challenges facing the social housing sector over the next ten years will be the retrofitting of its existing housing stock to meet the joint demands of carbon reduction requirements and fuel poverty among its residents. The Government recognised this challenge in December 2010 when it launched the Green Deal, a framework enabling energy efficiency improvements to homes, community spaces and businesses with no upfront cost, alongside capital payment recovery through a charge in instalments on the energy bill.
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Can Affordable Rents Help Deliver 34,000 Homes Each Year?
21st April, 2011
Hometrack has carried out a detailed study which suggests that housing associations will build an average of 34,000 affordable homes each year in England until 2015 under David Cameron’s Coalition Government.
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Scottish Procurement in the Affordable Housing Sector
21st April, 2011
A recent report commissioned by the Scottish Government has shown that there is a need for a more mature approach to procurement resulting in realistic savings of £26-45 million p.a.
Due to the differences in approaches to procurement and the lack of expertise in the area, it is believed that these savings are going to be difficult to obtain in the short-term and need a concerted effort in attitude and change management from key stakeholders. -
Brakes Comes Out Top at Green Business Awards
21st April, 2011
Brakes Group, one of the leading suppliers to the foodservice industry, took gold at the Green Champions (Suppliers) category at the Green Business Awards for 2010 beating other finalists, Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust for the top prize.
This highly coveted award is testimony to Brakes Group corporate sustainable and environmental achievements throughout 2010 which indicate the company’s passion and dedication to green issues in business. -
How PfH Can Help Social Tenants Carry Out Their Own DIY
21st April, 2011
Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, has declared that tenants should be rewarded for taking care of their homes and performing routine maintenance and DIY tasks on the property. It’s believed that housing associations and councils spend £1000 per property each year on repairs when, in reality, the tenants could do the work themselves.
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Office Depot Awarded 12-Month Contract Extension
1st April, 2011
Office Depot has been awarded a 12-month contract extension within the Office Stationery Agreement following a positive review of the company's performance in delivering office supplies to our Members and their organisations.
Prices have been fixed to 2010 levels and will be honoured until 31st December 2011 so Members can be sure of no surprising bill increases.
The contract, originally written to expire on 30 November 2011, has now been extended until 30 November 2012.
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Prime Minister Declares Support for Public Sector Willing to Work With SMEs
24th March, 2011
In what has been described by some as a scathing attack on public sector procurement spending, David Cameron, PM, has declared that he wants to increase the amount of government work allocated to small-medium enterprises (SMEs) from 5% to 25% in order to make government buying more transparent and competitive.
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Launch of Debt Management Tender for July 2011
23rd March, 2011
Following Member Feedback, PfH has initiated a contract tender for a new Debt Management Services Agreement which will go live on 1 July 2011. The Debt Management Services Agreement has been designed to help Asset Managers/Debt Recovery Managers within organisations to recover outstanding debts which will encompass, but is not restricted to, debt streams such as Former Tenant Arrears, Council Tax Arrears and Rechargeable Debts.
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B & Q To Use Responsibly Sourced Wood
23rd March, 2011
In February 2011, B&Q, the largest home improvement and garden retailer in the UK, announced that it is the UK’s first major retailer to achieve its goal of only buying timber products from proven responsible sources following a campaign that spans over 20 years.
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RCU, the First Credit Union to be Offered in Lee Valley
23rd March, 2011
Social Landlords, Riverside and RCU, have established the only credit union in the Lee Valley area of Liverpool and already welcomed its first customers.
The credit union is aimed at helping those people on low incomes who wish to start saving money. Additionally, customers can take out loans at preferential rates, avoiding high interest rates offered by doorstep lenders.
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Successful retrofit must include more choice and support for tenants
22nd March, 2011
A survey has found that 38 per cent of social renters are given no choice about energy efficiency improvements made to their home, over 14 per cent are worried they won't know how to use energy-saving equipment and 17 per cent are concerned retrofit technology won't actually work.
Although 94 per cent of respondents had seen some energy efficiency upgrades made to their properties, nearly 25 per cent received no support from their landlord post-installation.
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CEL Group achieves 'Best Companies' accreditation
16th March, 2011
CEL Group, Management Contractor of Procurement for Housing, has achieved "Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For" one star accreditation. Despite not quite making the 'top 100' the business gained an excellent accreditation score.
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Procurement for Housing shortlisted at Housing Heroes.
7th March, 2011
Procurement for Housing is pleased to confirm that the consortium has been shortlisted for the Financial or Procurement Team of the Year.
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The power to create your own marketing material.
9th February, 2011
Do you have full control over the design of marketing and communications material produced by local offices? Is it always on-brand and compliant with your promotional style? Do you use expensive external designers when items could be produced in-house?
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Stannah wins stairlift contract with Newcastle City Council.
7th February, 2011
Jen Vinton, Head of Investment Delivery for Your Homes Newcastle, said “We are delighted to be working with Stannah for another four years. The new contract arrangements will help us reduce costs and meet the needs of our customers quicker, without compromising service quality.”
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Addressing ASB in practice.
7th February, 2011
Landlords could be able to evict tenants who commit anti-social behaviour more quickly and easily in plans outlined by housing minister Grant Shapps.
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Eight new agreements planned for 2011!
4th February, 2011
2011 is going to be a busy year for the PfH team with an additional eight new agreements scheduled to be added to PfH’s existing portfolio.
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3663 come out on top!
4th February, 2011
3663 have been chosen ahead of Brakes and Booker as the ‘Best Delivered Wholesaler for 2010’ voted for by independent caterers at the recent Wholesale Awards held by ‘Him!’ (Harris International research & consulting)
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PfH Marketplace Webinars
3rd February, 2011
Ministers are considering forcing associations to publish details of all spending over £500 as a condition of accessing the £1.9 billion affordable housing grant. Association chiefs fear both measures will create unnecessary work and risk pushing their £40 billion private debt portfolio onto the public sector balance sheets.
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Tackling tenancy and benefit fraud....the way forward?
21st December, 2010
PfH’s Managing Director will be speaking at the CIH’s Tackling Tenancy and Benefit Fraud event taking place on the 28th January 2011 in Birmingham.
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Recruitment Services - have we got your correct contact details?
17th December, 2010
With the imminent launch of the retendered Recruitment Services Agreement expected in January, PfH will be contacting all Members over the next two weeks to confirm whether we have the appropriate HR / recruitment contact.
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Continued cold snap and the energy market.
17th December, 2010
PfH is delighted to introduce the first of monthly energy use spotlights, powered by PfH supplier Inenco. The EnergyUpdates.com portal powered by Inenco, comprises of five separate TV channels that look at different issues and aspects of energy use.
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Calling all tenants! Last chance to have your say in the great retrofit debate.
17th December, 2010
Don’t forget to invite your tenants to take part in our retrofit survey before Christmas Eve.
PfH and Fusion21 are undertaking the research in partnership with the Tenant Participation and Advisory Service (TPAS) on the retrofit agenda.
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Have you delivered Value for Money (VfM) on every pound spent this year?
23rd November, 2010
With Christmas just round the corner, this means that there are only a few months left in the financial year. Can you guarantee to your residents that you have delivered Value for Money (VfM) on every pound spent this year? With over 24 agreements in place, PfH is here to help you across a spectrum of procurement requirements.
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Procurement Clubs
May sees the start of HouseMark’s next round of highly successful regional procurement Clubs run in partnership with PfH.
