The Secretary of State for Defence John Healey has visited military family homes in Portsmouth to see how they are getting a makeover by VIVO Defence Services.
Mr Healey viewed the properties in Hilsea along with MPs Amanda Martin (Portsmouth North) and Stephen Morgan (Portsmouth South).
Various Service Family Accommodation (SFA) properties in and around Normandy Road are undergoing refurbishment by VIVO as part of a commitment from the government to upgrade homes across the UK.
The homes – used by Royal Naval Families – have all had new kitchen and bathrooms fitted by VIVO and its supply chain partner HSBM and will be ready in time for Christmas.
The Secretary of State and the two MPs were impressed by the quality of workmanship and the overall finish of the work that they saw during their visit (on Thursday, 4, December 2025)
Mr Healey even remarked how thoughtful touches – such as installing new handrails rather than repainting old ones – shows how they are being upgraded with families in mind.
The homes are being refurbished under The Government’s Raising the Minimum Standards scheme, part of its Consumer Charter which pledged a number of commitments including upgrading the 1,000 most in need SFA properties across the UK by the end of this year.
Mr Healey said: “Our military personnel serve with remarkable dedication and bravery. It is only right that they and their families live in the homes they deserve.
He added: “By rolling out of this rapid programme of improvement works we can kick-start a transformational change in military accommodation. This is about providing homes fit for the heroes who serve our nation and meeting a key promise set out in our consumer charter”
Jerry Moloney, VIVO Defence Services’ Chief Executive Officer, said: “We were really pleased to be able to show the Secretary of State John Healey and MPs Amanda Martin and Stephen Morgan around the properties we are refurbishing in Portsmouth.
“It was great that our local team let them see the high-quality work being undertaken and to hear how they were impressed as we are very proud that our teams are working hard currently refurbishing numerous military family homes across our regions. Military families rightfully deserve a place they are proud to call home.”
VIVO Defence Services provides maintenance and facilities management services for more than 27,000 SFA homes across southwest and southeast England on behalf of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation.
It also looks after facilities management and maintenance services for the MOD’s Built Estate in the central and southwest regions – including all military bases in Portsmouth and across Hampshire.
