You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
From the archive – row brews over northern stock transfer
Inside Housing looks back at what was happening in the sector this week 10, 20 and 30 years ago
30 years ago
A row over stock transfer was brewing after Warrington and Runcorn Development Corporation decided to press ahead with the transfer of management responsibilities to four housing associations, despite failing to secure a mandate from tenants.
A second round of consultations on the plan received just 11 replies to 5,000 letters giving information on the transfer. A separate letter, sent by Warrington Council and asking tenants to sign a form if they wanted to transfer management to the council, produced 1,358 signatures.
The development corporation said the council’s letter was “misleading” as it contained false information about rent rises.
Ian Perry, chief executive of Manchester & District Housing Association, insisted that the transfer did have tenant support.
20 years ago
Scottish housing minister Calum MacDonald called on sector leaders to solve the country’s dampness problems within eight years.
The call came as Mr MacDonald launched Scotland’s first Housing Green Paper in 20 years. The wide-ranging document also indicated that the government would like to see councils transfer their stock to new landlords, private finance used to fix a backlog of repairs and a new ‘super regulatory’ role for the country’s housing delivery agency, Scottish Homes.
Speaking to Inside Housing, Mr MacDonald explained how stock transfer and the leveraging of private finance could help to fix problems with Scotland’s local authority housing stock, such as damp.
“There is a vast potential for pulling investment into Scotland’s council housing through community ownership,” he added.
“If the local authorities which have dampness problems in their housing choose community ownership, then I am sure that within two terms of the Scottish Parliament we could end dampness problems in all of Scotland’s council housing.”
Picture: Getty
10 years ago
The number of long-term unsold homes on housing associations’ books surged by 20% at the end of 2008, as the credit crunch continued to hit the sector.
By December 2008, 4,560 low-cost homeownership properties had been empty for at least six months, compared with 3,814 at the end of the previous quarter. The figures were revealed in a new report from housing regulator the Tenant Services Authority. The report also showed for the first time the full extent of the so-called ‘swaps crisis’, which had hit the sector two months earlier.
In total, 32 associations were hit with cash calls totalling £396m. These were to provide short-notice security for stand-alone swaps, purchased to hedge against interest rates on their loans.
