New affordable homes mean new opportunities
This month saw some exciting news for the affordable housing sector and, in particular, for 14 housing associations who have won contracts to manage new build homes for Legal & General. With these newly announced management deals comes plenty of opportunities as we move towards 2020.
L&G’s for-profit social housing provider, L&G Affordable Homes, will be investing in 3,500 homes a year – a much needed boost for affording housing stock.
In the past decade the country’s ageing population has left many young people unable to get on to the property ladder as family homes are occupied by older couples or single people. This is partially responsible for the 1.1 million households on the housing waiting list in England.
New homes are needed to close the gap. L&G’s innovative solution involves them building high quality, module homes on land they own and leasing these to affordable housing sector partners as an investment.
Earlier this year it put out a tender for housing association partners to manage its properties. These have now been named.
The first L&G affordable housing tenants have already moved into schemes in Falmouth, Cornwall, and in Croydon, London.
L&G is not the only big investor in affordable housing schemes; more have seen the potential as it is estimated three million social homes will need to be built in the next 20 years.
This presents an incredible opportunity for the affordable housing sector to win contracts for the management of more of these much needed schemes. And with that opportunity comes the necessity to consider additional resourcing within your business.
We are already talking to clients about new investments in affordable housing and how this will affect their staffing needs.
Back in 2016 we recruited the Managing Director at one of the country’s leading modular housing factories and in 2018 we also brought in a team leader there. The factory was among the first companies in the UK to use modular building for new homes and have now built more than 1,000.
Both of the professionals we recruited came from outside the industry, but we identified their transferrable skills and supported them through the process to their new careers. They now play a key role in making the factory a success.
If you are looking to recruit within your affordable housing business then we can help. Ocean Edge has nearly 20 years experience helping the affordable housing sector find the top candidates.
We have teams in Southampton and London who are ready to help you recruit to your organisation. Find out more about our recruitment consultancy services or call 023 8000 1153 or email info@oceanedge.biz.