A 29-year Relationship: English Rural and H.W. Bartlett & Son

At English Rural, we pride ourselves in the relationships we build and maintain with our contractors and partners. Like any successful relationship, trust is key. Nearly 30 years ago English Rural started working with H.W. Bartlett & Son – a relationship that is still going strong.

Our Repairs and Maintenance Manager, Janette Spence, interviewed Eric Bartlett – the current owner of H.W. Bartlett & Son:

I recently met with our contractor, H.W. Bartlett & Son, who operate in Essex, whilst carrying out a home inspection. It then occurred to me that it would be nice to share a little background on H.W. Bartlett & Son. So here’s the first in a series of ‘Meet and Greets’.

Initially, when I joined English Rural eight years ago, Eric was only ever allocated work in the very local area to where he lives – Ashdon, Essex.

Over the years, Eric and his company have taken on more work and are now covering the wider Essex area. We have found Eric and his team to be very reliable, calling our tenants the same day the repair is raised to make an appointment. Eric provides regular updates and will feedback any information that is useful to English Rural.

As a result, H.W. Bartlett & Son are a preferred contractor by our tenants and here are some examples of the comments we receive regularly from residents:

“Please can you send Eric? He is lovely and I know the work will be done quickly and well?”
“Eric called me within a hour of reporting the repair and carried out the repair the same day.”
“Eric and his team are so friendly and will always help you.”

Q: When did Bartlett’s form as a company?

A: I am Eric Bartlett and I am the current owner of H W Bartlett & Sons. The company was founded in 1926 by my Grandfather, succeeded by my Father and subsequently myself.

Q: How were you introduced to English Rural?

A: When I first started working, the possibility of owning, or even be able to afford my own home in my village was very unlikely. In 1988, English Rural approached the village and proposed building affordable houses on a green field site in the village. The Parish Council at the time, made every effort to make sure this happened.

Q: Where were you living at the time?

A: I was living in the village of Ashdon and put my name down for one of the houses. With my strong local connection I was lucky enough to be allocated one.

Q: When did you become a contractor for English Rural?

A: Shortly after moving into the house in Ashdon in 1990, English Rural approached H.W. Bartlett & Son and asked us to carry out some maintenance for them. We accepted the opportunity to work with English Rural and here we are – some 29 years later – still going strong.

English Rural and the village of Ashdon, Essex

When it became evident that Ashdon had a need for more affordable housing, English Rural built around 30 affordable homes, on top of the original 10 that were originally built. The affordable homes have made the village thrive, with lots of young people attending the school and turning it into a lived-in village with a strong community spirit.