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Third large housing association offers residents lifetime tenancies
Sanctuary Housing has become the third large housing association to offer lifetime tenancies to all its residents.
From 1 April, the 100,000-home association will offer all 9,000 of its fixed-term tenants lifetime tenancies when their existing agreements come up for renewal.
It follows similar announcements by L&Q and Peabody, two of London’s largest housing associations. These two landlords both decided to phase out fixed-term tenancies, which were introduced by the Localism Act in 2011.
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Wendy Burridge, chair of the National Resident Scrutiny Panel at Sanctuary, said: “I was always unconvinced by fixed-term tenancies. As a representative of Sanctuary tenants, I am really pleased that they have decided to scrap them and give residents the security they deserve.”
Craig Moule, chief executive of Sanctuary, said: “We believe everyone should be able to live in a decent home, where they feel safe and secure.
“Our social purpose – the reason we were set up 50 years ago – was to provide a home that people could afford, where they could raise a family and grow old.
“Lifetime tenures are preferred by our residents and they make for stronger, more engaged and thriving communities. We are pleased to join our peers in the sector who have already taken this step.”
L&Q was the first association to take the step in September last year, following the government’s U-turn on a policy to scrap lifetime tenancies entirely and create rolling fixed-term tenancies.
The large housing association said that its research had found that fixed-term tenancies acted as a barrier to mobility, with people not wanting to lose security of tenure. It also found that the biggest problem to meeting housing need is the lack of available suitable homes.
L&Q began the process of converting fixed-term tenancies into lifetime tenancies last month.
Shortly after this, fellow London housing association Peabody announced that it would be following suit, moving away from fixed-term tenancies after a review found that it did not help in dealing with rent arrears or terminations.
Fixed term tenancy: what is the sector doing?
The below information was correct as of 15 March, 2019
Ending use of fixed terms:
- L&Q
- Sanctuary
- Peabody
- Thirteen
- Optivo
Reviewing use of fixed terms:
- Clarion
- Curo (likely to end use)
- Sovereign
- Orbit
- Vivid
- Network
- Radian
- Chelmer Housing Partnership
- Housing Plus
- One Vision
- Pine Court
- One anonymous association
Never used fixed terms:
- Accent
- Torus
- Together
- Beyond
- Progress
- Plus Dane
- Staffordshire Housing Association
- Accord
- Bourneville Village Trust
- Extracare Charitable Trust
- South Yorkshire Housing Association
- Plymouth Community Homes
Others:
- Midland Heart plans to offer lifetime tenancies on one to three bedroom homes and fixed terms on four bedrooms or more
- Live West will scrap fixed terms, except for homes of three bedrooms and larger
- Staffordshire and Rural Homes ended the use of fixed term tenancies in May last year
Source: Inside Housing research
