Council House Sales Paused in Major Overhaul of Policy
'Affordable' rentals to be increased with move away from shared ownership
Cabinet member for housing Cllr Aydin Dikerdem announcing new policies. Picture: Wandsworth Council
Wandsworth Council's finance committee has approved a range of measures which aim to increase the amount of affordable housing in the borough.
It is claimed that the programme will deliver 1,000 'genuinely affordable' homes to rent with a switch away from shared ownership and other programmes involving sales of property.
The council is also going to pause the sale of council housing subject to a 'thorough review'.
As well as a commitment to increase the supply of affordable housing, the administration intends to invest more in homelessness prevention, reduce the use of temporary accommodation and strengthen tenants’ rights to a secure tenancy. A review is also promised to ensure repairs are completed promptly and cleaning standards improved.
In addition, there will be a review of major bill payment arrangements for resident leaseholders, an increased presence of housing managers on estates and the process of introducing a landlord licensing scheme will begin.
Council leader Simon Hogg said: “All local people deserve to have a place they can call home. We will build genuinely affordable homes, get a fair deal for renters and take robust action to tackle the dreadful homelessness crisis.”
Cabinet member for housing Cllr Aydin Dikerdem added, “These are the first in a raft of measures we will bring in to ensure Wandsworth people and their families have secure, genuinely affordable homes.
“We will no longer tolerate our residents being priced out of their own borough, preyed upon by unscrupulous landlords or, worst of all, left with no home at all.
“We believe there should be no homeless people in our community, and Wandsworth children should not wake up in temporary accommodation. I believe we are taking the vital first steps to achieve these aims.”
Some of the policy initiatives outlined above will be subject to further discussion and committee scrutiny before they can be officially adopted.
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July 20, 2022