External Audit

First Garden Cities Homes Limited is an English Registered Provider of Social Housing. We were formed on 1 March 2020 through the amalgamation of Howard Cottage Housing Association and Welwyn Garden City Housing Association, two organisations with a combined history of over 170 years of providing affordable homes. Howe Cottage HA was established in 1911 to provide affordable housing in Letchworth, the world's first Garden City, whilst the eponymous Welwyn Garden City HA was founded fifty years later for the same purpose. Today, First Garden Cities Homes is a modern, dynamic housing association with an active development programme and deep roots in its communities. Our current contract for the provision of statutory audit services expires on 31/03/2027 and there is no option to extend or renew in a manner compliant with the Procurement Act 2023. We are now starting the process of procuring a new contract to provide statutory audit services. The appointed firm will be required to audit FGCH's financial statements prepared in accordance with the UK Housing Statement of Recommended Practice and applicable UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice. Experience of auditing social housing providers and familiarity with the sector and the regulatory environment governing Registered Providers is therefore essential; a dedicated stand-alone specialist Social Housing team is desirable. We welcome market engagement from suitably qualified UK-based audit firms with a demonstrable and current track record in the social housing sector. First Garden Cities Homes is now conducting market engagement prior to issuing a formal tender, and welcomes responses from firms with relevant expertise and capacity.