Wates acquires social housing services provider Liberty from ForHousing
Wates, the UK’s leading privately-owned development, construction and property services company, has acquired property services business Liberty from social housing provider, ForHousing.
As a specialist in domestic property repair and maintenance, as well as heating and compliance, Liberty will be joining the well-established Wates Property Services business.
ForHousing is a social housing provider, and owns and manages over 24,000 homes across the north west of England. Liberty is a property services business specialising in social housing. It provides its 50 social housing clients through its subsidiary, Net Zero Collective Limited.
Liberty employs approximately 1,100 people operating across the north west, north east and south west of England. It is headquartered in Knowsley, Merseyside, and has five other core centres of operation: Manchester, Leeds, Portsmouth, Havant and Cardiff.
Privately owned Wates claims to be the UK’s leading privately-owned development, construction and property services company. It employs approximately 4,500 people around the country, and in its last financial year, 2023/24, achieved a turnover of nearly £2.2bn, up 15% on 2022. The company entered its 2024/25 financial year with a record forward order book of £8.54bn.
After 127 years in business, Wates continues to be owned by the Wates family. The Chairman is Tim Wates; the Chief Executive is Eoghan O’Lionaird.
Commenting on the deal, Executive Managing Director, David Morgan, said: “We’ve been actively seeking a specialist property support business to expand and strengthen our existing expertise in the social housing sector, and extend our range of services into the areas of heating and compliance, as well as renewable energy services. In Liberty, we’ve found the strategic fit we were looking for, so I’m delighted to be able to make this announcement.”
Wates Group Chief Executive Officer, Eoghan O’Lionaird, added: “Most importantly, Wates and Liberty are both purpose-driven businesses. At Wates, we reimagine places for people to thrive, ensuring all our work brings positive benefit to people, places, and planet. We are pleased to be bringing together companies that share these values, as well as a successful track record in this sector. We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues as we take this exciting step into the future together.”
Group Managing Director of Liberty, Ray Jones, said: “By joining Wates, we enter the next stage of our growth and development. Our combined service provision brings a stronger offer to both existing and potential clients, especially in property and renewable energy decarbonisation; services to which Liberty and Wates are strongly connected. 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.”
Liberty will continue to trade under its own name as part of Wates Property Services, whilst also ensuring high-quality service delivery for its clients and their customers, covering property repairs, maintenance, heating and compliance services, as well as construction and decarbonisation projects.
