Housing Services in London – Framework Lead

The current contract for Housing Services in London is projected to end on 11/10/2016 and may be available for re-tender.The current contract for Housing Services in London included emergency temporary accommodation for homeless applicants pending investigations into their application. This is known as the ’interim duty’. Local Authorities also have additional statutory powers to provide help and assistance to other categories of people. Often this requires Local Authorities to provide accommodation to some of the most vulnerable members of the Community including for example people with mental health issues, physical disabilities and learning disabilities. Local Authorities are also bound by statute to provide suitable temporary accommodation to applicants who are then assessed as homeless until a homeless household can obtain a settled housing solution. This is referred to as the ‘primary duty’ This framework agreement is to be established for London Borough of Newham (lot 1 only), London Borough of Redbridge (all lots) and London Borough of Waltham Forest (all lots). The collaborating Authorities currently deliver these duties as follows The ‘interim duty’, whilst a homeless application is investigated or other assistance is considered, is usually delivered through the provision of temporary bed and breakfast (hotel) or self contained nightly let/paid accommodation. The ‘primary duty’ to provide suitable temporary accommodation to accepted cases is usually delivered by means of leased accommodation procured from the private sector through Managing Agents or Registered Providers of social housing. The significant numbers of properties now acquired in this way means that it is necessary to tender for the provision of these types of accommodation, in order to comply with the collaborating Authorities own Codes of Procurement and European Procurement Legislation.