Albyn Enterprises, part of Albyn Housing Society, has expanded, with the launch of a new factoring business to service communities in and around the Highlands.
Factoring services will include landscape maintenance as well as communal stairwell cleaning and building maintenance for more than 3,000 properties across the region, including almost 1,200 in Inverness-shire and Nairnshire and around 1,400 in Easter Ross.
The launch of the new service creates three new jobs in Invergordon, with more anticipated as the business grows. It also marks the further commercialisation of the housing society, which is looking for new funding models to allow the continued development of affordable housing in the Highlands.
The new team, headed by business development manager Sam Cribb, is already gearing up to put landscaping and maintenance contracts out to tender with a combined value of £350,000.
Albyn Enterprises was set up in 2007 to provide sales and marketing services for Low-cost Initiative for First Time (Lift) Buyers on behalf of Albyn, Cairn Housing Association and the Scottish Government.
Since then, the company’s role has changed, with the launch of the factoring services being a huge step forward for Albyn’s commercial activity.
Speaking of the evolving role of Albyn Enterprises, Sam Cribb said: “The launch of our factoring services marks a pivotal point for both Albyn Housing Society and Albyn Enterprises.
“In the light of ever-decreasing housing funding, housing associations must operate more commercially and competitively than ever before to ensure investment continues.
“With customers and communities at the heart of everything we stand for, our aim is to apply best practice in compliance with the Property Factors (Scotland) act 2011, achieving superior levels of customer service and value for money across all areas of our factoring business.
“All our profit is re-invested in to Albyn projects that further develop and sustain positive and proud communities.”
Contractors will be invited to bid for one or all of the tendered contracts and successful applicants will commence work in April 2015. Due to the spread of housing stock across the Highlands, the contracts will be split into geographical areas.