The Wates Group has announced the acquisition of Liberty, the property services division of ForHousing, a prominent social housing provider based in the northwest.
This significant move will see Liberty, along with its 1,100 employees, joining Wates Property Services.
Liberty, which handles around 1,500 customer calls daily, provides a wide range of services, including domestic property repairs, maintenance, and heating compliance. Last year, the company reported a turnover of £120 million and completed over 114,000 property repairs. Despite the acquisition, Liberty will continue to operate under its own name.
David Morgan, Managing Director of Wates Property Services, expressed his enthusiasm for the deal: “We’ve been actively seeking a specialist property support business to expand and strengthen our existing expertise in the social housing sector. In Liberty, we’ve found the strategic fit we were looking for, so I’m delighted to be able to make this announcement.”
For Liberty, this acquisition marks a significant chapter in its growth. Ray Jones, Managing Director of Liberty, highlighted the benefits of joining forces with Wates: “Our combined service provision brings a stronger offer to both existing and potential clients, especially in property and renewable energy decarbonisation. This new step forward will ensure continued high-quality services for Liberty’s current clients and their tenants, as well as an exciting future for Liberty and Wates and our people.”
The acquisition enhances Wates’ capabilities, particularly in heating, compliance, and renewable energy services, strengthening its position in the social housing sector. Both companies view the partnership as an opportunity to build on their reputations for delivering high-quality services to clients across the UK.
