Midland Heart - Kitchen & bathroom refurbishments

Midland Heart is a Birmingham-based housing organisation that owns and manages 33,000 homes across the Midlands.

Since 2015, J Tomlinson has undertaken kitchen, bathroom installations, rewires and associated pre-survey works as the primary contractor working on behalf of Midland Heart. Working across the West Midlands, our team operates in Dudley, Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton.

We undertake refurbishment of a range of housing types, encompassing listed, high and medium rise buildings, plus sheltered housing accommodation. Specifically, supported living, specialist and general care accommodation make up 40% of our allocated properties.

Understanding needs and preferences

Prior to commencing works, we arrange a time and date for the project site manager and Resident Liaison Officer (RLO) to attend each property with the purpose of establishing a close and open relationship with residents. During the visit, the team will explain the nature of the upcoming works and answer any questions. All residents receive a Midland Heart-specific guide to their new installation which provides useful information on what expect during the delivery of the works in their home, and also provides key contact details.

A survey is then carried out, which helps J Tomlinson to gauge the specific requirements and preferences of the resident.

Open days

The company organises open days prior to and during projects, giving tenants a chance to engage with the people enhancing their homes, as well as bringing the community together. Snacks and refreshments are always provided, which residents always benefit from. In August 2017, J Tomlinson thanked tenants on one particular scheme for their time and cooperation by holding a movie day for them in a communal room based on the scheme, complete with popcorn and refreshments.

Considerate and flexible approach

J Tomlinson works with a large amount of people, all of whom are unique in their lifestyles, believes, values and preferences. The team does its best to work around tenants as much as possible; examples of this includes not working during people’s religious holidays, and starting works earlier or later to allow for pray sessions, school runs, hospital appointments, etc.

Dementia Friendly organisation

All Resident Liaison Officers have trained via J Tomlinson to become Dementia Friends Champions, holding regular information sessions with the rest of the team, including subcontractors. This, in turn, has enabled the team to have a better understanding of dementia and its effects, helping to encourage more effective engagement and interaction with residents who are experiencing dementia.

AWARD-WORTHY PARTNERSHIP - The partnership between Midland Heart and J Tomlinson gained national recognition when we were shortlisted for two TPAS awards (‘Excellence in Contractor Engagement’ and ‘Team of the Year’ in 2017)

REDUCTION IN ACCESS ISSUES - J Tomlinson continues to reduce access issues through effective communication methods that are specifically tailored to residents, including letters, ‘day before’ calls and texts, and ‘en route’ calls and texts

COMMUNITY INVESTMENT - J Tomlinson have initiated and supported a wide range of community-centred schemes in conjunction with Midland Heart, including donating food and treats to former rough sleepers and their pets, as well as collecting and giving food to YMCA Burton’s food bank which is then distributed to local homeless individuals

ACHIEVING CONRACT KPIs - J Tomlinson continues to deliver against the KPIs set by the client, demonstrating continual improvement every quarter