Grand Union on track to retrofit all homes to EPC C by 2030

In total, the landlord spent £1.7m during 2023-24 on decarbonisation and associated works such as surveys, assessments, installations and certification.

In its environmental, social and governance (ESG) report for 2023-24, the landlord said it had agreed key performance indicators for a £120m green loan issued by Nationwide in 2023.

It will focus on the energy efficiency of Grand Union’s existing stock, the quality and effectiveness of its governance framework and its goal to build 250 new homes a year.

Grand Union said it did not currently have a strategy to enhance green space and promote biodiversity near its homes. However, “it is in our plans to do so”, and it will soon report on the results of a biodiversity trial where it planted wildflowers at one of its retirement schemes.

The report also noted that eight Grand Union properties failed the Decent Homes Standard last year. Most of the failures have since been fixed, with two oil services “due to be serviced soon” and one solid-fuel service “still overdue as the customer refused a new heating system”.

Grand Union said it was “disappointed” to see its overall satisfaction level at 60%, down 1% from 2022-23. However, satisfaction with the landlord’s repairs service rose 2% to 59.1%. It said it has increased the size of the repairs team and expanded its repairs operating hours.

Satisfaction with Grand Union’s approach to dealing with anti-social behaviour was up 8% to 38.4%.

Grand Union owns homes across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire and Hertfordshire. It built 264 new homes in 2023-24: 43 for social rent, 114 for affordable rent and 107 for low-cost homeownership.

In July it announced it had entered merger talks with Longhurst to form a potential 37,000-home landlord.