Industry News
Croydon Council aims to relaunch its housing service with a new Residents’ Charter and improved delivery of repairs
A
south London council is looking to drive improvements in its housing service with the adoption of a Residents’ Charter and a
revamped repairs operation, more than a year aſter being slammed for the terrible conditions on one of its estates. Inhumane conditions on Croydon Council’s
Regina Road estate were exposed by an ITV news team in March last year and a subsequent investigation found that not even basic services were being provided to some tenants. An internal water leak in a tower block had gone
undiagnosed and unrepaired for several years, leaving tenants in four flats in damp, mouldy and unhygenic conditions. Other faults were uncovered in the block, with similar issues highlighted in other flatted blocks managed by the council. Te independent consultants found the council
failed to deliver basic housing services, it lacked capacity and competence and staff showed a lack of care and respect for residents. Te council’s response came under intense public scrutiny and contributed to a change in political leadership at the council earlier this year, with the election of a Conservative Mayor. Te contract for delivering the repairs service is
to be ended early, with new ten-year contracts to be let from next year. Te council has decided to split the repairs service into a number of contracts to reduce its dependence on a single contractor and the repairs contact centre will be brought in-house
so the council has a direct relationship with tenants and can respond swiſtly to any complaints. Tenants boroughwide are being consulted
on a draſt Residents’ Charter, which sets out clear expectations on how the council will treat all tenants: with respect, timely responses to complaints and the provision of safe homes that they are proud to live in.
REBUILDING TRUST Tenants have been invited to comment on the draſt charter, as well as how it can be delivered and monitored. An update on its development and planned implementation is expected to come back to the cabinet in the autumn. Te draſt charter was developed by a group of
tenants and leaseholders, endorsed by the Tenant and Leaseholders Panel, and recommended to the council’s cabinet and Mayor by an independent Housing Improvement Board. Te new mayor, Jason Perry said: “I want to
see real change in our housing services. Croydon urgently needs to rebuild trust and establish a proper relationship with our tenants. Tis will only happen once we provide them with a decent service and treat them with respect, and the Charter lays strong foundations for doing this. “Procuring a new repairs service is one of the
first big projects in which we can put the Charter into practice and work with our tenants and leaseholders to make this essential service better.
The new mayor, Jason Perry said: “I want to see real change in our housing services. Croydon urgently needs to rebuild trust and establish a proper relationship with our tenants
I would like to thank those who have helped draſt the Charter so far and encourage all our tenants and leaseholders to get involved in the consultation when it launches.” Les Parry, a member of the Tenants and
Leaseholder Panel said: “I’m pleased to have been involved in the development of Croydon’s Residents’ Charter which sets expectations to raise standards in housing services. Te Charter clearly sets out what is important to residents, and the good service that we rightly expect to receive.” Meanwhile Martin Wheatley, who chairs the
independent Housing Improvement Board, said: “I was glad to see such strong commitment on all sides to ensuring the repairs procurement improves standards for tenants, and to the Tenants’ Charter with respect for tenants at its heart.”
Lack of transparency concerns raised over MPs’ second home interests
MPs are three times more likely to own more than one residential property than the general public, research from Transparency International UK has revealed. Parliamentary Estates calls for greater
transparency over parliamentarians’ financial interests plus greater scrutiny over conflicts
of interest and how they may influence important issues facing Britain, such as the housing crisis. Analysis of parliamentary disclosures from
September 2021 shows at least 312 residential properties owned by 177 MPs (27 per cent of all MPs), in addition to the homes that they, or close family members, live in. 113 MPs (17 per cent) hold a total of 261 properties generating ‘significant’ rental income, defined by parliamentary rules as £10,000 or more annually. Tis contrasts sharply with the general
population, with only nine per cent of households in England having reported they own at least one additional home. Forty-three MPs (7 per cent) have some form
of interest in property companies or businesses, such as shareholdings or directorships, with 19 of these MPs directly employed by a property- related business. One MP worked as an advisor for
14 | HMMAugust/September 2022 |
www.housingmmonline.co.uk
a construction company, receiving £5,000 for 1.6 hours of advisory work. Te analysis revealed 43 per cent of Conservative
Lords and MPs had declared property interests (269 out of a total of 619). Tis compares to 42 per cent of Liberal Democrat parliamentarians (40 out of a total 96) and 23 per cent of Labour Lords and MPs (86 out of a total 366). For all MPs and peers, these property-related
financial relationships ranged from owning a flat and renting it out to holding shares in a property finance company. Te report highlights areas where the current
rules do not go far enough to address potential conflicts of interests. It recommends a series of changes that would place tighter controls on parliamentarians’ second jobs, greater transparency over financial disclosures, and provide better training to ensure MPs and peers comply with the rules.
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