About
Caledonia Housing Association is one of Scotland’s largest housing associations providing over 5,500 high quality social rented homes and a factoring service to over 2,300 homeowners. Their homes and services are delivered over a large and diverse geographical area which covers eight local authorities – Perth & Kinross, Dundee, Angus, Fife, Highlands, West & East Dunbartonshire and North Lanarkshire.
They aim to make a positive contribution to the communities in which they work by combining good quality, energy efficient housing with services that are affordable, sustainable and valued by their tenants and other customers.
Their vision is to create ‘Homes and services that make life better’. As part of their vision, they have turned proceeds from the sale of one of their former offices into a means of enhancing financial and wellbeing support for tenants and communities.
This community fund is managed through Caledonia’s Neighbourhood Officers to support the community organisations that deliver essential services and activities for their tenants. It ensures resources are allocated to address local needs and support community organisations that directly impact tenants’ lives, particularly during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Working together
In 2012, our Commercial Director, Martin Hembling, met Mark Hebner, the Planned Maintenance Officer for Caledonia Housing Association, at a networking event in Scotland. Since 2013, they have been collaborating closely, holding regular meetings to ensure the smooth operation of contracts.
Swiftclean provides a range of water hygiene services for Caledonia, including cold water tank cleaning and disinfection, Legionella risk assessments, water sampling, and remedial works for Legionella.
In 2020, we secured a 10-year contract for Legionella monitoring, which involves overseeing the water systems in their offices and several sheltered accommodation facilities. This entails conducting Legionella Risk Assessments (LRAs) every two years for the offices and carrying out 200 domestic LRAs annually.
Despite the scale of this contract, it operates remarkably smoothly. The main challenges arise from the diversity of housing types and their locations. Some properties are situated in extremely rural areas, but on the positive side, many feature stunning views.
Matt McCormack, a surveyor with Swiftclean, works on the contract with Caledonia Housing Association. He says, “Driving between the different housing locations allows me to see a vast amount of Scotland and enjoy its stunning views. The people I meet are incredibly kind and welcoming, making it hard to leave after finishing my work. I truly feel like I am part of the Caledonia Housing Association team.”
Mark Hebner has worked at Caledonia for over 15 years and says, “I love my job, and it’s always a pleasure to work with subcontractors who act as if they are an extension of our team. The Swiftclean team has consistently been easy to work with and responds to our requests promptly and efficiently. Given the number of assets we manage, it’s reassuring to know that I can trust them to take care of what needs to be done while I focus on my other responsibilities.”