HCA tries to silence landlords

The agency last week announced the names of 146 successful bidders and revealed a regional breakdown of the pot.

Unlike after previous bidding rounds, however, it refused to say how much individual housing associations, councils and house builders have been allocated or how many homes each would build.

This is despite housing minister Grant Shapps announcing overall figures for the programme in a statement on Thursday last week, stating it was expected to deliver 170,000 homes by 2015.

Regional communications managers at the HCA have advised landlords not to reveal how they have contributed to this figure - although some were only told of this after they had released the information.

The advice has led to confusion within the sector and to what one consultant called a ‘chaotic’ situation, in which some associations’ allocations are open to scrutiny and others remain shrouded in secrecy.

One landlord initially announced a £6.5 million allocation for 188 homes but then contacted Inside Housing to withdraw the information after speaking to the HCA. Another housing provider said it wanted to release the information but was nervous about how the HCA would react.

Landlords said they were worried about how the HCA would view their bids if they broke its wishes.

The chief executive of a large housing association said: ‘We may be independent businesses, but the HCA is the paymaster. I can see why people would be worried about making an announcement.’

Fourteen bidders have revealed their allocations to Inside Housing, including two which have issued press releases, but a further nine refused to reveal the figures on HCA advice.

A letter to landlords from Pat Ritchie, chief executive of the HCA, read: ‘If you are planning any promotional activity in light of your allocations please contact the communications manager in the relevant operating area.’

An HCA spokesperson said the agency would prefer landlords not to reveal their allocations as these could change following contract negotiations. But he added that as independent businesses they could do so if they wished.

Keith Exford, chief executive of 55,000-home association Affinity Sutton and chair of the G15 group of London’s largest associations, said: ‘This is a really important contract and we need to make sure it is sufficiently negotiated and been agreed with our board before we make an announcement.’ He said ministers had got ‘carried away’ in their announcements about the programme.

Bidders are expected to sign HCA contracts in the next few weeks.