Rok calls in administrator

Rok, one of the country's largest building and social housing maintenance firms, said today that it was calling in the administrators.

In a statement to the stock exchange it said: "The board of Rok announces that it has resolved to put the company into administration and to make an application to the Financial Services Authority to suspend the listing and trading of the company's ordinary shares."

Earlier this year Rok's rival Connaught also went into administration.

In September Rok cleared its former finance director Ashley Martin after an investigation failed to uncover any evidence of malpractice on his behalf related to problems at its plumbing, heating and electrical (PHE) unit.

The probe into the PHE unit showed the problems "were due to a scaling back of sub-contracting work from the private housing sector and a combination of weak operational, commercial and financial controls within that part of the business."

Last month Rok announced that it had won a 32 million pound contract with the Scottish Government's economic and community development agency to provide design and construction services for the Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Rok employs just under 5,000 staff.