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Genesis Housing Association has appointed Mears as one of its providers of estates services. The contract, which goes live today (1 November), will see Mears and Just Ask manage communal cleaning and ground maintenance services at properties across the Genesis portfolio.Appointing Mears and Just Ask streamlines estates services delivery at Genesis properties down from 55 to two suppliers, as part of a concerted drive for efficiency and consistently high standards for all customers.The companies were selected following a robust procurement process which involved residents at every stage. Genesis held two customer focus groups to gather initial feedback and residents’ questions were included in the tender documents.Supported by the Social Value Exchange developed by Firesouls, tendering suppliers also scored points during the procurement process for the level of resources that they pledged to allocate to community projects in the area, realising total benefits of £450,000 in social value.Mears responsibilities include communal cleaning, grounds maintenance, window cleaning, pest control and bulk waste removal in north and east London, where Genesis has a high concentration of homes such as Camden, Newham and Tower Hamlets.Genesis is now working closely with Mears and Just Ask to mobilise the contracts, which cover an initial period of four years and are worth a total of £20m.Neil Hadden, Chief Executive at Genesis Housing Association, said: “We’re delighted to have appointed two leading providers to manage estates services across our portfolio. Just Ask and Mears both demonstrated throughout the procurement process that they had a clear understanding of our requirements and those of our customers. They also impressed with their strong commitment to ensuring that social value runs through their work, which chimes really well with our mission to create and sustain thriving communities.”Jerry Lipscombe, Managing Director for Estates at Mears, said: “We are very excited about working with Genesis Housing Association and their residents to enhance the local environment and make a positive difference to the communities we serve. Our experience and our commitment to excellent customer service will make a real difference.”Andy Shiel, Managing Director at Just Ask Services, said: “Everyone at Just Ask is really looking forward to working with Genesis in achieving its objectives and in developing true partnerships with their residents and the wider communities.”