Garage management partnership delivers £70,000 boost to Welfare Fund

A partnership between Secure Parking and Storage (SPS) and Watford Community Housing (WCH) has transformed the housing provider’s garage units across the borough, while also delivering tangible social value for residents via its Welfare Fund.

The partnership was first established in 2017, when WCH was seeking a clear management strategy for maintaining its garage sites across Watford. Prior to SPS’s involvement, WCH’s garage sites were overgrown, poorly maintained and underused. WCH’s primary objectives for its sites were to stabilise declining occupancy levels, actively market and promote vacant units and significantly improve the overall condition and presentation of the sites.

SPS has helped WCH reduce its void losses by £507,000 over the life of the partnership, and this is expected to rise to £688,000 over the coming year as a result of improved revenue streams.

In 2024, WCH chose to direct all the profits from the year’s garage rent increase into its Welfare Fund – a crucial resource used to support residents facing financial hardship. The decision was championed by WCH’s Gateway Membership Team, which is made up of a panel of residents, who wanted to direct the increased revenue to the residents most in need.

An increase of £1.50 per week per garage resulted in £70,000 being allocated to the Welfare Fund, to support residents struggling financially.

Tina Barnard, CEO at Watford Community Housing, said: “By improving how our garages are managed, we’ve been able to generate additional income that residents themselves have chosen to direct into our Welfare Fund. The funding is supporting families and individuals, helping to improve their quality of life during difficult times.

The partnership demonstrates how quality garage management can not only increase income and limit ASB activities, but support reinvestment into residents, while strengthening communities and delivering lasting social impact.”

SPS’s structured management approach, which ranges from proactive marketing, regular inspections and repairs, has been able to dramatically reduce voids while improving site conditions and increasing occupancy. SPS now manages 990 garages for WCH.

The Welfare Fund has become a lifeline for numerous individuals. In 2024/25, the money supported 158 residents, distributing £208,691 in grants for urgent living expenses, essential domestic goods, emergency costs and health and safety needs.

A couple with mobility and health issues were able to benefit from having access to the Welfare Fund, as they were sleeping on second hand mattresses on the floor of their home, due to not being able to afford to buy a bed large enough to sleep in together. After a housing officer visit, the Welfare Fund paid for a new bed and mattress, making a simple but powerful difference to the tenant’s day to day life.

WCH plans to appoint more garages for SPS to manage, ensuring greater reinvestment in resident welfare in the years ahead.