This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

12 Oct 2026 at 12:00

Summary of the contracting process

Reading Borough Council is seeking a standalone third-party buildings insurance policy for leasehold homes where it retains the freehold. The portfolio covers 229 homes sold under the Right to Buy scheme, 13 shared-ownership houses, one mortgaged property at St Elizabeth Close and 16 detached garages leased to Right to Buy leaseholders. It consists mainly of flats in blocks and maisonettes. The policy is intended to meet the Council’s obligations under leases to arrange buildings cover for leaseholders, with premiums recovered through service charges, and to protect against claims-related financial exposure. Council housing stock that remains in Council ownership is excluded. The properties are in Reading; the listed delivery coverage also spans England’s North East, North West, Yorkshire and Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, East, London, South East and South West.

The Council invited offers through an open procedure. The procurement is one lot, with an estimated gross value of £567,000. The submission deadline set was 25 November 2026 at 12:00 noon. The stated end of the award period is 1 February 2027. The contract period runs from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2030, with two possible extensions of two years each, subject to internal review; the maximum end date is 31 March 2034. Bids may be submitted electronically in English. Evaluation weights price, including Insurance Premium Tax, at 70% and quality answers at 30%. Economic and technical selection criteria apply, with details set out in the tender documents. The requirement is a Qualifying Long-Term Agreement, for which leaseholder consultation is required before the agreement is entered into.

This opportunity is suited to insurers able to underwrite third-party buildings cover for a residential portfolio where the Council acts as freeholder and arranges insurance on leaseholders’ behalf. Suppliers should be equipped to assess a schedule covering flats, maisonettes, shared-ownership houses, a mortgaged property and detached garages, and to provide a consistent policy across these property types. The work calls for insurance expertise relevant to leaseholder buildings cover, property risks and claims exposure, alongside the capacity to manage a portfolio of several hundred homes and associated garages. The tender also evaluates quality responses as well as price, so suppliers should be able to address the Council’s service and coverage requirements in their bids. The contract supports an established landlord and freeholder insurance need.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Leaseholder Building Insurance Policy

Notice Description

Reading Borough Council (RBC) is seeking to procure a Third-Party Property Insurance Policy for leasehold residential properties where the Council retains the freehold interest, primarily properties sold under the Right to Buy (RTB) scheme. This will be a new standalone contract and will establish a long-term insurance arrangement to ensure that leaseholders have access to appropriate buildings insurance cover in accordance with the Council's obligations as freeholder and landlord. The requirement covers: * 229 leasehold properties sold under the Right to Buy scheme. * 13 Shared Ownership houses. * 1 mortgaged property at St Elizabeth Close. * 16 detached garages leased to RTB leaseholders. The property portfolio consists predominantly of flats within blocks and maisonettes where the Council retains the freehold ownership. In many cases, the lease agreement requires the Council, as Freeholder, to arrange buildings insurance on behalf of leaseholders and recover the associated premium through the service charge mechanism. Properties remaining within the Council's housing stock are covered separately and are excluded from this procurement. A detailed property schedule has been prepared and includes information such as construction type, age of property, number of storeys and tenancy/subletting details where available. The procurement is required to ensure that the Council continues to meet its legal and contractual obligations as freeholder by arranging suitable buildings insurance cover for leaseholders where required under the terms of the lease. The contract will: * Provide appropriate third-party Property insurance protection for leasehold properties where the Council retains the freehold. * Mitigate potential financial exposure arising from claims against the Council as freeholder. * Ensure compliance with lease obligations and landlord responsibilities where insurance arrangements are required. * Provide a transparent and consistent insurance arrangement for affected leaseholders. * Support effective risk management across the Council's housing portfolio. As the proposed contract constitutes a Qualifying Long-Term Agreement (QLTA), the Council is required to consult affected leaseholders in accordance with Section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 prior to entering into the agreement.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: The length of the extensions will be +2 and +2 subject to internal review.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-07857c
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/096018-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

66 - Financial and insurance services


CPV Codes

66515200 - Property insurance services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£567,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
£567,000 £500K-£1M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
12 Oct 2026Yesterday
Submission Deadline
25 Nov 20262 months to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2027 - 31 Mar 2030 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Reading Borough Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
READING
Postcode
RG1 2LU
Postcode Area
Reading
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ16 Berkshire West
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)

Local Authority
Reading
Electoral Ward
Abbey
Westminster Constituency
Reading Central

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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