Solihull Community Housing

At Frank Haslam Milan we specialise in delivering innovative solutions for the refurbishment & construction of public sector housing. We are currently working in partnership with Solihull Community Housing to deliver their Decent Homes Programme.

The contract is valued at approximately £64 million over eight years & covers the refurbishment of 8,100 Council-owned homes to the Decent Homes Standard & associated regeneration works. The extensive programme of works includes full kitchen & bathroom replacements, full central heating replacements, full re-wires & subsequent plastering & decorating. On average we are handing over a rate of around 30 homes a week.

Our team of dedicated Resident Liaison Officer's provide independent support & advice to tenants & the wider community affected by the relevant works, keeping them continually informed & up to date with progress & related issues. They provide a one-point contact which helps tenants feel respected & valued. It also ensures they can maintain the 'best quality' of life throughout the works.

In addition we have appointed a number of Tenant Inspectors. By providing technical training to a number of tenant representatives we have enabled them to inspect the quality of the works. This gives an independent view of the standard of work we produce & provides another method for tenants to engage with our service.

Frank Haslam Milan is committed to demonstrating a real commitment to the communities where we work. Our ability to go beyond the bricks & mortar culture has seen us set national standards, receiving government praise & recognition.

A major avenue for employment & training opportunities on this scheme was created through Pathways Training Facility, the aim of which is to engage those in the local community seeking an opportunity to enter the Construction Industry & target long term unemployed & Intermediate Labour Market. Referrals are taken from the Job Centre Plus & Construction Employment Alliance for suitable candidates to undergo an intensive 12 week training programme including - plastering, painting, decorating & plumbing. The Partnership endeavours to place all successful candidates in full time employment. Many are now in full time permanent employment & working towards NVQ Level 2 in their chosen trade.

As a partnership we are particularly proud that we have been able to have such an impact on the lives of the people who live in Solihull. Not only have we been able to refurbish their homes to a modern standard but we have also been able to create training & employment opportunities for young people who want a career in the construction industry.