Our Major Works Team has been up and running since June 2025. They were introduced after we received a high volume of complaints on wait times for repairs, particularly the negative experiences for customers who required complex repairs, often involving multiple contractors.
We met up with our Major Works Manager Dan Thompson to find out how his team have been able to improve the way we work on complex repairs, giving our customers an improved experience.
Hi Dan. Can you tell us a bit about the work the Major Works Team does?
We’re here to streamline complex or large repairs or renewals – things like bathroom, kitchen or roof replacements and costly repairs that are more than £5,000, including estate wide repairs, structural repairs and drainage or insurance works such as fire damaged properties.
Due to the volume of repairs that are raised daily, it was difficult to manage and spend the required time investigating each major works repair in a timely manner, with some customers experiencing delays on the outcome of their works.
The costs for some of these works were also quite high and we wouldn’t have the budget or resources to be able to manage them. This led to them being delayed, sometimes for long periods of time.
The Major Works Team supports our customers by being a dedicated point of contact. We organise all the meetings with customers, from the initial survey to advising on the works required, to organising the contractors to do the jobs and arranging follow up calls to get feedback from the customer on the quality of the work. We also have tenant liaison officers within our wider team who can offer further support where customers have additional needs.
What are the biggest benefits of the Major Works Team?
We’ve been able to streamline the process of complex repairs and reduce costs.
To make sure we're delivering the best possible value for money for our customers, we've strengthened our major works team by appointing a dedicated Quantity Surveyor, Ethan Bentley. Ethan works closely with our contractors to challenge costs, identify efficiencies and ensure we're getting the most from every pound we spend. This approach has already delivered savings of £133.3k in 2025/26 and has currently saved £100.2k in 2026/27.
We've also appointed four contractors to deliver major works across Karbon communities. Having multiple contractors helps ensure work is completed to a high standard, on time and at a competitive cost. We closely monitor performance through a range of key measures, holding contractors accountable and ensuring they consistently deliver on their commitments to our customers.
It’s also created a stronger relationship with our Asset and Regeneration Team. We’re able to get more data and information for targeting future investments. So, if we identify an area that requires multiple kitchen repairs we can arrange to include this in one of our future home improvement programmes.
How have things improved for customers?
One of the main improvements is communication. Often when major works are carried out, there’s disruption to our customers’ homes and they don’t have clear timescales of when the work will take place. For example, a kitchen renewal can take up to a week to complete.
We’re now able to be more transparent with customers so they know what to expect. We coordinate the works effectively and have dedicated contractors carrying out the works in a timely manner.
We’re also able to pick up jobs where customers may have previously refused or been missed out on large home improvement works in their area but are now in need of those works.
All of this has led to a decrease in the number of customers waiting for repairs, resulting in a large decrease in complaints from customers. We’ve also had excellent feedback:
“I want to say a massive thank you for the gable end being repaired. It looks amazing. I’m looking forward to having a lovely cosy house next winter. The guys who did the work were very respectful and cleaned up at the end of each work day. I’m very grateful.”
Are there any examples of particularly challenging repairs where the Major Works team's approach made a big difference?
There have been many, however one that we are most proud of, is the estate works at South View Gardens in Stanley.
Within this estate we are currently carrying out major works at 19 properties, all requiring different levels of work.
Some of these properties had been empty for several years and we need to bring these properties up to a lettable standard. Works required major damp works, plastering, new kitchens, wet rooms, windows, full decoration, insulation and full groundworks around the property.
We’ve also worked closely with our internal Grounds Maintenance Team so we can return those properties with a garden our customers can maintain and be proud of.
The works started in November 2025 and I’m proud to say that we have handed back 11 properties now, some of which have already welcomed new customers into these basically new homes.
We’re now looking to continue the work on site and working on the remainder of the properties, where our customers are really looking forward to the upgrades to their homes.
How do you see the Major Works team developing in the future?
The Major Works Team was created in June 2025 and since then it has continuingly developed. We will continue to listen to feedback from all stakeholders and grow so that we are delivering the best experience for all our customers.
You can find out more about the changes we’ve made in response to your feedback on our complaints page.
Our Major Works Team has been up and running since June 2025. They were introduced after we received a high volume of complaints on wait times for repairs, particularly the negative experiences for customers who required complex repairs, often involving multiple contractors.
We met up with our Major Works Manager Dan Thompson to find out how his team have been able to improve the way we work on complex repairs, giving our customers an improved experience.
Hi Dan. Can you tell us a bit about the work the Major Works Team does?
We’re here to streamline complex or large repairs or renewals – things like bathroom, kitchen or roof replacements and costly repairs that are more than £5,000, including estate wide repairs, structural repairs and drainage or insurance works such as fire damaged properties.
Due to the volume of repairs that are raised daily, it was difficult to manage and spend the required time investigating each major works repair in a timely manner, with some customers experiencing delays on the outcome of their works.
The costs for some of these works were also quite high and we wouldn’t have the budget or resources to be able to manage them. This led to them being delayed, sometimes for long periods of time.
The Major Works Team supports our customers by being a dedicated point of contact. We organise all the meetings with customers, from the initial survey to advising on the works required, to organising the contractors to do the jobs and arranging follow up calls to get feedback from the customer on the quality of the work. We also have tenant liaison officers within our wider team who can offer further support where customers have additional needs.
What are the biggest benefits of the Major Works Team?
We’ve been able to streamline the process of complex repairs and reduce costs.
To make sure we're delivering the best possible value for money for our customers, we've strengthened our major works team by appointing a dedicated Quantity Surveyor, Ethan Bentley. Ethan works closely with our contractors to challenge costs, identify efficiencies and ensure we're getting the most from every pound we spend. This approach has already delivered savings of £133.3k in 2025/26 and has currently saved £100.2k in 2026/27.
We've also appointed four contractors to deliver major works across Karbon communities. Having multiple contractors helps ensure work is completed to a high standard, on time and at a competitive cost. We closely monitor performance through a range of key measures, holding contractors accountable and ensuring they consistently deliver on their commitments to our customers.
It’s also created a stronger relationship with our Asset and Regeneration Team. We’re able to get more data and information for targeting future investments. So, if we identify an area that requires multiple kitchen repairs we can arrange to include this in one of our future home improvement programmes.
How have things improved for customers?
One of the main improvements is communication. Often when major works are carried out, there’s disruption to our customers’ homes and they don’t have clear timescales of when the work will take place. For example, a kitchen renewal can take up to a week to complete.
We’re now able to be more transparent with customers so they know what to expect. We coordinate the works effectively and have dedicated contractors carrying out the works in a timely manner.
We’re also able to pick up jobs where customers may have previously refused or been missed out on large home improvement works in their area but are now in need of those works.
All of this has led to a decrease in the number of customers waiting for repairs, resulting in a large decrease in complaints from customers. We’ve also had excellent feedback:
“I want to say a massive thank you for the gable end being repaired. It looks amazing. I’m looking forward to having a lovely cosy house next winter. The guys who did the work were very respectful and cleaned up at the end of each work day. I’m very grateful.”
Are there any examples of particularly challenging repairs where the Major Works team's approach made a big difference?
There have been many, however one that we are most proud of, is the estate works at South View Gardens in Stanley.
Within this estate we are currently carrying out major works at 19 properties, all requiring different levels of work.
Some of these properties had been empty for several years and we need to bring these properties up to a lettable standard. Works required major damp works, plastering, new kitchens, wet rooms, windows, full decoration, insulation and full groundworks around the property.
We’ve also worked closely with our internal Grounds Maintenance Team so we can return those properties with a garden our customers can maintain and be proud of.
The works started in November 2025 and I’m proud to say that we have handed back 11 properties now, some of which have already welcomed new customers into these basically new homes.
We’re now looking to continue the work on site and working on the remainder of the properties, where our customers are really looking forward to the upgrades to their homes.
How do you see the Major Works team developing in the future?
The Major Works Team was created in June 2025 and since then it has continuingly developed. We will continue to listen to feedback from all stakeholders and grow so that we are delivering the best experience for all our customers.
You can find out more about the changes we’ve made in response to your feedback on our complaints page.
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