Client: L&Q

  • Project title: Legionella Remedial Works
  • Contract type: Tender win, September 2022 – August 2025
  • Contract value: £200,000 +
  • Geographic location: London

Description of works

Scope of services delivered: Legionella remedial and project works.

We undertake a varied type of remedial and project work from small simple modifications to dead end/leg pipework to larger project works such as full cold water storge tank replacement as well as hot water cylinder / calorifier removal and replacement. These recommendations come from the recent LRAs carried out by other parties. 

Delivery model (subcontract/direct)

All work is self-delivered.

How works were planned and delivered on time

A highly-skilled, City and Guilds NVQ L2&3 plumbers are managed by our remedial operations manager, headed by our water hygiene director. Day-to-day management is undertaken by the remedial operations manager and contract support manager, overseeing the plumbers & project co-ordinator and hygiene administrators. Supporting the plumbers is a SHEQ site auditor, undertaking H&S and quality inspections to audit performance against stringent compliance standards.

Our water hygiene administration team led by the administration manager, ensured completed work is compliant and prepare reports for client review. Report workloads are managed daily to ensure works are completed within KPI timescales.

All orders are received in batches. Remedial works are scheduled and booked in with an agreed timeframe with the client. Surveys are carried out on larger works or projects before costs and timescales are agreed.

Contract Performance: Under a challenging period including resident shielding, we met L&Q’s schedule. Year-to-date performance:

  • We were achieving a 100% state of service.
  • First-time access to homes: 88% achieved against often challenging circumstances.
  • Zero health and safety RIDDOR issues: 100%

How customers were engaged and communicated with

Customer-focused training: ‘Respect for People’ and safeguarding training had been undertaken by our team prior to contract start, supported by the client.

Visit debriefing: In sheltered/supported homes, safety issues were communicated with duty holders prior to leaving. Where out-of-specification issues arose, we discussed the way forward with the client’s compliance team.

How diverse customer needs were met

To meet customer’s needs GDPR-compliant customer profile information was provided by L&Q’s client services team and scheme managers to inform our planning and customer approach. This was cascaded onto our operative’s tablet computer.

Examples included:

  • Offering appointment times convenient to the customer and home, e.g. avoiding times/days where residents with sensitivity were undertaking activities or going out.
  • Attending where family members/carers were present.
  • Avoiding appointments during religious holidays or festivals, e.g. Friday appointments for Jewish customers.
  • Knocking loudly and waiting longer for hard-of-hearing customers.

Value for Money achieved for the client

Our operatives reviewed each building’s inspection/monitoring regime to optimise safety and client costs. Our project team works with the client to investigate options and achieve cost savings.

We optimised maintenance regimes, including cold water tanks not providing drinking water where annual cleaning and chlorination was undertaken. We recommended cleaning as and when required to significantly reduce costs, whilst maintaining safety to HSG274 part 2 guidelines.

How Health & Safety Risks were managed

H&S risks were managed through procedures compliant to our ISO45001-registered management system and LCA membership:

  • Working to COVID-Safe procedures, with additional safety controls employed within high-risk environments.
  • The remedial operations manager undertook pre-survey desktop assessments, looking at current/legacy risk assessments to prepare the plan of works and implemented safety controls for building/property type aligned to client requirements.
  • Discussed with building duty holders and persons responsible to confirm existing programs/resolve potential safety issues where needed, e.g. access/working at height requirements.
  • A senior member of the remedial team attends sites to carry out pre-work surveys, where required.
  • Dynamic risk assessments were undertaken at each visit, prior to commencing any work.
  • Worked to a closed-door policy and wore branded uniforms.
  • Undertook regular H&S audits.

How IT was used to integrate with the client system and add value

Completed remedial works are completed and reported using LifeCSP-based proformas and uploaded as PDF files to L&Q’s portal, in addition to our administration team uploading all documents to LifeCSP. Monthly meeting are held to discuss current programme, any operational issues and future works.

Added Value

Direct client access to ‘live’ contract data was provided via secure log-in username/password into LifeCSP. Significant benefits were delivered:

  • Easy access to data: Accessible via secure log-in. L&Q staff interrogated performance data without our intervention.
  • Real-time data provision: Providing ‘warts and all’ data to inform decision making.
  • Data and reports appropriate to role: Users accessed data relevant to them and their managed properties, reducing ‘information overload’. 
  • Visually compelling: Provision of key data and statistics using a ‘digital dashboard’ provided visual reporting and easy-to-view performance statistics.
  • Comprehensive data provision: Captured data was sent to LifeCSP and interrogated within the portal or downloaded as a .csv file. L&Q staff reviewed performance to assist in non-standard performance reviews.