Title: Mears Sets Ambitious Goal to Lead UK Housing Compliance and Upkeep Market with Strategic Expansion

Mears Aims to Dominate in Compliance and Housing Upkeep Sector

Mears Group, a leading UK housing maintenance contractor, has unveiled an ambitious five-year strategy focused on dominating the compliance and housing upkeep market. Following a record year of contract retention, revenue growth, and operational successes, Mears is leveraging its core strengths while expanding specialist expertise in compliance, building safety, and asset quality to meet the rapidly evolving demands of the social housing sector[1].

Strategic Growth to Capture Untapped Opportunities

Mears CEO Lucas Critchley highlighted that the business undertook a comprehensive strategic update in 2024 that revealed substantial untapped opportunities within the affordable housing sector. While exploring adjacent markets, the company identified the greatest growth potential in its existing sector, particularly through broadening capabilities in compliance services and retrofit activities aligned with decarbonisation goals[1].

Key elements of Mears' new strategy include:

• Expanding internal compliance services covering gas servicing, electrical testing, fire safety, damp and mould remediation, and full asset condition surveys.
• Increasing housing maintenance contracts, especially those tied to long-term agreements with local government and housing associations.
• Stepping up retrofit and decarbonisation initiatives by building in-house expertise to support the UK’s evolving environmental regulations.

This approach positions Mears to meet the surge in regulatory demands and housing quality standards while capitalising on government-backed decarbonisation programs[1].

Strong Contract Retention and New Wins Underpin Growth

In 2024, Mears achieved a 100% success rate in re-bidding across numerous major long-term housing maintenance contracts representing roughly one-third of its maintenance-led portfolio[1]. Highlights include:

• Securing a flagship 12-year contract with North Lanarkshire Council valued at over £125 million annually. This covers maintenance for 37,000 homes and 1,200 corporate buildings and was fully mobilised in 2024.
• Regaining an 18-month £12 million emergency maintenance contract with Moat Housing, covering 22,000 homes, just two years after losing it in a prior procurement round.
• Extending key contracts in Rotherham, Islington, and Thurrock.

These wins underscore Mears’ strong operational delivery and reputation for turning around underperforming services. For example, Mears took over an emergency contract for Moat Housing late in 2024 and is on track to complete a major service turnaround by summer 2025, with ongoing prospects for a long-term maintenance contract worth around £10 million annually[4].

Financial Performance Reflects Strategic Success

Mears Group’s financial results from 2024 demonstrate robust growth and operational efficiency:

• Group revenue rose by 4% to £1.13 billion.
• Profit before tax surged by 37% to £64 million.
• Adjusted operating margin improved to 5.6%, surpassing the long-term target of 5% and up from 4.7% the previous year[1].

The company has started 2025 strongly, expecting continued growth in local government maintenance contracts, expanded compliance services, and planned retrofit work. The leadership also anticipates further opportunities with central government clients, reinforcing Mears' leadership position in housing services[1][4].

Comprehensive Housing Maintenance and Compliance Services

Mears delivers over 6,000 daily housing repairs across a portfolio exceeding 1 million homes nationwide. With 30 years of experience, their services cater to more than 70 local authorities, housing associations, and Arm’s Length Management Organisations (ALMOs)[2]. Key service features include:

• Accredited responsive repairs and planned maintenance.
• Fire safety and building maintenance solutions.
• Property refurbishment and void management.
• Compliance management for gas, electrical, fire safety, damp, and asset health.
• Use of market-leading technology combined with personalized customer service.
• Community investment and social value initiatives.

This integrated service offering enables Mears to deliver exceptional, tailored housing maintenance solutions balancing rapid response and planned repairs[2].

Meeting Rising Regulatory and Social Housing Standards

The social housing sector faces escalating regulatory requirements focused on resident safety, environmental sustainability, and property quality. Mears is evolving to meet these challenges by:

• Building specialist teams for statutory compliance and safety inspections.
• Increasing retrofit and decarbonisation capabilities to help landlords meet carbon reduction targets.
• Integrating asset management services to extend the lifespan and quality of housing stock.
• Delivering full compliance audits that include gas, electrical, fire safety, and environmental risk assessments[1][4].

This proactive approach addresses the sector's increased compliance workloads, which has expanded the addressable market by 50% over the past four years, growing at an 11% compound annual growth rate (CAGR)[4].

Social Value and Community Impact

Beyond compliance and maintenance, Mears contributes significant social value through:

• Local employment and training programs.
• Community development projects.
• Supporting vulnerable tenants by delivering specialist housing solutions such as Extra Care without additional cost to clients.
• Partnership work with central and local government to tackle homelessness and provide affordable housing management[5].

This holistic approach enhances Mears’ reputation as a trusted partner to landlords and governments aiming to improve quality of life for residents across the UK[5].

Outlook: Positioned for Market Leadership in Housing Compliance and Upkeep

Mears’ comprehensive strategy, strong contract wins, financial growth, and expanding compliance expertise place it on track to dominate the UK compliance and housing upkeep sector over the next five years. By combining core maintenance strengths with growing retrofit and compliance services, the company is well-positioned to meet the sector’s evolving demands.

The leadership’s confidence is reflected in guidance for 2025, with expected revenue no less than £1.05 billion and adjusted profit before tax of at least £50 million, alongside solid operating margins and cash generation[4].

Summary of Mears’ Strategic Priorities:

| Priority Area | Description | |-------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Compliance Services | Expansion into gas, electrical, fire safety, damp & mould, and surveys | | Housing Maintenance | Retention and growth of local government and housing association contracts | | Retrofit and Decarbonisation | Building in-house expertise to support carbon reduction initiatives | | Contract Wins and Turnarounds | Securing flagship contracts and transforming underperforming services | | Social Value & Community | Enhancing housing solutions and community investment |

With a robust blend of innovation, compliance mastery, and operational delivery, Mears is set to lead UK social housing maintenance into a new era of safety, sustainability, and service excellence.

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Keywords integrated: housing compliance services, social housing maintenance, building safety, housing upkeep, decarbonisation retrofit, local government housing contracts, housing repairs UK, affordable housing maintenance, compliance management, housing stock improvement, property maintenance contractor, social housing regulation, housing association services, fire safety compliance, damp and mould remediation.