THE GREAT NORWICH HOUSING DEBATE

Does it matter to us ?

The Government wants to improve all Council housing to meet the Decent Homes Standard by 2010 and has set a minimum standard for all local authorities to meet by this date.

This is important to Council Tenants because it could mean having better kitchens, bathrooms, central heating, etc, as well as other improvements such as double glazing.

As part of the process, the Government requires Local Authorities to take account of Tenants' aspirations on the sort of improvements they would like to see in their homes and estates. Tenants are also asked to consider which one of three alternative options for the future ownership and management of the Council stock they would like to see.

Norwich City Council commissioned a survey of Tenants and Leaseholders and the results were published as the "Tenant standard".

Improvements to the interior of Tenants' homes are not of relevance to leaseholders, however, leaseholders are required to contribute to major works such as window replacement, re-roofing, security and so on, as well as communal lighting, and maintenance of common areas and gardens, etc. The outcome of the debate has implications for leaseholders such as the nature and timescales of major works projects.

Currently the Council is asking its Tenants and Leaseholders to decide which standard they want. If it turns out the preference is for the "Tenant standard", the Council has said that it would have to consider selling its stock to a Housing Association. Since the outcome of this move would be to speed up improvements there could well be costs for leaseholders as these took place. On the plus side of course, improvements should add to the values of our properties. 

Whatever happens, the tenure of leaseholders homes is not affected and leaseholders would have exactly the same legal rights under the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002. The terms of the lease would not change but the landlord may not be the Council.

The NLA

Since the highly successful Leaseholder Action Group started working on and helping to resolve the "CityCareScare", the Council have become convinced we are worth listening to - even where we are not directly involved.

We have negotiated on your behalf the most wide ranging and meaningful "compact" between a Council and its leaseholders. This means that the NLA and the Council have to work together on all these problems and it is a legally binding commitment, so that even if the Council decides to go for the sell option then any new landlord(s) would be bound by it's terms.

"Representing residential leaseholders of Norwich City Council"