Law firm appointed to housing group framework

Birmingham-based law firm Anthony Collins Solicitors (ACS) has been appointed to the Platform Housing Group legal services framework for property, housing management, and corporate and finance.

The contract, which starts this month, will run for four years.

Platform Housing Group – which owns 46,000 homes in total – completed 1,448 homes in 2019/20 (1,598 in 2018/19) at an investment of £258m (£228m in 2018/19).

The group also built more social rented homes – at a figure of 981 – during the past two years in England than any other provider, 523 in 2019/20, almost 33% of the total homes built.

Platform Housing Group’s operating area is from Herefordshire in the West to the Lincolnshire coast in the East, and from the Derbyshire Dales in the North to the Cotswolds in the South.

ACS will provide legal counsel and support on areas such as social housing finance, corporate and governance, dispute, construction and commercial contracts.

Specialist ACS legal teams will be led by Jonathan Cox, housing partner at the social purpose law firm.

Nathan Barson, procurement director at Platform Housing Group, said: “It is great to see our new Category Management function using the tools and techniques to deliver such high quality work; not only have we successfully mapped our complex requirements but we have managed to secure commercially robust agreements with some of the country’s leading law firms.

“We have added value, successfully matched our ambitions to the leading players in the market and ensured we have the partnerships in place for a truly modern housing association.”

Cox added: “We are proud to have been appointed to the Platform Housing Group legal services framework and look forward to working closely with the association and other law firms appointed to this panel.

“ACS is a purpose-driven law firm with its unique and clear mission of improving lives, communities and society and we look forward to ensuring that Platform Housing Group achieves the best outcomes for its organisations and members.”