Merger CEO vows to tackle 'dependency culture'

Elaine Bailey is set to become deputy chief executive of a new 137,000-home housing association in a joint merger with London landlords L&Q and East Thames, under plans announced this morning.  

She said the newly created landlord will build 100,000 new homes, create a £5m training academy and invest £250m in new community projects.

In an exclusive column for Inside Housing, she added: “However, we will also be asking our residents to take more personal responsibility in respecting their homes and making an effort to help themselves.

“For too long, housing associations have picked up the bill for damage or repairs that we are not responsible for. The odd toilet seat fix here and a lightbulb replacement there adds to millions of pounds of help.

“But worse than that, we have been responsible and are partly to blame for the dependency culture we have created.

“By putting a stop to this, we can focus help where it’s really needed, with the most vulnerable, the ones who do not shout the loudest, such as the older lady who will sit without heating instead of calling our contact centres for help.”

She said the merger plans showed “maybe the government had a point” when it said associations could increase efficiency and build more homes.

She explained that the merger would deliver efficiencies of £50m a year within five years, largely through combining back-office functions and better IT and procurement.

“We had two choices when the government decided to get on our case – fight back and moan like hell or knuckle down and get on with the job we were asked to do,” she added.

“Today we have taken a massive leap forward in doing just that, by embracing this new relationship where we are more likely to succeed together than on our own.”