Choice based lettings, a change for good?

I was recently asked what do I think of CBL (choice based lettings). I have been in social housing for 24 years now, and my very personal opinion is it has contributed to problems no end. I remember as a manager knowing what was vacant and who was waiting . We matched people to communities that existed. But now, no matter who applies, if they are next in line they get it. Without convoluted local lettings policies it is pretty much ........next please. This takes away the continuation of stable communities. Young and old forced to live together. ASB ???? Yes a lot is clash of lifestyles rather than bad people. But what choice do we have? Do I agree in social engineering??? NO But in any other sector do you get told you are next have this??? No before I bought I had a chance to see my neighbours, and see if the area was for me. When I rented privately the same, but why in social housing are you told here you go be grateful??? Times have now changed, welfare reform has changed the paying field, again!! Some properties simply will not be let unless people want them through choice not gratitude . But maybe I am just getting old and cynical.

TPAS Northern Conference #Stronger Together

‘We wanna be together’......who remembers that annoying TV ad from the early 1990s? The couple who sat on a couch with very different ideas about where they wanted to be in the future. Well hopefully the work we do in conjunction with our tenants is summed up well with this phrase, but we have made sure our efforts are better matched than the couple in the ad. Way back before Christmas 2012 we started talking to tenants about what impacts welfare reform may have and what the consequences would be for them. Our staff visited forums and board meetings to talk about the changes ahead and we quickly realised stats and facts were not getting the messages across. The official messages were somewhat ignored. So we stopped, listened and changed. Our workshop will give practical examples of how we achieved this with tenants taking the lead. Tenants trust other tenants way more than they trust official messages so come and hear how we got this information into communities. Our tenants very quickly helped us change the tone of discussions. And they changed our thinking as well. The solutions that tenants came up with went beyond the usual, but they were listening to what we were saying. When we changed the way we explained the changes our tenants came forward to tell their stories, our real life examples, and the stars of the show! It's much easier to understand what's happening to Gladys and think... will the same happen to me? Rather than be presented with a list of facts you then have to try to imagine if they apply to you. Has it worked? Don't get me wrong it's not perfect, but it has encouraged our tenants to think and most importantly ask for help.

Happy Birthday UC and me

Most people say that they remember their favourite birthday, and their worst. Well today, 29th April is my birthday and it brings the launch of Universal Credit. Now I don't disagree with the reasons behind it. How could anyone? Simpler system, less need to make new claims as your circumstances change and a single taper. but I can't believe the lack of forethought into the actual working of this system. Imagine tomorrow all your cars and bikes are turned into unicycles and you are not told its a different sense of balance required, or a separate stabiliser, oh and walking is outlawed so its unicycle or stay at home. Bizarre choice you may think for comparison. But to someone reliant on benefits their whole life, a complete change, monthly budgeting, online claims, bank accounts may as well be the same thing. Complete disaster. Yet again social landlords who fear diminishing income will be left to pick up the pieces. Our businesses rely on it so of course, we will pull out our tripe to make sure people can claim, manage and pay. I just fears that people who need help and advice the most will wait until crisis point to bother engaging. On a lighter note Happy Anniversary Kate and William.

Bedroom tax and the big society , the impact on communities......

I went to visit a lady this week who was very upset by the bedroom tax, Sue. She was not upset for herself. She lives in an adapted bungalow with her beautiful dog, Poppy. She has lived there for years, and there she cared for her husband, who has now sadly passed away. She has a loving family, and when they are not about,  a lovely network of friends.


She makes beautiful cakes and is an excellent cook. Trust  me, her Victoria sponge is fantastic. Each week she makes cakes and soup for a charity based across the road from her home. This is a fabulous charity based around helping people in crisis. They also run a community cadets scheme, getting young people from the estate to take pride in their estate, litter picking, planting and generally being contributors to the local area. Each week they get cakes and soup after their graft, from Sue. She manages to make this and transport  it across the road despite being on a crutch as she struggles to walk, luckily the lads and girls can see her from the window and go to help.


As I spoke to her , I had to ask that really rude rude question that no lady wishes to be asked. "how old are you?" 60 in October came the answer.


Doomed , she is another victim of bedroom tax.


She was very upset, she showed me every room of her home, it was lovely. How did I tell her?
We started to discuss the bedroom tax, or underoccupancy charge. She said she could not leave the house, she would find a way to pay. But that may mean she doesn't have a few quid to make the kids, who help keep the estate nice, cakes and soup.

This is a side of bedroom tax we don't often see. She had thought as to what she may give up. She was just concerned she wouldn't be able to help those making her estate better.

So will the bedroom tax undermine the Big Society as well as devastate families????


watch this space....

Why can't you collect rent????

As a new graduate I could not decide what I wanted to do with my life. However I was forced to make a choice when my parents said get a job or get out. A the time I was working as a waitress in a ..... Cheap motel, oh how I wanted to write cocktail bar!!!! My plan had been social work but my parents were horrified at that.

So I saw a job, applied and four hours later was offered a temp contract in social housing.  I started in the Right to Buy Section, and within six months was promoted to a housing officer, that is a rent collector to everyone else. I loved it. You got to meet the same people check on them every week, make sure they were ok. If they were struggling to pay then you could sit them down and discuss why.  But no more. Rent collection door to door was too costly, it had to stop. After a spate of  attacks on collectors this was reinforced.

 It used to be a standard interview question......  If someone approaches you and asks for the rent money what would you do????

I remember collecting, cold and wet through in my wellies, being so cold I couldn't count the money, and getting sunburned. All part of the job. I met some impressive people. One collector could add 6 manual sheets by running a pen down the sheet, never more than a minute.  Others who insisted on shiny coins in their float. All unique, but brilliant.

There have been suggestions that welfare reform will take me back to the good old days of rent collection. But, I am confused. When before has a family had their benefit reduced by £25 a week because they live in a house that is too big? When they asked to move they were told , sorry you will have to wait. People do not want to be in debt, but I guarantee people given the choice of paying rent or feeding the family will wait till crisis point before they pay.

The other suggestion I have had is if you can't collect,  outsource. A similar response from me, if they don't have they can't give!!!

Will we see a rise in abandoned properties? A rise in domestic violence? A rise in counterfeit goods? A rise in petty crime?

 Or will everything be fine...........????

Social housing is so much more than collecting rent. When will people realise??