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League tables and ‘sharper teeth’ for regulator in Social Housing Green Paper
League tables for housing associations and “sharper teeth” for the sector watchdog are among the new measures outlined in the government’s much-delayed Social Housing Green Paper, to be published today.
Ministers have billed the green paper, announced by former housing secretary Sajid Javid in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire last year, as a “new deal” for social housing residents.
As well as league tables – which Inside Housing revealed were being considered last month – it proposes giving the Regulator of Social Housing “sharper teeth” to intervene to “ensure social homes are well managed and of decent quality”.
It would also allow new buyers of shared ownership homes to staircase up their ownership in purchases just 1% of their home each year.
Survivors of the fire described the proposals as “not going far enough” to deal with their concerns.
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It is understood that councils were also briefed that the green paper drops the high value asset levy, which would have seen local authorities forced to sell off their most expensive homes to pay for the extension of the Right to Buy for housing associations.
However, as preview copies of the green paper were not made available by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) this has not yet been confirmed.
Housing secretary James Brokenshire said: “Providing high quality and well managed social housing is a core priority for this government.
“Our green paper offers a landmark opportunity for major reform to improve fairness, quality and safety for residents living in social housing across the country.
“Regardless of whether you own your home or rent, residents deserve security, dignity and the opportunities to build a better life.”
KEY PROPOSALS IN THE SOCIAL HOUSING GREEN PAPER
- New 'league tables' of housing providers based on key performance indicators, surrounding services such as repairs and neighbourhood management. This could be linked to housing grant.
- Consideration to scrapping of the current 'serious detriment' test, to allow 'Ofsted-style' tougher consumer regulation
- New home ownership options such as allowing tenants to buy as little as 1% of their property each year through shared ownership. This would only apply to new shared ownership purchases.
- Ditching of plans to force social landlords to offer fixed term tenancies rather than lifetime tenancies in social housing
- Ditching of plans to force councils to sell off their most valuable social housing when it becomes vacant
- The potential introduction a new stock transfer programme from councils to 'community-led' housing associations
- The return of guaranteed debt funding to help the development of affordable homes, and longer term 'strategic partnerships' for developing housing associations
A separate consultation on the use of Right to Buy receipts was also launched today.
The government said it wants the green paper to “rebalance the relationship between tenants and landlords, tackle stigma and ensure that social housing can be both a safety net and springboard into home ownership”.
It is based around five “core principles”: ‘a safe and decent home’, ‘swift and effective resolution’, ‘empowering residents’, tackling stigma and celebrating thriving communities’ and ‘building the social homes that we need’.
Views from more than 8,000 social housing residents were gathered to inform the green paper, including through a series of roadshows held by former housing minister Alok Sharma, as well as his successor Dominic Raab, who has now been replaced by Kit Malthouse.
The new policies outlined are currently proposals, with a consultation on the document open until 6 November.
The green paper, announced last September, was initially expected to appear in early 2018 following a series of tenant roadshows carried out by then housing minister Alok Sharma.
A letter, leaked to Inside Housing following one of these meetings, show tenants raised concerns about the definition of ’affordable rent’ with the minister, among other concerns.
After Mr Sharma was shuffled out of the housing brief, MHCLG committed to publishing “by spring”.
Mr Brokenshire then told MPs in June that it would be released by the time parliament entered summer recess on 24 July.
“This green paper is a step towards delivering more social homes but it is only a small step, compared with the huge and immediate need for more genuinely affordable homes,” said Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council and housing spokesperson for the Local Government Association.
“The government must go beyond the limited measures announced so far, scrap the housing borrowing cap, and enable all councils, across the country, to borrow to build once more.”
