Wates Acquires Property Services Business, Liberty

TIER ONE contractor Wates has completed the acquisition of property services business, Liberty from social housing provider, ForHousing.

The domestic RMI, heating and compliance specialist will be joining Wates’ Property Services business.

A total of 1,100 Liberty employees will join Wates’ workforce, taking Wates’ employee number to a high of over 6,000.

David Morgan, Executive MD, Wates Property Services

David Morgan, Executive Managing Director, Wates Property Services, said: “We’ve been actively seeking a specialist property support business to expand and strengthen our existing expertise in the social housing sector, and extend our range of services into the areas of heating and compliance, as well as renewable energy services. In Liberty, we’ve found the strategic fit we were looking for.”

Wates Acquires Liberty

Liberty will continue to trade under its own name as part of Wates Property Services. Liberty, based in the North West in Knowsley, Merseyside, has delivered maintenance services for social housing providers nationwide.

Eoghan O’Lionaird, CEO, Wates Group CEO

Eoghan O’Lionaird, CEO of Wates Group, said: “Wates and Liberty are both purpose-driven businesses. At Wates, we reimagine places for people to thrive, ensuring all our work brings positive benefit to people, places, and planet. We are pleased to be bringing together companies that share these values, as well as a successful track record in this sector. We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues as we take this exciting step into the future together.”

Wates already manages and maintains half a million social housing properties with much of the current work retrofitting roofing and windows to improve energy efficiency and address fuel poverty.

Ray Jones, Group MD at Liberty

Ray Jones, Group MD at Liberty, said: “By joining Wates, we enter the next stage of our growth and development. Our combined service provision brings a stronger offer to both existing and potential clients, especially in property and renewable energy decarbonisation; services to which Liberty and Wates are strongly connected. This new step forward will ensure continued high-quality services for Liberty’s current clients and their tenants, as well as an exciting future for Liberty and Wates and our people.”

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