Havering Council Awards AJS Major Electrical Housing Contract 2026

Key Points

• Havering Council has awarded a long‑term electrical repair and maintenance contract for its housing stock to AJS Limited, building on a nine‑year partnership between the two organisations.
• The contract is valued at approximately £5 million per annum, with an initial term of nine years and five months and options that can take the total term to around 16 years, subject to performance and extensions.
• According to Facilities Management Journal (FMJ) reporter Sarah O’Beirne, AJS has already commenced mobilisation of the contract, covering electrical repair, maintenance and safety testing across Havering Council’s housing portfolio.​
• Cabinet papers for the London Borough of Havering indicate the overall electrical services procurement is valued at up to £63 million over the full potential contract term, funded through the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and General Fund.
• Under the new agreement, AJS will continue communal and domestic electrical testing across the borough, ensuring compliance with legal safety requirements and contributing to the Decent Homes Standard.
• The scope of work extends to the installation of Solar PV panels and electric vehicle (EV) charging points, supporting safer homes and the Council’s wider sustainability and net‑zero ambitions.
• Properties covered include hostels, high‑rise and low‑rise blocks, sheltered housing, assisted living schemes and general needs homes across Havering.​
• As reported by Sarah O’Beirne of FMJ, Councillor Paul McGeary, Cabinet Member for Housing Property, welcomed the contract as a way to strengthen the long‑standing partnership and to safeguard the safety, reliability and efficiency of electrical services in Council housing.​
• Havering Council documentation states that re‑procuring electrical services was essential to meet statutory landlord obligations; a “do nothing” option was ruled out as it would risk non‑compliance with safety and Decent Homes requirements.​
• Cabinet decisions from September 2024 show that the contract covers electrical system maintenance, safety inspections and renewals, primarily for Council housing with corporate buildings also in scope.​
• AJS is expected to contribute to Havering’s social value commitments, delivering added benefits such as employment, training and community initiatives alongside core service delivery.
• According to the Council’s key decision notice, the contract will be let on a Best Value basis, aiming to secure continuous improvement in economy, efficiency and effectiveness.
• The opportunity was advertised via central government’s Contracts Finder portal, seeking providers able to deliver electrical servicing, maintenance and ad‑hoc works across Havering’s housing stock.​
• AJS, a mechanical and electrical services provider, offers design, installation, commissioning, testing and inspection services, positioning it to deliver the full range of works required under the contract.
• Financial risk assessments in Council papers confirm that costs for the contract have been incorporated into the HRA business plan and existing budgets, with expenditure classified as a key decision above £500,000.
• Decision records show the award to AJS Limited was formally approved as a key executive decision, enabling the Council to proceed with contract mobilisation ahead of the expiry of the previous arrangement.

Havering (East London Times) March 24, 2026 – AJS Limited has begun mobilising a major long‑term electrical services contract for Havering Council, a deal worth around £5 million per year that will see the contractor deliver repair, maintenance, testing and renewable‑focused upgrades across the borough’s diverse housing stock.

How has Havering Council structured the new electrical contract with AJS?

As reported by Sarah O’Beirne of Facilities Management Journal (FMJ), Havering Council’s new contract with AJS is valued at £5 million per annum and will initially run for nine years and five months, with options to extend that could take the total contract life close to 16 years. Cabinet papers on

“Approval to award a contract for delivery of Electrical Services to HRA homes and communal areas”

show that the underlying procurement is for a contract of up to £63 million over a 10‑year term, with the option to extend for an additional six years.

According to the Council’s key executive decision documentation, the contract is classified as a key decision due to its value exceeding £500,000 and is funded through the Housing Revenue Account and General Fund from existing budgets. The same notice confirms that officers recommended awarding the contract to AJS Limited on the basis that the proposals deliver Best Value, balancing economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of statutory electrical services.

In the FMJ report, AJS is described as already commencing mobilisation for the long‑term contract, signalling a managed transition from the previous agreement to ensure continuity of service. Council decision records on OpenCouncil Network further note that the award to AJS is intended to secure electrical services maintenance and renewal over the long term, reducing procurement risk and providing certainty for residents and the authority.

What services will AJS deliver under the Havering housing contract?

According to Sarah O’Beirne’s coverage in FMJ, AJS will be responsible for electrical repair and maintenance works across Havering Council’s housing stock, continuing and expanding the services the company has provided in the borough for more than nine years. Under the contract terms described in FMJ, AJS will continue to carry out communal and domestic electrical testing across the borough, underpinning the safety, reliability and efficiency of electrical installations in Council homes.​

Cabinet documentation on the “Electrical Services Contract Award” outlines that the wider contract covers electrical system maintenance, safety inspections and renewal services, primarily for Council housing but with corporate buildings included within scope. The Council’s procurement notice on Contracts Finder explains that the authority sought providers able to deliver servicing, maintenance and ad‑hoc electrical works, indicating that AJS will handle both planned and responsive tasks under the new arrangement.

The FMJ report highlights that the programme will expand beyond core maintenance to include the installation of Solar PV panels and EV charging points, aligning with Havering’s environmental and climate‑related goals while supporting safer and more secure homes. Background information from AJS’s own electrical services profile shows the company provides design, installation, commissioning, testing and inspection services from project concept to completion, suggesting it can deliver both traditional maintenance and newer renewable energy installations.

Which properties and residents are covered by the AJS contract?

As reported by Sarah O’Beirne of FMJ, the works under the new contract will take place across a range of housing types, including hostels, high‑rise and low‑rise developments, sheltered housing, assisted living schemes and general needs properties. This breadth of stock means that the contract will touch thousands of residents across Havering, from families in general needs homes to older and more vulnerable tenants in sheltered and assisted living schemes.

Cabinet reports on the approval of the electrical services contract specify that the primary focus is on homes managed within the Housing Revenue Account, covering Council housing stock and communal areas, with the added flexibility for corporate buildings to be brought into scope where required. Decision records published via the Council’s democracy portal and OpenCouncil Network confirm that the contract is framed around HRA homes and communal areas, underlining that the programme is central to the Council’s landlord responsibilities.

The inclusion of hostels and different forms of supported and specialist accommodation, as highlighted by FMJ, indicates that AJS will need to adapt its delivery to varied building types, occupancy patterns and regulatory requirements, particularly in relation to fire safety and accessibility. The intention, according to the Council’s documentation, is that by consolidating these services into a single long‑term arrangement with AJS, Havering can ensure consistency of standards and oversight across its entire housing portfolio.

Why did Havering Council decide to award the contract to AJS?

In the FMJ article, Sarah O’Beirne notes that the new contract award builds on an existing successful partnership between Havering Council and AJS, which has delivered electrical services for local residents for more than nine years. This track record appears to have been a significant factor in the Council’s decision, with the new contract described as strengthening a long‑standing relationship.​

Council documents supporting the “Electrical Services Contract Award” state that officers consider the proposals to achieve Best Value, with the procurement designed to secure continuous improvement in economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the way electrical services are delivered. The same papers explain that maintaining electrical systems in a safe and operational condition is a legal requirement for social housing provision, and a “do nothing” option was explicitly rejected on the grounds that it would risk non‑compliance with statutory obligations and the Decent Homes Standard.

As reported in FMJ, Councillor Paul McGeary, Cabinet Member for Housing Property, welcomed the new contract, saying he was pleased to see the AJS agreement underway and emphasising the importance of safety, reliability and efficiency in electrical services across the Council’s housing stock. The key decision notice published on the Council’s democracy portal confirms that the award to AJS Limited was formally approved as part of the authority’s decision‑making process, underlining that the contract has gone through the required governance and scrutiny.

What did Councillor Paul McGeary say about the AJS contract?

As reported by Sarah O’Beirne of Facilities Management Journal, Councillor Paul McGeary, Cabinet Member for Housing Property at Havering Council, said he was “pleased to see this new contract with AJS underway, strengthening the long‑standing partnership between Havering Council and AJS.” In the same FMJ piece, Cllr McGeary stressed that “ensuring the safety, reliability and efficiency of electrical services across our housing stock is vital,” adding that the programme will help the Council “continue to protect residents’ homes while supporting improvements across a wide range of properties.”​

These comments, as reported by FMJ, position the contract as a key element of the Council’s approach to housing safety and quality, particularly in the context of ongoing national scrutiny of building safety and landlord compliance. By highlighting both the protection of residents’ homes and the support for improvements, Cllr McGeary’s remarks suggest that the programme is expected not only to maintain existing standards but to enable upgrades, including through the installation of Solar PV panels and EV charging infrastructure.

How does the contract relate to safety, Decent Homes and legal obligations?

According to Havering Council’s “Notice of KEY Executive Decision” on the electrical services contract, maintaining electrical systems in a safe and operational condition is described as a legal requirement for social housing provision. The same report warns that failing to re‑procure services would risk the Council breaching the Decent Homes Standard, which requires that Council housing is well maintained and presentable.​

Cabinet records on the approval of the procurement emphasise that the contract covers electrical system maintenance, safety inspections and renewal, reflecting the Council’s duty to manage electrical risks in tenants’ homes and communal areas. As reported by FMJ, the continuation of communal and domestic electrical testing under AJS’s new contract is central to ensuring that safety, reliability and efficiency are maintained across the housing stock.

The Council’s decision report notes that doing nothing was not an option and that the existing contract needed to be re‑procured to avoid gaps in statutory compliance and service provision. Against this background, the award to AJS provides a structured, long‑term mechanism for meeting landlord obligations, with officers stating that the proposals deliver Best Value and continuous improvement in how the functions are exercised.

What social value and community benefits are expected from AJS?

As reported by Sarah O’Beirne in FMJ, AJS will contribute to Havering’s social value commitments as part of the new long‑term contract, creating added benefits for residents and the wider community beyond the core electrical works. While the FMJ article does not list every specific initiative, it frames social value as a defined component of the programme alongside safety and maintenance objectives.​

Council documentation on the electrical services award explains that the procurement has been shaped by Best Value and wider corporate objectives, which typically include social value measures such as local employment, apprenticeships, skills development and community engagement projects. By embedding social value into a contract of up to £63 million, the Council aims to leverage its spending power not only to meet statutory duties but also to deliver wider socio‑economic benefits in Havering.

Information from AJS’s corporate materials shows that the company positions itself as a trusted mechanical and electrical provider offering end‑to‑end services, which often involves working closely with clients on community‑focused programmes and long‑term partnerships. In the context of Havering, this suggests that residents may see benefits in the form of local job opportunities, training pathways or support for community initiatives aligned with the Council’s social value framework, in addition to improved electrical safety and reliability in their homes.

How does this contract support sustainability and future‑proofing of Havering’s housing stock?

According to FMJ’s report by Sarah O’Beirne, one of the notable features of the new contract is the expansion of AJS’s remit to include the installation of Solar PV panels and EV charging points across Havering Council’s housing portfolio. This additional scope links electrical maintenance and safety to the borough’s broader efforts to support safer, more secure and more sustainable homes.

Cabinet reports on the electrical services procurement show that the contract encompasses renewal services as well as maintenance and inspections, giving the Council a mechanism to upgrade electrical infrastructure over time in line with changing standards and technologies. The ability to incorporate renewable energy and EV‑ready infrastructure within a single long‑term agreement is likely to support Havering’s climate and energy efficiency objectives while providing residents with access to modern, lower‑carbon systems.

AJS’s own description of its electrical services states that the company delivers design, installation, commissioning, testing and inspection from project concept to completion, which positions it to support the Council in planning and implementing sustainable electrical solutions across different types of housing. Combined with the contract’s extended potential term of up to 16 years, this capability provides a framework for incremental improvements and future‑proofing of the borough’s housing stock, as set out in Council decision records and FMJ’s coverage.