Council Launches New Repairs Service: Will It Actually Fix Our Homes?

Birmingham City Council has announced the launch of a modernised repairs service for council tenants and leaseholders, promising a more flexible and responsive system. But after years of delays and substandard work, residents in Erdington and Pype Hayes are rightly asking: will this actually fix the problems?

What's happened

On 1 July 2026, the council rolled out its new housing repairs service. Following a procurement process, three contractors—Equans, WPS, and Mears—have been awarded long-term contracts to handle day-to-day repairs, planned maintenance, and property upgrades across the city.

The council claims the new service will offer a digitised repairs journey, making it easier to report issues and track progress. They also promise clearer communication, the ability to reschedule appointments, and new technology to monitor the condition of homes. This is part of a wider £200 million annual investment programme aimed at meeting the Government’s Decent Homes Standard by 2032.

What it means for Erdington and Pype Hayes

For council tenants and leaseholders in our ward, this change means you will be dealing with specific contractors based on your location. Equans will manage homes in the east of Birmingham, WPS in the north and south, and Mears in the central and west areas.

In theory, this should mean faster repairs, fewer missed appointments, and homes that are warmer and safer. The council states that 35,000 upgrades to 6,000 homes have already been driven by this investment programme in the past year. However, the real test will be whether the backlog of outstanding repairs in Erdington and Pype Hayes is cleared promptly and whether the quality of work improves.

Where I stand

As your Reform UK councillor, I welcome any genuine attempt to improve the appalling state of council housing repairs. For too long, residents have had to endure damp, mould, and endless delays just to get basic maintenance done. The council says this new system is built on tenant feedback and will deliver better value for money.

The strongest counter-argument is that these are massive, complex contracts, and transitioning to a new system inevitably causes short-term disruption. I accept that changing contractors is a huge logistical task. However, we cannot allow "transition issues" to become a permanent excuse for failure. The council has handed over millions of pounds of taxpayers' money to these companies. We need strict performance monitoring, financial penalties for missed targets, and a guarantee that residents won't be left in the cold while the council and contractors point fingers at each other.

What happens next

The new service is now live. The council advises tenants to keep any existing repair appointments made before the end of June to avoid delays. My office will be closely monitoring the performance of Equans, WPS, and Mears over the coming months.

If you experience issues with the new reporting system, or if your repairs are delayed or poorly executed, please contact my office immediately. We are building a dossier of evidence to hold the administration accountable at the next housing scrutiny committee.

Questions we're asking

As the Reform UK opposition, I am putting these specific questions to the decision-maker on behalf of residents:

• To Cllr Baber Baz (Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness): What specific financial penalties are written into the contracts with Equans, WPS, and Mears if they fail to meet agreed response times for emergency and routine repairs?
• To Cllr Baber Baz: The council claims this new technology will deliver "better value for money." Can you provide the exact projected financial savings for the 2026/27 financial year compared to the previous contract arrangements?
• To Cllr Baber Baz: With the commitment to meet the Decent Homes Standard by 2032, what is the exact number of council properties in the Erdington constituency currently failing this standard, and what is the target date for their upgrade?
• To Cllr Baber Baz: How will the council independently verify the quality of work carried out by these contractors, rather than relying on the contractors' own self-reporting?
• To Cllr Baber Baz: If the new digitised repairs journey fails or excludes elderly and vulnerable tenants who lack internet access, what robust, fully staffed telephone alternative is guaranteed to be in place?

Have your say

What do you think of the new repairs service? Register on the site to leave a comment below, vote in our ward forum poll, or start a petition if you feel your housing issues are being ignored. Your voice matters, and together we can demand better for Erdington and Pype Hayes.

Source: Birmingham City Council