Section: Registered Social Landlords

New Risk-based Approach to Regulation

The Housing Corporation launched a new risk-based approach to regulation, which means significantly less regulation for over 200 associations.

Using a new model for assessing the likelihood and impact of risks in each association, those classified as low risk will benefit from less intrusive regulation. Medium and high risk associations will receive a more proportionate and tailored approach, focused on the likely risk and impact of things going wrong.

The more systematic, risk-tracking model is based on information already held on the Corporation's database, making it easy to implement, and immediately reducing the regulatory burden for many associations. The model will be updated whenever there is a significant change in an association's circumstances.

The new methodology for classifying associations is one of the outcomes of the Corporation's regulation change programme, developed over the past nine months. The programme has also resulted in the introduction of a new operating cost index for associations, and an overhaul of regulatory publications. Full details on the new approach are outlined in two documents:

How We Regulate - Risk-based Regulation.
How We Appraise Housing Associations' Self– Assessment Compliance Statement.

Both documents are available on the Corporation's website www.housingcorp.gov.uk

RSL Update

Leicester HA improved its customer image when it agreed to tenant inspection teams being given wide access to services. The new tenant inspection groups will have the freedom to inspect any area of the Association's service delivery, including the way antisocial behaviour is dealt with and how key services are delivered.
London & Quadrant Group progressed from 29th in 2004 to 12th in this year's Sunday Times list of the best 100 companies to work for. The newspaper found that 82% of the Association's staff thought they made a positive difference to the world.
Peerles HG, which has 3,000 homes, announced plans to become a subsidiary of Accent Group, which has some 16,500 homes. The merger aims to improve efficiency and cost effectiveness.
The stock transfer associations Silbury Group and Testway Housing announced their decision to merge under the new name of Aster Group from the 1st April 2005. Silbury Group was formed after the growth of Sarsen HA, which took over the housing stock of Kennet DC. Testway took over the housing of Test Valley Council. The new Group will have nearly 11,000 homes.
Tonbridge & Malling HA and West Kent HA started merger talks. Between them the two associations own and manage 12,000 homes. The intention is to continue as separate associations, and use the group parent as a strategy vehicle.
The Housing Corporation announced that it has removed Twynham HA from supervision. The Association was placed under supervision in October 2002 because of concerns about the lack of information provided to the Board on risk, lack of effective scrutiny or critical appraisal by the Board, and poor financial management and control. Three statutory appointments were made to the Board.

The Corporation is now satisfied that significant progress has been made in addressing the principal issues and the Board has been strengthened by the recruitment of experienced independent members.

Twynham has decided to join the Sovereign Group and the Corporation has approved the arrangements for this to take place, and the statutory appointments have been brought to an end.

Housing Corporation Library Updates

London Field Office Newsletter
This includes the latest update on the Key Worker scheme, tackling overcrowding, the Operating Cost Index, AVR ratings, and what good looks like in the housing association sector.
Evaluation of the BME Housing Policy: Summary Report
A review of the Housing Corporation's Black & Minority Ethnic Housing Policy was commissioned in 2003/04 as a result of one of the commitments to evaluate the impact of the policy after five years. This is a summary of the full evaluation.
Good Practice Guide: LSVT Review
This assesses the extent to which the actual experience of associations in Large Scale Voluntary Transfers has differed from the assumptions in their business plans, and some of the reasons why this has occurred.

The Corporation required the review to achieve the following objectives:

Investigate and comment upon the assumptions used by stock transfer associations in their business plans in the light of subsequent events.
Assess the financial effects of any differences between the assumptions used in LSVT business plans and actual outcomes.
Consider the promises made to tenants at the time of transfer and ascertain whether any changes to plans or variations to assumptions have had an impact upon the delivery of any of these, either financial or non-financial, in a beneficial or unfavourable way.
Produce a report quantifying the effects of the above.

Guide to the Right to Acquire

The Right to Acquire scheme gives eligible tenants of registered social landlords the legal right to buy the home they currently rent. This booklet explains how the scheme operates from 18 January 2005, following the implementation of the Housing Act 2004.

Section: Registered Social Landlords

New Risk-based Approach to Regulation

RSL Update

Housing Corporation Library Updates

Housing Monthly Diary

Reporting on March 2005

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