Agenda item

Award of Contracts for Electrical Inspection Condition Reports (EICR)

Approval is sought to award contracts to two contractors who have been selected from the South East Consortium Framework in order to deliver the required programme of Electrical Inspection Condition Reports (EICRs) and ensure compliance, following the depletion of our in-house team, due to staff leaving and recruitment difficulties. Due to the unforeseeable nature of these issues and the urgency in completing works to ensure compliance, it was not possible to comply with the usual 28-day notice period.

 

Given the above, it is not practicable to comply with the 28-day notice requirement in Part Four, Section D, Rule 13 of the constitution. This is set out in Part Four, Section D, Rule 16, of the Constitution.

Minutes:

This report was to inform and seek approval from Members for the need to award two contracts for the temporary outsourcing of Electrical Inspection Reports until March 2024 for all residential properties in the Councils Housing stock, to meet the Council's obligations under the Institute of Engineering & Technology (IET) Wiring Regulations British Standard 7671 - 18th Edition, 2018.

 

Haringey Council needed to undertake electrical safety inspections every 5 years or upon change of tenancy in the borough's rented properties, to ensure that the electrical supplies, cables and connected appliances (installations) within the borough's properties were safe and do not increase the risk of electric shock and/or fire.

 

Due to the passing or resignation of members of the management team in Haringey Repairs Service and reaching the end of the previous sub-contractor contract, there was a current lack of resources and experience to manage the required electrical testing programme in our residential properties and common areas.

 

The programme was being delivered by external sub-contractors from March 2019. Due to the contract value being exceeded the Council was unable to issue further works under the contract after May 2021. The original programme was due to complete by the end of March 2023. There was therefore a need to bring in temporary external resources until such time as Haringey Repairs Service (HRS) could again deliver the programme.

 

Two contractors had been identified from the Southeast Consortium Procurement framework who were able to mobilise within a relatively short period of time to deliver the programme against pre-tendered rates.

 

The two contractors would also undertake testing and installation of smoke detectors in all properties to ensure compliance with the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022 during the electrical inspections.

 

The 2022/23 phase of the EICR programme would be funded from the existing capital budget provision of £2.1m. Provision for 2023/24 works would be met from the capital provision in the current capital programme MTFS and would be revisited submitted during the 2023/24 budget setting process.

 

The overall programme and expenditure profile was shown in the following table. No professional fees are required as the quality assurance is delivered in- house.

 

 

 

The Cabinet Member RESOLVED 

 

1. Pursuant to Contract Standing Order 16.02 and Contract Standing Order 9.07.1(d), to approve the award of two contracts up to the end of March 2024, to a total value of £5.78 million as shown in the table at section 1.8 of the report, to Contractor A and Contractor N (detailed in exempt Appendix 1) based on their submission of a resourced programme to deliver the works and a satisfactory method statement on how the works will be delivered. The contract values are based on an assessment of the works to be carried out. The costs of works is based on the framework schedule of rates which was subject to a competitive process to set up the framework.

 

2. To agree to award a contract to Contractor A (detailed in exempt Appendix 1) for up to £2,826,100 to deliver 4,646 electrical tests and any smoke detector testing and associated remedial works as a result of surveys.

 

3. To agree to award a contract to Contractor N (detailed in exempt Appendix 1) for up to £2,949,650 to deliver 4,999 electrical tests and any smoke detector testing and associated remedial works as a result of surveys.

 

4. To note that the contracts with be from October 2022 until March 2024. The form of Contract will be the JCT measured term contract.

 

5. To note that the contracts are for the temporary outsourcing of Electrical Inspection Reports, urgent remedial works resulting from the inspections and to install smoke alarms where required, for approximately 10,000 properties in the Councils Housing stock, to meet our obligations under the Institute of Engineering & Technology (IET) Wiring Regulations British Standard 7671 - 18th Edition, 2018, and the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022.

 

 

 

Reasons for decision 

 

The 18th Edition Wiring Regulations - IET BS7671 required landlords to undertake regular electrical condition reports and recommend that they were undertaken at least every 5-years, or upon new tenancies, within homes, and communal areas.

 

In the Draft Social Housing (Regulation) Bill there is a proposal to include mandatory 5-yearly testing for social housing properties.

 

Haringey had 5546 certificates out of 15,191 dwellings and 769 certificates of 771 communal supplies including the Broadwater Farm estate. Therefore, the Council required c10,000 certificates to be completed to include those that would expire during the programme.

 

Tests were not carried out in leaseholders’ properties as this remained their responsibility under the terms of their lease. They were carried out in all communal areas including those with leaseholders. There were no new leasehold financial implications for these communal tests. The costs had always been and would continue to be re-charged through normal service charges and would be below any S20 consultation threshold. Any major works resulting would be consulted on separately.

 

Haringey did not currently have the in-house resource capacity and capability to deliver the required programme of EICRs and to cover the level of responsive repairs and voids works due to staff turnover. Whilst this programme was being delivered, the Council would be developing its in-house capability in this area.

 

Haringey needed to reinstate the programme of EICRs through external contractors as soon as possible, to minimise the risk to residents, staff, and properties from electric shock and/or fire, due to properties without a valid EICR.

 

Valid electrical inspection condition reports enable us to demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements, by ensuring there are no significant electrical hazards. It also provides compliance with the Building Safety Act 2022 and The Fire Safety Act 2021, ensuring they do not contribute to the risk and spread of fire in multi-storey, multi-occupancy rented accommodation.

 

Alternative options considered

 

To recruit sufficient in-house resources to carry out the programme. The electrical manager was appointed in July 2022 after the retirement of the previous incumbent. This was an internal appointment and due to the sudden death of the other Electrical Supervisor, there were two posts which had only recently been recruited to. The new manager needed to ensure that repairs and maintenance responsibilities of the role were meeting the required level before taking on the testing programme. Additional operative resource was also required and the lead in for recruitment will take too long.

 

Supporting documents: