Client: Home Group
Sector: Social housing
Services: Compliance | Electrical testing | Passive fire protection – fire compartmentation | fire doors | fire stopping
Contract value: £3m
Our Client
Home Group is one of the largest providers of high-quality housing and integrated housing, health and social care in the UK.
Established in 1935, the Group supports over 125,000 customers in more than 56,000 homes for rent and shared ownership across England and Scotland.
Passive Fire Safety Appointment
Trail Group has worked as a strategic partner to Home Group since 2021 having been appointed via the Pretium Framework to undertake Fire Safety Works in the Southeast and Southwest of England.
Our three-year contract was renewed in 2024 for another two years, with an option to extend for a further year.
Scope of Works
Trail is responsible for the installation, repair and maintenance of passive fire safety which includes fire doors, fire stopping and fire compartmentation.
This work is carried out following independent fire risk assessments via third parties. Trail Group then surveys each property for passive safety compliance to confirm the scope of remedial works required.
Trail allocates each project for Home Group to one of its passive fire safety engineering teams to carry out in compliance with the latest fire safety regulations and with a clear audit trail. The documentation is uploaded to a shared platform accessible by Trail and Home Group for full transparency.
Hundreds of Fire Door Replacements – from Norfolk to Cornwall
Our engineers have now installed hundreds of replacement fire doors for Home Group to ensure the highest standards of fire protection.
Our teams have worked on over 100 properties – residential apartment buildings, street properties and community wellbeing homes – in Norfolk, London and the Home Counties, and across the South Coast, from Dorset to Devon and Cornwall.
These projects include:
- A residential building in Canterbury which required replacement fire doors and fire stopping to the communal areas and plant room.
- Court Place in Folkestone – the communal doors and the entrance doors to over 50 flats for over 55s were replaced and full fire compartmentation was installed throughout including in the loft area.
- Olympic Way, High Wycombe – a number of the communal fire doors required replacement across four apartment buildings. In the largest building, we also carried out fire stopping to communal areas and replaced automated smoke vents.
- Mymms House in Hatfield, Hertfordshire – this project provides 28 one-bedroom flats for over 55s. We have replaced all entrance doors throughout and will be undertaking fire stopping works.
Challenges and Outcomes
- Our teams work across a wide geographical area and on both occupied and unoccupied properties.
- It is critical our engineers liaise closely and respectfully with Home Group’s customers to arrange access to their homes and with the least disruption possible.
Customer Insight
Aaron Reel, Fire Safety and Compliance Surveyor, Home Group:
“Trail Group continues to perform very well for Home Group and over the past three years I have built a strong, positive working relationship with their team across the projects in my region – London, Kent and Sussex.
As with any contract there are always challenges, but the Trail team works really hard to overcome these and consistently delivers a high standard of workmanship. Their work on site is top notch, which is critical when you are dealing with something as important as fire and life safety.
One of Trail’s strengths is that they go above and beyond when unforeseen issues arise. Their approach is flexible, responsive and they are very good at prioritising different projects, which is invaluable given the reality of short-notice requirements and the importance of fire safety. That level of responsiveness is something we really value, particularly in a niche specialism.
They are also extremely resident-focused. If additional work is highlighted, their team keeps the focus on the end customer, which is essential for us as a housing provider. That positive and resident-centric way of working, combined with flexibility, responsiveness and quality of project delivery, is exactly what we look for in a fire safety partner.”
David Richardson, Maintenance and Contract Manager:
“Trail Group works well for Home Group and complex projects are completed to a high standard. How their teams put our customers first is well recognised. Their capabilities are strong and staff always professional. Any issues that may arise are dealt with promptly, effectively and with a genuinely positive attitude. As a client, we definitely want longevity with our supply chain partners.”
Managing Agent, St Giles Court (Dover):
“Trail Group’s engineers were polite, respectful, professional and efficient in installing new fire doors and carrying out fire stopping. They liaised clearly with us to arrange access and start and finish times. Residents here were also very positive in their feedback about this work.”
Image credits – Home Group
