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17 January 2011
NFTMO Responds to Government Housing Reform Proposals
The NFTMO response to the Government consultation document 'Local decisions - a fairer future for housing' says that the Federation believes that some aspects of the proposed housing reforms do not fit with the Government's own aims for the 'Big Society'. The NFTMO fears that proposals for short-term tenancies may lead to less stable communities, a faster turnover of homes and fewer tenants willing to make a commitment to volunteering in the community.
The NFTMO is asking the Government to approach fixed term tenancies with caution and to make sure that landlords only use them in limited instances, for valid reasons and after full consultation with tenants.
The NFTMO urges the Government not to go further down the road of defining social housing as ‘housing of last resort’. That way you stigmatise not just the dwellings but the people who live there. Many TMOs have, in partnership with their landlords, ‘turned round’ unpopular estates and those TMOs will testify (from bitter experience) to the many social and economic problems that arise when you have housing stock that has a rapid turnover of short term tenants who have no interest in their dwelling, their estate or their neighbours.
The NFTMO welcomes proposals for more local flexibility in allocations and proposals to take transfer applicants out of the waiting list/allocation framework. We also welcome the Government’s proposals to increase the national mobility of social housing tenants.
You can view the full NFTMO Response HERE.
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