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Two Jags Knocks Back Tenants With New Landlords

18th Feb 2000 / Squall Download 3, March/April 2000, pg. 7.

Social housing may never be the same again if John Prescott succeeds with new plans to bring council rents up to market levels and transfer housing stock over to Housing Associations and housing companies.

Plans being drawn up by the Department of Envrionment, Transport and the Regions include raising social housing rents up to market levels and placing homes under the control of 'non-profit' making companies and housing associations. In January Glasgow City Council, previously the largest landlord in the country, transferred its entire stock of 100,000 homes over to a collaborative guardianship of housing associations and private finance.

They claim that the only way to bring the housing stock up to standard is to introduce private finance which will be encouraged by guarantees of a portion of the rents. Another 23 councils have said they plan to transfer a total of 270,000 homes over to the new system.

Prescott's plan to raise social housing rents up towards market levels is widely acknowledged to be an incentive for private investment.