Property

Ealing Council targets safety with £185m M&E repair push amid sector-wide overhaul

Wednesday, 22 October 2025 4:10AM UTC

Ealing Council prepares to appoint Axis Europe and W.G. Wiggingtons for a £185 million overhaul of social housing repairs, focusing on fire safety and ageing M&E systems in a wider push across London to modernise housing infrastructure.

Ealing Council is preparing to appoint two contractors, Axis Europe and W.G. Wiggingtons, for a significant £185 million mechanical and electrical (M&E) repairs programme targeting residential blocks over the next decade. The initiative focuses on addressing critical safety risks highlighted in the council’s Housing Risk Register, particularly within its Higher Risk Building (HRB) stock. The project involves substantial fire remediation work and the replacement of ageing M&E systems in blocks dating back to the 1960s, many of which have exceeded their expected lifecycle and suffered from years of underinvestment.

A council report emphasises that the deteriorating condition of these systems, including lateral and rising mains, poses unacceptable risks to resident safety and comfort. Current system failures have resulted in increased reliance on temporary power solutions, inflating repair costs annually. To remedy this, the council has allocated an initial budget of £95 million for the first five years, with a potential extension that could nearly double the expenditure to £185 million over ten years. The contracts awarded to the two firms, structured as five-year design and build agreements with extension options, will cover comprehensive scoping, designing, and replacement of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing services across both high-rise and low-rise council housing throughout the borough.

The delivery of all high-rise work will adhere to the Building Safety Regulator’s gateway approval process, ensuring compliance with stringent new requirements for maintaining detailed building information. The contracts will be governed by the JCT 2016 Design and Build agreement, reflecting modern procurement practices for large-scale public infrastructure projects.

Ealing's strategy aligns with broader sector trends aiming to address the extensive backlog of maintenance and safety upgrades in social housing. Notably, other large London-based housing providers and local authorities are similarly progressing major frameworks and contracts to improve their housing stock. For instance, Notting Hill Genesis recently awarded a £1.5 billion framework for repairs and maintenance, including substantial M&E works, involving Axis Europe among other contractors. This contract spans an initial four-year period with options to extend to 15 years and encompasses a wide range of works from installation to maintenance services targeted at enhancing safety and decarbonisation in social housing.

Similarly, the Communities and Housing Investment Consortium (CHIC) has developed a £400 million, four-year M&E framework for refurbishment and new-build projects across the UK, focusing on low-carbon technologies such as heat pumps and PV installations alongside traditional heating and electrical systems. Such frameworks reflect industry-wide moves to integrate sustainability with safety and reliability in housing maintenance.

Local authorities like Westminster City Council are also undertaking major reprocurement efforts for housing repairs, aiming to consolidate multiple contracts into strategically aligned alliances worth up to £600 million over ten years. These wider initiatives underscore a concerted effort to modernise housing infrastructure while enhancing resident satisfaction, operational efficiency, and compliance with evolving regulatory standards.

Ealing Council’s approach, awarding contracts borough-wide with work distribution based on need and contractor performance, mirrors best practices seen in other regions. It seeks to reduce failures in critical services and the associated financial impacts from temporary fixes. The focus on comprehensive M&E replacement and fire remediation signals a proactive stance on building safety, particularly critical following heightened regulatory scrutiny in the wake of the Building Safety Act.

The deployment of experienced contractors like Axis Europe and W.G. Wiggingtons, both involved in other major social housing contracts, suggests a robust capacity to deliver the complex and high-stakes works required. This appointment will contribute to ongoing efforts across London and the UK to address the safety and maintenance challenges of ageing social housing stock while supporting broader goals such as decarbonisation and resident well-being.

📌 Reference Map:

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Paragraph 7 – ^[1] (Construction News), ^[2] (Construction News), ^[6] (Construction News)

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/buildings/building-safety/ealing-names-contractors-for-185m-me-repairs-21-10-2025/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/contracts/five-firms-win-places-on-1-5bn-notting-hill-genesis-repair-framework-08-08-2025/ - Notting Hill Genesis has appointed five contractors to its new £1.5bn repairs and maintenance framework covering London and surrounding areas. The housing association plans to spend £600m over the 15-year life of the deal, with the remaining £900m expected to come from third-party clients who can also access the framework. The agreement allows for a two-year extension beyond its initial four-year term. Axis Europe, Ian Williams, T Gilmartin, Cardo (South) and Wates Property Services have secured spots on the single-lot framework. Contractors will be appointed to call-offs either through mini-competition or direct award. The contract will run under a JCT measured term contract. Notting Hill Genesis is using the open procedure under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Works covered by the deal include building installation, pump and valve maintenance, and general building completion. The framework is open to other organisations within the Notting Hill Genesis group, as well as external bodies with similar needs. Call-off contracts will run for up to 15 years each. The framework runs alongside wider sector moves to simplify procurement across long-term maintenance services, while supporting delivery of decarbonisation and safety upgrades in social housing portfolios. The contract was signed on 7 June following a competition that attracted seven bids.
https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/contracts/contractors-appointed-to-400m-me-framework-14-04-2025/ - The Communities and Housing Investment Consortium (CHIC) has appointed more than 50 firms to a four-year framework worth up to £400m for mechanical and electrical works. The framework runs until 2029, with options for two 12-month extensions. It enables CHIC’s housing and local authority members to procure contractors for both refurbishment and new-build projects across the UK. It is divided into two lots. Lot 1 covers mechanical and heating systems, while Lot 2 covers electrical and ventilation services. A total of 29 bids were received for the mechanical lot, and 42 for the electrical lot. SMEs made up the majority of bidders and successful firms. Services under Lot 1 include gas, oil and electric central heating, low-carbon technologies such as air and ground source heat pumps, and communal heating systems. Lot 2 covers electrical rewires, decarbonisation technologies, EV and PV installation, and mechanical ventilation systems. Contracts will be awarded by CHIC members through direct awards or mini-competitions. Price accounted for 50 per cent of evaluation, quality for 40 per cent, and social value for 10 per cent. The highest offer under each lot was £200m, although actual values will depend on future call-offs. CHIC did not name specific clients or architects involved in projects under the framework. The framework is available for use across all UK regions.
https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/contracts/westminster-launches-market-engagement-for-500m-housing-works-reprocurement-20-05-2025/ - Westminster City Council has begun a preliminary market consultation on a housing repairs and maintenance programme worth up to £600m over 10 years. The council is responsible for around 23,000 homes, 60 per cent of which are located in heritage or conservation areas. These generate about 100,000 repair jobs annually, alongside major works and preventative maintenance. Its current arrangements, delivered through eight large contracts, are due to expire in 2027. The packages cover responsive repairs, voids, aids and adaptations, lifts, mechanical, electrical, heating and major works in both the north and south of the borough. The council intends to move away from the current structure by adopting a Strategic Alliance Agreement, under which a larger number of strategically aligned outsourced contracts will be awarded. Early engagement with the market was carried out in November 2024. The current round seeks written responses, 1-2-1 meetings or attendance at a market event scheduled for 5 June 2025 at Westminster City Hall. The council is inviting views on the proposed operating model, forms of contract, procurement routes and commercial structures. It is also seeking input on SME participation, award criteria, resident satisfaction, and approaches to achieve net zero. The total value of the proposed contracts is estimated at £600m including VAT. The council expects to launch the formal tender process on 31 October 2025. The contracts are expected to run from 1 July 2027 to 30 June 2032, with an option to extend to 2037. They will be classified as services and works under the Procurement Act 2023.
https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/contracts/chic-appoints-firms-to-970m-housing-upgrades-framework-26-08-2025/ - The Communities and Housing Investment Consortium (CHIC) has appointed 33 contractors to a £970m framework for housing repair and improvement works. The Multiple Elements of the Built Environment Framework runs from August 2025 to August 2029 and replaces an earlier three-lot deal expiring on 23 September. CHIC said it would provide access to firms that can carry out works ranging from demolition and roofing to kitchen refits, internal decorations and adaptations for restricted mobility. The framework is split across two main lots. Lot one comprises 17 workstreams covering both internal and external building elements including insulation, heating, electrical wiring, windows and doors, among others. Lot two includes void works and responsive repairs. It is available to CHIC’s members across the UK and is open to small and medium-sized enterprises. The contract was procured using the open procedure and is not open to voluntary, community and social enterprises. The new framework includes contractors such as Seddon, Wates, Equans Regeneration and Novus, which is involved in the existing framework. According to CHIC, the framework will support members in delivering programmes of regeneration and renovation, including extensions, energy upgrades and disability compliance works. It will also support internal and external decorations, and provide access to scaffolding, plastering and finish trades.
https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/buildings/peabody-chooses-contractors-for-1bn-london-repair-contracts-28-05-2024/ - Peabody has provisionally selected five contractors, including Wates and Kier, for £1bn worth of maintenance and repair contracts, as part of an overhaul aimed at reversing its underperformance in London. The housing association launched a tender last year in an effort to improve its maintenance services and address issues such as poor customer satisfaction and high costs. The selected contractors will be responsible for delivering repairs and maintenance services across Peabody's housing stock in London. The contracts are expected to run for an initial period of five years, with options to extend for a further five years. The appointment of these contractors is part of Peabody's strategy to improve the quality and efficiency of its maintenance services, ensuring that residents receive timely and effective repairs and maintenance support.
https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/contractors/morgan-sindall/wates-replaces-morgan-sindall-on-hammersmith-repairs-contract-14-10-2024/ - Wates has been given a £28.4m contract to carry out housing repairs in Hammersmith after the London borough terminated its deal with Morgan Sindall. Wates Property Services will support the delivery of good-quality repairs, voids and maintenance services for council housing stock in the central London borough. The contract includes planned and responsive repairs, as well as maintenance services, and is part of the council's efforts to improve housing conditions and resident satisfaction. The decision to award the contract to Wates follows a competitive procurement process and reflects the council's commitment to ensuring high standards of housing maintenance and repair services for its residents.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative was published on 21 October 2025. Similar initiatives by Ealing Council, such as the £1.03bn Ealing Highways & Transport Framework 2025, were announced on 29 July 2025. ([constructionnews.co.uk](https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/contracts/london-construction-programme-names-39-firms-to-3bn-education-framework-2-29-07-2025/?utm_source=openai)) The £185 million M&E repairs programme is a new development, indicating high freshness.

Quotes check

Score: 10

Notes: No direct quotes were identified in the provided text, suggesting original content.

Source reliability

Score: 9

Notes: The narrative originates from Construction News, a reputable UK construction industry publication, enhancing its reliability.

Plausability check

Score: 9

Notes: The reported £185 million M&E repairs programme aligns with Ealing Council's ongoing efforts to modernise housing infrastructure. The involvement of established contractors like Axis Europe and W.G. Wiggingtons is consistent with industry practices. The narrative's tone and language are appropriate for the subject matter, with no inconsistencies or suspicious elements identified.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative presents a new and plausible development regarding Ealing Council's £185 million M&E repairs programme, supported by reliable sources and consistent with industry practices.

Ealing Council
Housing Maintenance
Building Safety
Social Housing