A charitable trust is to invest £20m into its maintenance service, including investing in a new fleet of vans, to ensure it is providing great socially rented homes.

Bournville Village Trust (BVT), one of the Midlands’ longest-serving independent charitable trusts, manages 4,000 rented homes in central and south Birmingham and Telford.

It will invest £20m in its in-house maintenance service over the next five years, including replacing its current fleet of 61 vehicles with new fit for purpose, modern and efficient vans. The new fleet will include a number of electric vehicles, which BVT will pilot with the aim of reducing carbon emissions.

BVT also plan to recruit more staff to carry out maintenance to its homes including plumbing, carpentry, roofing, gas servicing and electrical works.

Neil Ashford, director of maintenance services at Bournville Village Trust, said: “We know that providing a good repairs service is really important to our customers and a key part of this is making sure we are continuously improving what we deliver and how.

“Our current vans are all diesel, and some are over 10 years old, making them expensive to maintain. This new contract will provide vehicles that are more efficient and reliable for our staff meaning in turn that they can provide an even better service to our customers. They will also help us to reduce our carbon footprint and fuel bills, meaning we are providing better value for money for the rent customers pay.”

Harriet Wiles, corporate account manager at Volkswagen Financial Services UK, said: “Playing a part in helping BVT deliver on its promise of high-quality homes for people in Birmingham and Telford by financing their fleet of vehicles, including a number of fully electric vans, is something we’re proud to have been able to do. It’s a great example of how we’re able to help customers into almost any type of vehicle, not just within our group.”

As well as investing £20m into its maintenance service, BVT will also spend £30m over the next five years improving the homes it manages. This will include spending more money on fitting new windows, doors, boilers, kitchens and bathrooms to make sure all its homes are great places to live.