Freedom of Information Disclosure Log

Awarded Framework Agreements and Call-Off Contracts

​Responsive Repairs, Void Property Works and Out of Hours Emergency Works Framework Agreement. Reference number ESP 4127

​12 questions about electrical safety procedures in Hanover social developments

1. Do you currently carry out electrical safety inspections across your social housing stock?
a. Yes, across all our housing stock (go to question 3)
b. Yes, but only across part of our housing stock (go to question 3)
c. No (go to question 2)

2. Why don’t you carry out regular electrical safety inspections?
a. Not a legal requirement
b. Cost prohibitive
c. Too disruptive to tenants
d. Don’t have the time
e. Don’t know how to go about it
f. Other (specify)

Go to question 7

3. How often do you carry out these inspections?

a. Every 5 years
b. Every 10 years
c. On change of tenancy
d. During home improvements (e.g. fitting of new kitchens)
e. Other, please specify

4. How do you find the electrician that carries out these inspections for you?

a. Through a trade or certification body (SELECT, SJIB, NICEIC, NAPIT)
b. Online web search
c. Local advertising media
d. Recommended by someone/organisation
e. Social media
f. Don’t know/Don’t remember
g. Other – please specify – Procurement

5. Do you carry out any form of interim visual inspection for electrical defects on your properties?

a. Yes, across all our housing stock (go to question 6)
b. Yes, but only across part of our housing stock (go to question 6)
c. No (go to question 7)

6. How often do you carry out these interim visual inspections?

a. Every year
b. On change of tenancy
c. During home improvements (e.g. fitting of new kitchens)
d. Other, please specify

7. Do you provide any White Goods (e.g. fridge freezers, washing machines etc) as part of your tenancy agreements?

a. Yes (go to question 8)
b. No (go to question 9)

8. Do you have any systems in place for checking whether the White Goods you supply may become subject to a product recall?

a. Yes
b. No

9. Are Residual Current Devices (RCDs) fitted in your properties?

a. Yes, across all our housing stock
b. Yes, but only across part of our housing stock
c. Unsure
d. No

10. Do you provide advice to tenants regarding electrical safety and how to manage electrical risk in their homes?

a. Yes (go to question 11)
b. No (go to question 12)

11. Please specify which advice you provide.
a. Information provided at start of the tenancy
b. Leaflets provided or made available
c. User manuals provided for all appliances included as part of the tenancy
d. Promote details on social media and online channels
e. Other, please specify

12. What, if anything, would you like to see happen with electrical safety regulation in the social housing sector?

a. Stay the same
b. Change to a mandatory regime, similar to requirements in the private rented sector (i.e. mandatory 5 yearly inspections of installations and any appliances provided as part of a let and RCDs fitted in consumer units)
c. Undecided

​Details of ground floor three bedroom properties with disabled access in Ayr, Prestwick or Monkton.

In reference to a property at Laighpark View, Coylton, Ayrshire

Accident report for accident on 19/3/2020.

Also details of any service requests or complaints made regarding the bin area/drying areas at these properties during the last 3 years.

Information in relation to an accident at Maple Tree Court on 29 May 2020

– A copy of the accident report.
– Details of any complaints received, in any form, about the state of the building after it had been cleaned from 1 May 2019 to the present date.
– Details of the agreement with Allander Cleaning to clean the development from 1 May 2019 to the present date.”

​FOI004 – Details of all of the housing association’s  house building projects approved in the last ten years, including the address of the project, the affected geographical area,  the total number of units built, the number of units built for social housing, the number of affordable houses built, and the date the project was approved.

​FOI005 – Details of all complaints made by tenants about the organisation’s housing service in the past five years, including the date of the complaint, reason given for complaint, whether the complaint was investigated and upheld, and what the outcome of the complaint was. Details of all complaints made by prospective tenants and applicants about the organisation’s housing service in the past five years, including the date of the complaint, reason given for complaint, whether the complaint was investigated and upheld, and what the outcome of the complaint was.

​FOI006 – The average waiting time for housing accommodation, broken down by bedroom number, in each of the last ten years. The average waiting time for housing accommodation in each geographical area, broken down by bedroom number, in each of the last ten years. The longest waiting time for housing accommodation, broken down by bedroom number, in each of the last ten years. The longest waiting time for housing accommodation in each geographical area, broken down by bedroom number, in each of the last ten years.

FOI007 – The total number of people currently on the waiting list for housing properties, broken down by bedroom number? The number of people currently on the waiting list for housing in each geographical area, broken down by property bedroom number? The anticipated waiting time for housing accommodation, broken down by bedroom number. The anticipated waiting time for housing accommodation in each geographical area, broken down by bedroom property number. The average waiting time for housing accommodation, broken down by bedroom number, in each of the last ten years. The average waiting time for housing accommodation in each geographical area, broken down by bedroom number, in each of the last ten years.

FOI008 – ​The total number of social housing properties owned by the housing association, broken down by geographical area and bedroom number. The total number of social housing properties built by the housing association in each of the past ten years, broken down by geographical area and bedroom number.

FOI009 – ​Percentage increases on rent imposed on social tenants by the housing association in each of the last ten years. The total number of housing association tenants in each of the last ten years. The total value of rent arrears accumulated by housing association tenants, as well as the total number of tenants who have entered rent arrears, in each of the last ten years. Details of all evictions carried out on housing association tenants in the last ten years, including the number of evictions carried out and the reasons for the evictions. The number of housing association tenants currently facing evictions, including all active eviction notices.

Framework for Consultant Services for Cyclical and Planned Maintenance Works 2020 – 2024. The awarded tender details can be viewed here https://app.contractsadvance.co.uk/release/2279204.

Please provide the following: The suppliers who applied for inclusion on each framework/contract and who were unsuccessful at the PQQ & ITT stages
Insert company names here:
(Please add more where applicable)
Duration of Framework/contract
Insert duration in months here:

Do you use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?

If you do use an ATS, who is the supplier of your current ATS?
If you do use an ATS, when is the contract end-date with your current supplier?
If you do use an ATS, did you buy your current ATS through a framework?
If you did buy through a framework, which framework?
If you did not buy through a framework, did you contract direct without any tendering process?
If you bought through a framework, did you call off or did you conduct a mini-competition?

Financial statement issued by Hanover in relation to Cluny Gardens, Jordanhill, Glasgow.

Expenditure utilising your heading numbers

(22) Can you explain why the costs for the housing manager in 2020-21 were higher than the previous year and the reasons for this! As the manager was not providing a full range of services, was the manager not furloughed for some of this time and if so what proportion of his time and salary was paid by HMRC or the Scottish Government to Hanover. If not, then can you please explain why he was not furloughed for the time he was not working due to the pandemic restrictions and why this was not considered necessary given the residents pay his salary. Please provide details of all staff furloughed and the sums received.

(23) Ditto the previous item, the cleaner for common parts which were not being cleaned during the pandemic period. I further understand the cleaner was not around for a significant time and may have left employment?

(26) Can we have site of the grounds maintenance contract and instruction letter of appointment. It appears that the only grounds maintenance work carried out is primarily grass cutting. The bushes are severely overgrown and the attention to detail is somewhat questionable. It appears a lot of money for what is undertaken.

(32) Please explain further why there is a reduction in speech units within the complex and its relationship to a reduction in costs. Have alternative providers of this service been considered and if not why. Has it been tendered as other providers are available at similar costs as a comparison? This is an additional income stream to your company as I assume they are part of your overall business and not a separate entity, but you change a management fee on top. Is there open transparency as required by the 2011 Act.

(33) There is a sum for Care Inspectorate costs of £59.00 annually which I have disputed in the past. There are no services at this location which require a care inspectorate fee under their fee charter. Please advise why this is included and the reasons and copies of any application or correspondence with the Care Commission. It should be refunded in full to all residents. It appears to me that you are taking the care inspectorate fee for services at sites elsewhere and spreading the cost across the entire portfolio whether a benefit or not.

(36) Please provide details of the alarm and door entry expenditure and copies of the vouchers (invoices). Including the smoke detector repair/replacement which I would have thought this was fire related and should have been accounted under heading 35 and not 36. And why it was a common repair?

(38) You had sinking/reserve funds of £13,000.00 allowed for but only collected £12,000.00 within the year. Why was this? What happened to the other £1,000.00 allowed for. Please can you provide details of what the £13,000 was to be utilised for and the accumulated figures under each project that it was planned for. For example, replacement lighting etc. I also note that you use this fund to make up any shortfall in the general fund at the year end. This is highly unusual in general practice and contrary to the Deeds. I have seen Hanover correspondence that states that this money is non-refundable. Please confirm how you have arrived at this conclusion and where in writing this is binding upon the residents.

(39) The management fee appears to have increased by 3.9% during a Pandemic year when little or no work was carried out and no meetings were held or attended. Were any of the Hanover staff furloughed and if so who and to what extent and how much was paid by HMRC or the Scottish Government to Hanover and the % in relation to salaries overall. Why did the management fee increase and was this agree by the Property Council? Please can we see the mandate or minutes approving it.

Please can we have a copy of your valid management contract which was last agreed with the residents.

Please can we see a copy of your “Written statement of Services” per the 2011 Act which should have been prepared and issued back in 2011-2012.

Stripping out the employment costs of the warden and cleaner and the telecare and the sinking fund/reserve for future repairs the management cost is greater than what you spend on general repairs, maintenance, and insurance by a significant margin. How can this be? For every £1.00 spent your fee equates to almost £0.60p. In total your management fee equates to 20% of the total including monies in the sinking reserve fund whereby you are getting the full fee for nothing but collection.

Turning to the Financial Statement

(7) Please explain the “Excessive Absence Fund” and its prior use and intended use and where it was originally funded from.

(8) There is no interest earned on 52k of funds. Please explain and provide details of the arrangement you have with the current bank in accordance with the procedures and regulations set down in the 2011 Act.

3.5b Homeowners’ floating funds must be accounted for separately from your own funds, whether through coding arrangements or through one or more separate bank accounts.

3.6b in situations where a sinking or reserve fund is arranged as part of the service to homeowners, an interest-bearing account or accounting structure must be used for each separate group of homeowners.
Please confirm that a separate account exists for the sinking/reserve fund. Details of it and whom it is with.

1. Is the Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association developing any new social housing? YES/NO

a. If yes,
i. How many units will be built and completed by Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association in the financial year 2020/21 (this year)?

ii. How many units are predicted to be built and completed by Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association in the financial year 2021/22 (next year)?

iii. How many units are predicted to be built and completed by Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association in the financial years 2021/22 – 2026/27 (next five years)?

2. Does Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association have its own Development Company? YES/NO
a. If yes, what is its name, postal address, and phone number?

3. How many new social housing units are Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association company (separate to any development Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association are building themselves) predicting to complete in the year financial year 2020/21 (this year)?

4. How many new social housing units are Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association development company (separate to any development Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association are building themselves) predicting to complete in the year financial years 2021/22 to 2023/24?

5. Please can you provide the name, e-mail, and postal address of Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association Company Contact?

Framework for Consultant Services for Cyclical and Planned Maintenance Works 2020-2024:

http://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:119920-2020:TEXT:EN:HTML

The details we require are:

• Suppliers who applied for inclusion on each framework/contract and were successful & not successful at the PQQ & ITT stages
• Actual spend on this contract/framework (and any sub lots), from the start of the contract to the current date
• Start date & duration of framework
• Is there an extension clause in the framework(s)/contract(s) and, if so, the duration of the extension?
• Has a decision been made yet on whether the framework(s)/contract(s) are being either extended or renewed?
• Who is the senior officer (outside of procurement) responsible for this contract?

Landscaping contract, routine maintenance etc at Alexandra Court, Prestwick

As part of a Freedom of Information request – please send scanned copies of the Minutes of the Board meeting in 2000 that took place where the decision to exclude Roseburn from rights restored elsewhere in the housing stock under Hanover where ‘they took the policy decision to reinstate the registered proprietors / equity owners position and redistribute the income to them to mirror the original title deeds because it was fair’ that outline the data/briefings and so on by which Director’s took this decision.

What is the published remit and mission of the charity at Hanover that will disperse the appropriate proceeds of the sale of the manager’s flat at Roseburn Ct as noted in your letter dated 12 May 2021?
What is the % amount that is proposed for beneficiaries at Roseburn Court by Hanover in the draft 21/22 budget from the anticipated proceeds of the sale of the manager’s flat? – budget documents are not yet received and your letter does not propose how the rest of the money should be distributed

For what reason/s was the ‘specific policy on the [sale] matter approved by the Hanover Board.. ..when the old Feudal Superiority burdens in titles were abolished by parliament in 2000 did Hanvoer base their view that is was fair to reinstate the registered proprietors / equity owners position and redistribute the income to them to mirror the original title deeds but…the title deeds at Roseburn Court never included the same [reinstatement of rights at Roseburn Court]’? – a quote from your letter dated 12 May 2021″

• The current number of Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) employees at your association.
• The total number of BAME former employees who have left your association in the last 5 years.
• The total number of BAME individuals employed in senior and strategic roles within your association to date.
• Information about what actions your association has taken to proactively encourage, support, and assist your employees from a BAME background into senior and strategic roles within your association to date.
• Information about what actions your association has taken to understand the ethnic backgrounds, needs, and aspirations of BAME individuals to date.
• Information about what actions your association has taken to recruit BAME individuals into working for your association to date.
• Information about what actions your association intends to take to recruit BAME individuals into working for your association in the future.

Grounds Maintenance Services and Emergency Works:
http://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:119829-2018:TEXT:EN:HTML

The details we require are:

• Suppliers who applied for inclusion on each framework/contract and were successful & not successful at the PQQ & ITT stages
• Actual spend on this contract/framework (and any sub lots), from the start of the contract to the current date
• Start date & duration of framework
• Is there an extension clause in the framework(s)/contract(s) and, if so, the duration of the extension?
• Has a decision been made yet on whether the framework(s)/contract(s) are being either extended or renewed?
• Who is the senior officer (outside of procurement) responsible for this contract?

• Please provide me with a breakdown of the priority need bands for your organisation’s housing list, and the number of applications currently in each band.
• Please provide me with the number of applications on your housing list for each of the following years. I’m looking to see if the housing list has grown over the last 5 years, so to gain an accurate comparison, please provide me with a snapshot of the number of people on your housing list on 1 April of each of the years set out below. If you do not hold figures for all of the years, please fill out the table for those years you do hold information. By “1 April”, I mean the first day of the financial year.
• Please provide me with the number of applications currently on your housing list for each of the property types listed.
• How many properties have been let to tenants during each of the years listed. If you do not hold figures for all of the years, please fill out the table for those years you do hold information.
• How many properties are due to be completed in the next business year, broken down by the number of bedrooms in property
• Please provide the total housing stock figure for each of the last 5 years, broken down by year, and number of bedrooms. By “1 April”, I mean the first day of the financial year. If you do not hold figures for all of the years, please fill out the table for those years you do hold information.
• Please provide me with a list of rental prices for each of the last 5 years.

1. Please provide me with a breakdown of the priority need bands for your organisation’s housing list, and the number of applications currently in each band.
2. Please provide me with the number of applications on your housing list for each of the following years. I’m looking to see if the housing list has grown over the last 5 years, so to gain an accurate comparison, please provide me with a snapshot of the number of people on your housing list on 1 April of each of the years set out below. If you do not hold figures for all of the years, please fill out the table for those years you do hold information. By “1 April”, I mean the first day of the financial year.
3. Please provide me with the number of applications currently on your housing list for each of the property types listed.
4. How many properties have been let to tenants during each of the years listed. If you do not hold figures for all of the years, please fill out the table for those years you do hold information.
5. How many properties are due to be completed in the next business year, broken down by the number of bedrooms in property
6. Please provide the total housing stock figure for each of the last 5 years, broken down by year, and number of bedrooms. By “1 April”, I mean the first day of the financial year. If you do not hold figures for all of the years, please fill out the table for those years you do hold information.
7. Please provide me with a list of rental prices for each of the last 5 years.