Transfer – investment opportunity of a lifetime

Tenants’ homes would benefit from a £168 million makeover – if homes are transferred to Plymouth Community Homes.

Thousands of new kitchens and bathrooms would be planned to be fitted in the first five years – if tenants vote in favour of transfer to the new, not-for-profit local housing association.

Home safety would be improved too with thousands of new high security front and back doors planned to be installed in the first five years.

Plus new double glazed windows and central heating systems where needed – again programmed for the first five years.

If transfer goes ahead, Plymouth Community Homes would plan to invest £168 million in tenants’ homes in the first five years.

Transfer would deliver major improvements for every home that needs them – taking them up to the Plymouth Community Homes Standard, which is even higher than the Government’s minimum Decent Homes Standard.

If transfer goes ahead, Plymouth Community Homes would be able to carry out far more improvements than possible with the Council over the same timescale.

Plymouth Community Homes would plan to invest in the region of £1 billion over 30 years to keep homes up to modern standards in the years to come.

Councillor Peter Brookshaw, Cabinet Member for Safer and Stronger Communities, Housing and Supporting People and Community Cohesion, said: “The Council believes transfer offers tenants in Plymouth a brighter future.

“The figures speak for themselves. As things stand, transfer is the only way to deliver the sheer number of improvements that are needed to give our tenants the standards they have a right to expect.

“And remember, under current Government policy transfer would deliver all these improvements, where needed, for the same rents tenants would pay to the Council.”

The Council is proposing transfer because it does not have the money, and strict Government rules mean it is not allowed to borrow the money, needed to bring the homes up to modern standards.

Plymouth Community Homes, however, would not be governed by these rules and would be able to afford to borrow the money needed to improve tenants’ homes if they vote in favour of the proposal and transfer goes ahead.

Reflecting on the consequences of a ‘no’ vote, Councillor Brookshaw added: “If homes stay with the Council the future looks bleak.

“The Council would still have to bring its homes up to the Government’s minimum decency standard. The Council is currently looking at how it could find the money to meet the massive £90 million anticipated shortfall it would face.

“The projections clearly show that the Council would have to consider major cuts in the housing service to do this. This would likely mean job cuts for housing staff too.”

Tenants will receive more information on what transfer and staying with the Council would mean in the coming months, so they can make an informed decision.

Transfer is not a foregone conclusion. Tenants will have their say on the proposal in a vote planned for the autumn. Transfer can only go ahead if the majority of tenants who vote in the ballot, vote in favour of the proposal and the Secretary of State gives consent.

If tenants have a transfer question they can ring the Council’s Better Homes Team on 0800 694 3101. Or they can ring the Independent Tenants’ Advisor, DWA, on freephone 0800 0855 492.

4 June 2008