30 March 2007
Local authorities should join the Housing Corporation in persuading social landlords to reduce the number of homes they own in different parts of the country, says a Chartered Institute of Housing report.
The rationalisation of housing association stock, commissioned by the corporation, identifies problems caused by large numbers of associations owning homes on the same estate. If managers are too remote from local communities, the quality of service is likely to fall while costs rise, says the March 30 report.
It says that while housing associations should normally decide whether it is in tenants' best interests for ownership or management to switch to a different landlord, councils should step in the viability of neighbourhoods is threatened.
Sarah Webb, the CIH's deputy chief executive, stressed there was no 'one size fits all' solution but added: 'It seems right that housing associations should ask themselves whether they can properly engage with all the communities they serve when they have properties in a large number of local authority areas.'
PFmar2007
