The Housing Associations’ Legal Alliance (HALA) members wish to enter into a framework agreement with a number of legal advisers in relation to legal services.
To view this notice, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=980253496
The Housing Associations’ Legal Alliance (HALA) members wish to enter into a framework agreement with a number of legal advisers in relation to legal services.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-London:-Legal-services./QD88RTJ5MG
To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/QD88RTJ5MG
Southern Housing are seeking to replace circa 44 lifts per year, split across 4 contracts.
75-80% of the work is based in London.
Circa 10% of the works will be to High Risk Buildings as defined by the Building Safety Act.
Scope of Works:
The scope of the contract will include:
a) Replacement of lift installations
b) Quality assurance of work delivered by contractors with provision of supporting evidence.
c) Principal Contractor role for CDM and Building Safety Act requirements
d) Lift repairs and maintenance during the warranty period
The scope of the contract will exclude:
a. Lift Repairs and Maintenance beyond the warranty period
Strategic Objectives
Key strategic objectives required of the procurement process are:
1. Seeking long term relationships, value for money, social value
2. KPIs – delivery of programme, customer satisfaction
3. Incentivised performance linked to profit
4. Resilience through multiple contractors
5. To commence in 26/27 financial year
6. Consistent quality and experience delivered for Southern Housing tenants based through a single suite of contract delivery processes.
The added value benefits we are seeking are:
a) Maximisation of guarantees/warranties and component lifecycles.
b) Delivery of social value outcomes.
c) Ideas and innovation as to how the works could be delivered more efficiently each year to continuously improve the customer experience.
Southern Housing are seeking to procure External Audit Services to undertake an independent audit of Southern Housing and its related subsidiaries.
Southern Housing was formed in December 2022 following the merger of Optivo and Southern Housing Group. Our history stretches back to the early 20th century and over 120 years later our social purpose of helping those in housing need remains. Southern Housing now owns over 80,000 homes and serves 167,000 residents across London, the South East, the Midlands and the Isle of Wight. Our merger has enabled us to deepen ties in our key communities.
There are two PIE entities within the Group - Southern Housing and Optivo Finance PLC. The group is also working on consolidating the group structure.
Current subsidiaries include:
1. Optivo Finance PLC – bond issuing vehicle
2. Southern Home Ownership Ltd – Non-charitable Registered Provider - develops, sells and manages home ownership properties T/O £154m
3. Optivo Development Services Ltd – Private Limited Company - design and build T/o - £108m4. Southern Housing Construction Limited - Private Limited Company - operates in London and throughout Southeast England providing a construction service to the companies within Southern Housing T/O £2.7m
4. Lamborn Estates Limited – Private Limited Company - developing and selling for Open Market Sale, only 1 live scheme currently, possibly close before this audit, T/o £2m
5. Crystal Palace Housing Association – Non-charitable Registered Provider - 262 units all historic shared ownership homes T/0 £1m
6. Amicus Group – Charitable Registered Provider - 1 home (holds cash and loans back to parent)
7. Spruce Homes Limited – Private Limited Company - market rent T/O £1.3m
8. Middlesex First Ltd – Community Benefit Society - provides accommodation at 3 student halls T/O £7m
9. Fresh Visions People Ltd – charity, income £0.3m
10. Linked Charities × 5
a. Samuel Lewis Foundation – Charity, 340 homes, T/o £2m
b. The Fellowship Houses Trust – Charitable Registered Provider - 58 homes T/O £420k
c. Hewitt Homes – Charitable Registered Provider - 49 homes T/O £380k
d. Charity of Julia Spicer Almshouse – Charitable Registered Provider - 14 homes T/O £79k
e. Eason Gruaz Homes – Charity - 8 homes T/O £30k
11. Southern Space Ltd - Private Limited Company - The Company holds a one third interest in Triathlon Homes LLP which owns and manages the social housing units within the East Village in Stratford, East London - Triathlon Homes LLP – 33% partnership via Southern Space Ltd – not part of the tender.
12. Affinity Housing Services (Reading) and Affinity Reading Holdings Ltd – 50% JV with Abri Group – not part of the tender
13. Optivo Enterprises Ltd – Dormant
14. Optivo Homes Ltd – will be closed before this audit
PROPOSED SCOPE OF SERVICES
We require an independent audit of Southern Housing and its related subsidiaries and JVs, carried out in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)).
The scope of the contract will include:
a) External audit annual planning meeting and development of an audit strategy for each year end beginning with the year ending 31st March 2027 with a planned approach to key audit risks and analysis of previous findings/ recommendations
b) Meeting to discuss and agree accounting policies pre year end
c) Conducting the interim audit – expect part to be carried out on site
d) Attendance at pre year end Audit & Risk Committee (ARC) meeting to present annual audit approach and plan (anticipating March)
e) Conducting year end fieldwork
f) Undertaking an audit of all entities in the corporate structure (entities to be confirmed annually) including group consolidation, excluding Triathlon Homes LLP and Affinity Reading in compliance with legal and accounting guidance/best practice.
g) Undertaking an annual audit of our Euro Medium Term Note (EMTN) programme
h) Liaising with Southern Housing’s Director of Internal Audit and consideration of reports produced to understand their scope of works and any significant findings, their view on and contribution to the overall control environment
i) Audit of annual covenant certificates for lenders
j) Attendance at final clearance meeting
k) Attendance at post year end ARC (anticipating July) meeting to present completion report
l) Annual meeting with the Chair of ARC, with potential need for ad hoc calls during the year
m) Ad hoc meetings / calls as required by ARC / Executive / Financial Services
The scope of the contract specifically excludes:
a) Grant audits
b) Service charge audit.
The chosen supplier will be an established, high-quality firm that not only provides an audit opinion on Southern Housing but also offers a professional and informed sounding board to question existing practices and offers external perspectives. It will also provide proactive support to the Audit & Risk Committee on the sector as a whole and keep management abreast of relevant changes in accounting and auditing standards which could impact the organisation.
CONTRACT PERIOD
The contract will be for a maximum period of 5 years for the years ending 31 March 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030 and 2031. The contract will be subject to the annual re-appointment of the external auditors by the Southern Housing Board.
PROCUREMENT ROUTE
Southern Housing will be conducting the Procurement Process through Open Procedure in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023. The form of contract will be the Southern Housing standard form of services contract with amendments.
PROCUREMENT TIMETABLE
We are seeking to publish the tender by 18 December 2025 and are targeting to award the contract by 31 March 2026.
Southern Housing was formed in December 2022 following the merger of Optivo and Southern Housing Group. Our history stretches back to the early 20th century and 121 years later our social purpose of helping those in housing need remains. Southern Housing now owns over 80,000 homes and serves 167,000 residents across London, the South East, the Midlands and the Isle of Wight. Our merger has enabled us to deepen ties in our key communities.
Following completion of the merger we are now in a process of integration where we are looking to consolidate operational and contractual arrangements and geographic coverage and a key strategic focus for us over the next 18 months will be the packaging and procurement of Capital Works contracts.
This notice is not an invitation for formal expressions of interest. Southern Housing are issuing this request for information only. The purpose of this Prior Information Notice and the questionnaires that we are asking you to complete is to gain some early insight and feedback from the market in relation to this exciting opportunity.
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