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Peabody to scrap fixed-term tenancies
A second major housing association is to phase out fixed-term tenancies in favour of lifetime agreements.
Peabody, which owns around 56,000 homes across London and the South East, has announced it will stop issuing fixed-term tenancies to new general needs tenants from today.
The move comes after 92,000-home landlord L&Q revealed plans to ditch fixed-term arrangements for tenants in September last year.
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Peabody said it decided to move away from fixed-term tenancies after a review found “no difference in the level of rent arrears or terminations between fixed-term and lifetime tenancies and no increase in mobility due to change in circumstances including downsizing”.
It said some fixed-term residents reported being anxious about tenancy renewals and felt less engaged with their neighbourhoods.
Ashling Fox, chief operating officer at Peabody, said: “While they were introduced with the best of intentions, there is no evidence that fixed-term tenancies enable the allocation of our homes to be managed more effectively.
“They cause uncertainty for residents and are unnecessarily onerous to administer for landlords.
“Residents are front and centre of our operations and listening to their concerns has enabled us to rethink our approach.
“I am delighted we have taken the step to stop issuing fixed-term tenancies and will continue to work with residents to develop a more secure, affordable and effective way of meeting housing need.”
Around 6,000 of Peabody’s tenants are currently on fixed-term tenancies.
It said a further review will examine the best way of “increasing security of tenure” for existing tenants.
Fixed-term tenancies were introduced by the coalition government as part of the 2011 Localism Act, with the stated aim of utilising limited social housing stock more flexibly.
Homes for Cathy conference
Homes for Cathy is joining forces with Inside Housing and the Chartered Institute of Housing to deliver its second annual conference.
The conference will bring together sector leaders, practitioners and real examples of the work being done to end homelessness.
Homes for Cathy members will present and feed back on progress made in delivering the nine Homes for Cathy commitments.
Homes for Cathy is a group of housing associations formed in the Cathy Come Home era, that came together in 2016 to mark the 50th anniversary of Cathy Come Home and to highlight the continuing needs of homeless people.
The event takes place at 28 Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3LS on 25 March from 9am until 5pm.
Speakers include:
Terrie Alafat CBE, chief executive, CIH
David Bogle, chief executive, Hightown Housing Association
Steve Douglas, chair, One Housing Group
Helen Evans, chief executive, Network Homes
Chris Hancock, head of housing, Crisis
Lord Kerslake, chair, Peabody
Tracey Lees, chief executive, Wandle
Michael Newey, chief executive, Broadlands
Jon Sparkes, chief executive, Crisis
Tony Stacey, chief executive, South Yorkshire Housing
Jeremy Swain, head of the rough sleeping initiative team, MHCLG
For more information about the event click here.
