Council could scrap Enfield Homes and take back control of housing (From Enfield Independent)

Enfield Council could scrap Enfield Homes and take back control of housing

4:20pm Friday 1st June 2012 in News By David Hardiman, Reporter

The body which manages council homes in the borough could be scrapped and responsibility brought back under direct council control.

Enfield Homes was set up in April 2008 and acts as an ‘arms length management organisation’ (ALMO) to manage 16,600 council homes and improve them, but has been plagued since its inception with complaints about not responding to complaints, lack of repairs and shoddy workmanship.

Now Enfield Council has launched a consultation with tenants to see if it should take back control of housing when the original agreement runs out in April next year, with a decision due to be taken next month.

Councillor Ahmet Oykener, cabinet member for housing, said: “We must decide the way forward.

“It’s important people have their say because the decision that is taken will have a big effect on their lives. I urge residents to take part in the consultation, by completing and returning their survey.”

The ALMO missed out on £130million of funding to carry out Decent Homes improvement work it was set up to carry out in February 2009 after it failed an inspection by the Audit Commission, although it eventually got the cash after achieving the minimum standard.

Since then, tenants of the Ladderswood Estate in New Southgate and the Alma Estate in Ponders End have complained repeatedly of being left with no heating or hot water for weeks on end, lifts being out of order and water leaks damaging property and causing mould.

Enfield has the second-highest proportion of non-Decent Homes in the UK, having entered the programme later than most other local authorities.

But Enfield Homes has also overseen a major programme of refurbishment and eviction of squatters in homes along the A406, which will be run by housing associations when the work is completed.

Completed questionnaires, which are being sent out by post to all tenants, must be returned by June 27, with market research firm Kwest to analyse the results and give feedback to Enfield Council.