Liverpool tenants agree to stock transfer

5 Apr 07
Council tenants in Liverpool have voted by almost four to one to transfer their homes to a new social landlord.

06 April 2007

Council tenants in Liverpool have voted by almost four to one to transfer their homes to a new social landlord.

About 15,500 homes will be taken over by Liverpool Mutual Homes next January — providing that ministers agree to give the new landlord up to £130m for essential improvements.

The council, which faces a total bill of £300m to bring all its properties up to the decent homes standard, said this week that it was confident the Department for Communities and Local Government would provide the 'gap' funding.

Negotiations will start shortly over the precise sum and how it should be phased, said a council spokeswoman.

The council, which has already switched 12,000 homes to new landlords in a series of smaller transfers, requires extra funding to cover the difference between its total improvement bill and the sum that Liverpool Mutual Homes expects to borrow privately.

Just over 11,000 tenants took part in the ballot, with 78% backing transfer.

Cath Green, the council's assistant executive director for housing and neighbourhoods, said: 'This transfer will facilitate the largest programme of investment in social housing seen for generations.'

The Liverpool result is a major boost for the government following recent votes in Brighton & Hove and Swansea, where tenants have rejected stock transfers.

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