BRE BR484 PDF

Introduction

In 2004, BRE was appointed by the Department of Trade and Industry to develop guidance on contractual relationships that lead to the cost effective responsive maintenance of property. The project brought together local authority and housing association clients (project partners), to share their experience and knowledge of responsive maintenance. All the project partners had partnering relations with their contractors using different forms of contract. BRE evaluated each project partner's responsive maintenance operation by shadowing all the participants from the repairs reporting staff to the people making the repairs. The results of the research and recommendations identified are outlined in this guide.

Maintenance and refurbishment account for just over half the UK construction industry spend of £25 billion, excluding infrastructure (roads, bridges, railways, water works, and power stations). Much of this is spent on responsive maintenance and minor works. Any savings achieved by increasing the effectiveness of the responsive maintenance process would therefore have a significant beneficial impact on maintaining:

• housing

• schools

• leisure facilities 

• publicly owned buildings.