Housing association reports turnover rise in strong mid-year update
A Tewkesbury-based housing association has posted a strong set of financial results for the six months to September 2024 as it continues to invest in its existing homes and provide new affordable, energy efficient homes.
Bromford saw turnover rise to £167m, up 9% from 2023 (£153m), while turnover from social housing lettings was £147m, 88% of total turnover.
Operating surplus was £50m (2023: £48m) and post-tax surplus was £36m (2023: £33m). Operating margin on social housing lettings maintained at 34% (2023: 34%).
Overall operating margin was 30% (2023: 31%).
Chief finance officer Paul Walsh said: “We are pleased to report another strong set of financial results for the six months ending 30 September 2024.
“Like the rest of the sector, we have faced persistent cost pressures and increased demand for our repairs and maintenance services. In the first six months of the year we have invested £34m in our existing homes to respond to this demand and significantly reduce our repairs backlog. We are committed to delivering the best possible outcomes for our customers whilst also maintaining financial discipline and have maintained our social housing operating margin at the leading edge of the sector at 34%.”
Bromford has continued to invest in its development programme and has completed 457 new homes during the past six months, of which 220 were for social rent. Bromford’s in-house construction team built 53 of the completed homes and is forecast to finish another 170 in the second half of the year. The housing association also completed 108 shared ownership homes and four for outright sale.
During the six months to the end of September 2024 Bromford raised an additional £200m through a new sustainable finance deal with NatWest, with targets linked to reducing the intensity of its carbon emissions and building new homes for social rent.
Matthew Rose, director of treasury, said: “We expect to return to the market for new funding over the coming year and have significant capacity for additional borrowing. We will aim to strengthen and develop relationships with existing investors and continue to explore opportunities to diversify funding streams, especially as the merger with Flagship creates one of the strongest UK housing associations.”
In June 2024 Bromford announced its intention to merge with Norwich-based Flagship Group in 2025, to create an 80,000-home housing association and to enable additional development capacity to deliver new homes on a larger scale.
