Harrogate-based building modernisation firm Synergize has secured a £12.5 million contract to improve homes across Kent for social housing provider MHS Homes.
The five-year contract will focus on upgrading windows, doors and roofing, alongside improvements intended to increase the energy efficiency of homes across the housing provider’s portfolio.
MHS Homes manages around 10,000 properties across Medway, Maidstone, Gravesham, Dartford and Tonbridge & Malling, providing homes and services to approximately 26,000 residents.
The contract was awarded to Synergize following a competitive procurement process based on cost and quality. It is due to begin in October 2026 and run for five years, with options to extend for a further three years, potentially taking the partnership through to 2033.
Focus on energy efficiency
The programme will include replacing and improving windows and doors, as well as work to flat and pitched roofs. It will also address the wider building fabric, with the aim of helping properties meet target Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) standards and improve thermal efficiency.
Synergize will work with MHS Homes to take a broader approach to planned improvements, looking at the condition and future needs of individual properties rather than treating each replacement or repair in isolation.
The companies will use surveys and existing property data to assess different options for the work and identify where investment could provide the best long-term value.
This will include considering specifications intended to maintain EPC standards over a period of 15 to 20 years, rather than focusing solely on immediate requirements.
The contract also establishes pricing for potential additional work, including external wall insulation, kitchens, bathrooms and wet rooms, should MHS Homes require these services during the contract period.
Expansion in Kent
The appointment will expand Synergize’s presence in Kent, where the company already has infrastructure supporting its Ministry of Defence contract.
The firm says it will draw on its regional supply chain and existing operations to support delivery, with opportunities for local employment and efficiencies through established arrangements.
Synergize will use its own tradespeople alongside specialist subcontractors. During the first year, a dedicated management team will oversee mobilisation and delivery.
Mark Loftus, managing director at Synergize, said the contract represented a significant step forward for the company in Kent.
Mark Loftus, Managing Director at Synergize, said:
By using asset data to understand the condition and future requirements of properties, we can help MHS Homes make informed decisions about where investment will deliver the greatest long-term value.
He added that taking a broader approach to planned works would help the housing provider consider how individual improvements fitted into the wider needs of each property.
Lorraine Gray, head of investment at MHS Homes, said the appointment had strengthened the organisation’s ability to deliver planned improvements efficiently and provide a better experience for residents.
Synergize is a specialist building modernisation firm based in Harrogate, working on building refurbishment, decarbonisation, energy efficiency and property maintenance.