Lanes in UK drainage deal with care home maintenance service provider

Lanes Group has agreed a deal to deliver a national drainage unblocking and repair service for one of the UK’s fastest growing care home maintenance solutions providers.

Lanes, the UK’s largest independent drainage specialist with depots at 23 locations across the country, is providing the reactive maintenance service for Real Contractor.

The bulk of the work involves responding to drain blockages and repair issues, though the work involves cleaning grease traps and drainage interceptors as well.

Cardiff-based Real Contractor provides maintenance, repair and refurbishment services for hundreds of care homes across the UK, including many owned and run by large care home groups.

Its general manager, Rob Jones, said it has commissioned Lanes Group to provide specialist drainage support because care homes relied on the quality assurance that a national company can offer.

He said: “Care homes are not like a private household, where people can get by for a short time if there is a drain blockage.

“They have significant commercial-sized facilities, such as kitchens and laundries, which operate pretty much 24 hours a day. Also en-suite facilities are now the norm in modern care homes.

“Having a drainage service provider who can respond rapidly, with the right expertise and equipment is essential, and Lanes Group delivers that level of service. To be honest, at times what they achieve for us has been epic.”

Lanes Group National Account Manager Martin Mitchell compiled a national client handbook detailing the level of service Real Contractor requires. This has been then been cascaded to all depots to become the operational service bible for Lanes teams at all levels.

Mitchell said: “We understand that care homes have specific requirements, and always have in mind the end-use customer, in this case care home residents. Our aim is always to minimise disruption to their daily routines.

“For elderly and frail residents, personal hygiene is absolutely vital, so we recognise the need to respond quickly to drain blockage problems, and provide first time fix solutions whenever possible.

“Health and safety is also of paramount concern when working in a live care home environment. Our drainage engineers know this. It’s one reason why Lanes Group has been awarded the RoSPA Gold Award for the last five years.”

Expertise in no dig drainage technology developed by Lanes Group is proving a big help, says Rob Jones.

He added: “Care homes do experience drain blockages caused by confused residents dropping items down toilets. These can lead to problems in difficult locations within the care home building.

“Recently, in the Newcastle area, a blockage was found directly underneath a care home reception desk. Thanks to the no dig drainage repair equipment Lanes has, the pipe was repaired with no need for major works that would have disrupted residents or staff. It’s that type of service our clients rely on and value.”