16 May 2008
Council-owned housing companies are appealing to ministers to extend a new regulatory regime to them sooner rather than later.
While housing associations will be regulated by the Office for Tenants and Social Landlords (Oftenant) from next April,
arm's-length management organisations could be forced to wait a further two years – along with councils that retain traditional housing departments.
The National Federation of Almos is angry that the government appears to be dragging its feet while the Housing and Regeneration Bill, which covers the setting up of Oftenant, makes its way through Parliament.
Gwyneth Taylor, policy officer at the federation, said Almos fear that by 2011 the regulator will have become too geared to the needs of housing associations. 'There are concerns about our tenants feeling second class,' she said.
Ministers argue that they must finalise a performance framework for councils before they can extend Oftenant's role. But both the federation and the Local Government Association claim it would be better to include an enabling clause in the Bill.
The issue was discussed this week at the federation's annual conference in York, which was addressed by Professor Ian Cole, chair of a government advisory panel that is looking into Oftenant's coverage.
An LGA spokeswoman said it should be possible to tailor Oftenant to the spirit of the new performance framework, which limits the number of national indicators facing local authorities to 198.
'Council landlords and their tenants should be included in the scope of Oftenant from the outset rather than waiting two years down the line,' she added.
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