What Upkeep does

Upkeep Training Limited is a Northampton-based, UK-registered private limited company that delivers accredited qualifications and short courses for the social housing sector. Founded in 1979 and operating with 11–50 employees, the firm is positioned by its own materials as a multi-award winning specialist provider of housing maintenance, asset management and property repair training. Its primary customers are social housing providers (housing associations, registered providers and social landlords) required to evidence staff competence against the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, the Competence & Conduct Standard, Awaab's Law and the Housing Health and Safety Rating System; secondary segments include private property management companies, facilities management organisations and individual learners, including military career changers using ELCAS funding.

The product portfolio is organised around Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) qualifications at Levels 3, 4 and 5, Awarding Body for the Built Environment (ABBE) qualifications at Level 2, a catalogue of short courses (damp and mould, HHSRS, complaint handling, estate management, property inspection, disrepair law, climate change, hoarding disorder, first-time management) and the RESET workforce-development consultancy. Upkeep holds exclusive delivery rights in England for the ABBE Level 2 Certificate in Understanding How Homes Work and the ABBE HHSRS Certificate in Housing Health & Safety Rating Systems. Courses are delivered live online via Zoom with tutors, supplemented by a Learning Management System containing workbooks, e-learning modules, an online technical library and online examinations; in-house bespoke delivery is offered for groups of eight or more.

Revenue is generated through course fees paid by individual learners and organisations, with pricing ranging from £45 (e-learning) to £6,750 (CIH Level 5 Diploma – Residential). Distribution combines self-serve website enrolment, inside sales (a dedicated telesales executive and phone/email channels), in-house bespoke contracts, ELCAS-funded military pathways and a community-partnership channel with Four Million Homes offering free training. The company markets via blog content, social media, email newsletters and speaking engagements at sector events such as HOMESUK and UnlockNetZero.

Name

Upkeep

Legal name

Upkeep Training Limited

Website

https://upkeeptraining.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Upkeep Training is a UK specialist provider of accredited housing maintenance qualifications and short courses, delivering CIH and ABBE programmes primarily to social housing providers, property managers and individual learners via live online classrooms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Housing Maintenance Training and Qualifications

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Educational Services (61), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Construction & Trades Licensure (Contractor, Electrician, Plumber, HVAC CE) (EDAAALAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Construction, Engineering & Skilled Trades Licensure Prep (EDAAANAL), Real Estate Licensure Exam Prep (Salesperson/Broker, Appraiser) (EDANAIAH), EPA 608 & Refrigerant Handling Compliance Training (EDAOACAN), Online/Distance Education Quality & Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAK)

Keywords

• Housing maintenance training
• Social housing qualifications
• Property repairs courses
• Asset management training
• HHSRS certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Northampton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Professional Training and Qualifications: Upkeep generates revenue primarily through delivering accredited housing qualifications and short training courses. Revenue comes from course fees charged to individual learners and organisations. The company offers both public courses with open enrollment and bespoke in-house training programmes for organisations. Course pricing ranges from £1 (ABBE HHSRS certificate - price on application) to £6,750 (CIH Level 5 Diploma - Residential). Consultancy services for workforce development and the RESET programme provide additional revenue streams.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Upkeep Training delivers accredited qualifications and short courses for the UK social housing sector, focused on housing maintenance, asset management, and property repairs. The portfolio includes CIH Level 3, 4, and 5 qualifications, ABBE Level 2 awards and certificates, and topic-specific short courses covering damp and mould, HHSRS, complaint handling, estate management, and housing law, delivered live online via Zoom with some residential and e-learning formats. The company also provides a RESET consultancy service for workforce development and Competence & Conduct Standard compliance.

Product overview

Upkeep is a multi-award winning training provider offering a portfolio of accredited qualifications and short courses for the social housing sector. The offering consists of CIH (Chartered Institute of Housing) qualifications at Levels 3, 4, and 5, ABBE (Awarding Body for the Built Environment) qualifications at Level 2, a range of short courses covering topics such as damp and mould, complaint handling, housing law, property inspection, and estate management, plus consultancy services including the RESET programme for workforce development. Courses are delivered primarily via live online classrooms (Zoom webinars), with an eLearning option for damp and condensation training, and in-house options available. The qualifications range from Level 2 (Understanding How Homes Work, Understanding the HHSRS) through Level 3 (Housing Maintenance & Asset Management) to Level 4 and 5 (Housing and Managing Housing Maintenance Services) qualifications, with top-up units available for those with existing partial qualifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CIH Level 4 Certificate in Managing Housing Maintenance Services A nationally recognised Level 4 qualification for housing staff working at or aspiring to supervisory/management level, covering financial management, legal framework, performance management, customer focus, people management, and professionalism in housing. Targeted at housing association employees who need to meet Competence & Conduct Standard requirements.
• CIH Level 4 Certificate in Housing A six-unit qualification meeting government requirements for managers in housing services, covering housing law and regulation, policy, customer focus, managing people and change, resident involvement, and professionalism. Targeted at housing managers requiring Level 4 competence.
• CIH Level 4 Top Up Units Top-up units for learners with partially compliant qualifications to cover key skills and knowledge aligned with the Competence and Conduct Standard, covering areas such as housing law and regulation, housing policy, customer focus, resident involvement, and professional practice.
• CIH Level 5 Diploma in Housing - Residential A Level 5 vocational qualification equivalent to the second year of a bachelor's degree, delivered as a fast-track residential executive retreat across three 3-day weekends, covering ethical practice, leadership, strategic planning, housing context, partner relationships, and customer-focused services. Includes accommodation, meals, and learning materials.
• CIH Level 5 Diploma in Housing - Interactive Masterclass An online version of the Level 5 Diploma delivered through 14 interactive masterclasses with written assignments, spanning 12-15 months, covering strategic management and executive-level housing practice.
• CIH Level 5 Top Up Units Top-up units for CIH Level 5 learners to bridge essential knowledge and skills gaps aligned with the Competence and Conduct Standard, including customer focused housing services and communication.
• CIH Level 3 Certificate in Housing Maintenance & Asset Management A Level 3 qualification for maintenance professionals or non-technical staff from customer service backgrounds, covering repairs and maintenance, managing empty properties, health and safety awareness, and professional practice skills.
• ABBE Level 2 Certificate in Understanding How Homes Work A nationally recognised Level 2 qualification for non-technical staff or those new to maintenance roles, covering how homes are built and work, plumbing, damp, condensation, electrics, heating, and reporting repairs. Upkeep is the only provider of this qualification in England.
• ABBE Level 2 Award - Understanding the HHSRS A one-day course covering the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, practical application of the Fitness for Habitation Acts, identifying hazards and deficiencies, and the 29 HHSRS hazards for property assessors.
• ABBE HHSRS Certificate in Housing Health & Safety Rating Systems An exclusive certificated course covering the simplified hazard assessment of 21 categories, the new traffic-light banding system, focus on damp, mould, thermal comfort, Awaab's Law, and digital tools for risk evaluation.
• eLearning Course - Damp, Condensation and Mould A self-directed online course teaching how damp, condensation, and mould forms and manifests, dispelling myths and teaching facts through interactive modules, videos, and quizzes. Accessible for one month after starting.
• Complaint Handling in Housing Maintenance A one-day course for staff investigating and responding to maintenance complaints, covering regulatory environment, Housing Ombudsman role, complaint investigation, and learning from complaints to improve services.
• Fitness For Habitation & HHSRS Awareness A one-day course covering the practical application of the Fitness for Habitation Acts and HHSRS, identifying deficiencies, understanding the 29 hazards, and reducing risk of failing standards.
• Management of Small Maintenance Projects A one-day course equipping learners with project management skills for managing small maintenance projects, covering project definition, budgeting, risk management, progress planning, and delegation.
• Hoarding Disorder Awareness A one-day course providing knowledge and understanding of hoarding disorder, including diagnosis, hoarding types and risk levels, successful interventions, treatment options, and support organisations.
• Climate Change and Carbon Essentials A half-day workshop introducing evidence for and effects of climate change and implications for the housing sector, including UK net zero policies and measuring personal carbon footprint.
• Housing, Fitness, Disrepair & The Law A two-day course covering housing legislation, regulatory expectations, case law, and tackling fitness, disrepair, damp and mould, gaining access, and disrepair claims for managers and team leaders.
• Estate Management A course covering estate inspection fundamentals, risks and hazards, resident involvement, performance indicators, health and safety requirements, and action planning for housing officers, surveyors, and neighbourhood wardens.
• Inspecting a Property A one-day course training staff in effective questioning techniques, identifying common defects, recording and reporting issues, structuring home inspection processes, and ensuring good health and safety practice.
• First Time Managers A two-day interactive course for new or aspiring managers covering core management ingredients, personal development, communication, performance management, situational management, delegation, and coaching skills.
• RESET Consultancy Service A specialist support service providing targeted training and development interventions alongside process improvements for social landlords, including role mapping, skills audits, workforce development planning, and ongoing support for Competence and Conduct compliance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of learners have benefited from Upkeep's programmes
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ABBE (Awarding Body for the Built Environment)coreOthersABBE is an Ofqual regulated awarding organisation and the leading specialist awarding body in the built environment sector. Upkeep is an accredited centre delivering ABBE qualifications including the ABBE Level 2 Certificate in Understanding How Homes Work (the only provider in England), ABBE Level 2 Award in Understanding the HHSRS, and ABBE HHSRS Certificate in Housing Health & Safety Rating Systems.
• CIH (Chartered Institute of Housing)coreOthersCIH is the independent voice for housing and the largest awarding organisation for housing qualifications in the UK. Upkeep is an accredited and approved centre to deliver CIH qualifications in housing maintenance, including CIH Level 3, 4, and 5 certificates and diplomas in housing and housing maintenance.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BPP Professional Education: Large UK professional training provider offering qualifications across legal, financial, and management disciplines. Comparable to Upkeep because it delivers accredited qualifications and continuing professional development to working professionals, albeit at much broader scope and scale.
• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS): Global professional body accrediting surveying and real estate qualifications, including those touching property inspection, valuation, and building condition. Comparable because it serves overlapping housing and built-environment professionals through accredited CPD pathways.
• Central Law Training: UK provider of CPD-accredited training courses for property lawyers, surveyors, and housing professionals. Comparable to Upkeep because its course portfolio — including housing, disrepair, and property law programmes — directly overlaps Upkeep's 'Housing, Fitness, Disrepair & The Law' content.

Direct peers

• Propertymark: UK professional body for property agents, property managers, and housing professionals, offering accredited qualifications and CPD. Comparable because it serves property-management professionals with regulatory-driven training similar to Upkeep's social housing audience.
• Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB): Professional body offering construction and built environment qualifications, training, and CPD to housing and construction professionals. Comparable to Upkeep because it targets overlapping building-maintenance and construction audiences with accredited qualifications.
• Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH): The UK's largest housing awarding organisation, which both accredits Upkeep and offers its own training and membership programmes. Directly comparable because CIH qualifications (Levels 3-5) are delivered through competing approved centres and increasingly through CIH's own direct channels.

Emerging players

• High Speed Training: UK online training provider delivering CPD-accredited short courses across compliance, property, and facilities topics. Comparable to Upkeep because it pursues similar compliance-driven course buyers with a more digital-first delivery model that could eventually encroach on Upkeep's short-course portfolio.

Others

• National Housing Federation: Trade body representing housing associations in England. Comparable to Upkeep because it shapes the policy and standards environment (including the Competence & Conduct Standard) that drives mandatory training demand for Upkeep's core social-housing customers.
• ABBE (Awarding Body for the Built Environment): Ofqual-regulated awarding body for built environment qualifications, whose certificates Upkeep delivers under exclusive licences. Comparable as the upstream accreditation and qualification-design partner whose standards and product roadmap shape Upkeep's offering.

Regional players

• CITB (Construction Industry Training Board): Statutory training body for the UK construction industry, funding and accrediting vocational training for building trades. Comparable to Upkeep because both serve construction and maintenance workforces with accredited training, though CITB operates at industry-wide scale across England, Scotland, and Wales.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/people/Upkeep-Training/61581227436310
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upkeep-training-limited
• Instagraminstagram.com/upkeep_training
• Xx.com/upkeeptraining

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Upkeep