Bill leads IPS into the future

Newly expanded Isos Property Services (IPS) has hired an experienced new general manager to oversee its operations across the North East.

IPS was formed last year with the aim of looking after nearly 12,000 affordable homes owned and managed by the Isos Group.

Now Bill Tuddenham will lead the business's development as it gradually takes on more and more work on those homes, from Stockton in the south of the region, right up to Berwick in the north - a patch of well over 3,000 square miles.

Bill has joined the Isos Group from his previous role as head of responsive maintenance at another social housing provider, Home Group, where he had worked for over 15 years, developing the company's maintenance operation to become the best performing division in the group.

Bill said: "There is a massive opportunity here with IPS, and a massive challenge.
"What excites me about this role is that we have an in-house service provider for everything - and the aim is to be the best.

"Through doing this in-house, the people feel part of the organisation and are dedicated to its vision and values. Taking this forward, I have the opportunity to influence and shape something relatively new within Isos, so that it delivers excellent services through a successful property services division.
"It is like running a business within a business."

IPS has been developed as a regionwide business from the successful Milecastle Building Services, which cared for more than 3,000 homes owned and managed by Isos Group member Milecastle Housing.

Bill brings a wealth of experience of responsive repairs to the newly expanded IPS team, as well as significant expertise in maintenance and technical services.

Bill said: "The business I've come from invested heavily in developing people to become better at what they did. We had a continuous improvement culture - and that's something Milecastle's Building Services was always very strong on too."

"It's well known in the housing sector that the one part of the business which most influences customers and their perceptions of their landlord is an effective repairs service.
"Our frontline staff are the face of Isos - they represent the organisation on a day-to-day basis and they are our ambassadors, so it's vital for everyone in the group that they perform well."

After formation last year, IPS is taking on its responsibilities gradually for all repairs and maintenance work across the Isos Group.

Bill and his team already have impressive performance benchmarks to keep to, with IPS response times averaging 99.1% for completed repairs and 99.6% for turnover of empty properties.

The team now delivers gas servicing and repairs group-wide, as well as covering day-to-day repairs to the properties of all three Isos operating companies.
Work on empty properties for Castle Morpeth Housing and Milecastle is also under way, and that is due to extend to NomadE5 homes from April 2011.

IPS is also responsible for 'planned maintenance' contracts for Milecastle and NomadE5 - installing new windows, kitchens and bathrooms amongst other things, while CMH continues to employ its own contractors.