Councillor Sarah Williams, Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning (Deputy Leader), approved the extension of gas maintenance contracts with Purdy Contracts Ltd and Sureserve Compliance Services Ltd. This decision ensures continuous gas servicing and maintenance for Haringey residents while the council finalises the procurement of new, long-term contracts. The extensions are set to last for six months, commencing on 1 October 2025 and concluding on 31 March 2026.

Extension of Gas Maintenance Contracts

Councillor Sarah Williams approved the extension of the current gas maintenance contracts with Purdy Contracts Ltd and Sureserve Compliance Services Ltd for six months, from 1 October 2025 to 31 March 2026. This extension will cost £1,305,000.00 for Purdy Contracts Limited and £1,220,000.00 for Sureserve Compliance Services Ltd.

The council is currently in the process of procuring three new heating contracts, which include two domestic lots and one commercial/communal lot. The report noted that re-procuring a new contract had proven to be more complex due to the need to have 3 x contracts in place. The new commercial/communal heating contract needed to address newer technologies like renewable energy (Ground source and air source heat pumps), District Energy Networks and complex heating systems, and align with the new Heat Network regulations which will come into force in 2025, and heavily regulated under a Heat Network Technical Assurance Scheme (HNTAS) to ensure fairer pricing, clearer billing and improved service standards for residents.

The report ¹ outlined several reasons for the decision:

• To ensure continuous servicing and maintenance of domestic and commercial heating systems, minimising disruption for residents.
• To comply with Regulation 36 of the Gas Safe Regulations 1998, ensuring resident safety.
• To provide the most economically advantageous solution, as using a new interim provider would likely inflate costs.
• To align the mobilisation of new long-term domestic and commercial heating contracts with the new financial year, starting 1 April 2026.

Alternative options were considered but rejected. Undertaking a full procurement exercise before 1 October 2025 was not feasible. Discontinuing the service was not an option due to the council's statutory health and safety obligations. In-house delivery was deemed unviable due to a lack of skilled staff and the time, planning, and investment required.

The report stated that the extension aligns with the council's Corporate Delivery Plan 2024-2026, specifically the Homes for the future theme, which aims to provide safe, sustainable, stable, and affordable homes.

The extension will be funded from existing capital and revenue budgets allocated for gas servicing, repairs, and replacements.