Spire Homes selected as Local Standard Pilot by national social housing regulator

Spire Homes has been selected as a Local Standards Pilot by the Tenant Services Authority (TSA), the national social housing regulator, and will receive £1000 to support its work to developing a new local standard for empty properties when they are re-let, which meets (and ideally exceeds) both customers’ expectations and provides value for money.

Spire Homes is one of thirty-seven housing projects from across the country which has been selected as a local Standards Pilot by the TSA.

Some 185 organisations answered the TSA’s invitation to bid for funding of up to £9,000 to support the development of agreements between landlords and their tenants to develop 'local deals'. Grants totalling £281,000 have been awarded.

Sam Horne, Head of Customer Services said, “With the changes in the housing market and in particular the private-rented sector, it has lead to an increased choice for customers, and in turn higher customer expectations when renting properties. We feel this must be an issue that is affecting the social housing sector as a whole. We wish to develop a new local standard in partnership with customers and our contractor. The grant would provide the means to undertake further research on customers’ expectations and provide possible solutions to bridge the gap between meeting customer’ aspirations for their new homes and the need to work within budgetary constraints".

Peter Marsh, TSA Chief Executive said, “We have had a fantastic response to our invitation and were very impressed with the high standard of all the bids we received. All the successful bidders such as Spire Homes have shown real innovation and their plans are fantastic examples of good practice which can be shared across the sector.”

In July the TSA invited providers such as housing associations, local authorities and arm’s-length management organisations to make bids of up to £9,000 to support the development of agreements between landlords and their tenants to develop 'local deals'.

The pilots are scheduled to start this month and will be funded through to April 2010.

Ends.

Notes to editors:
INFORMATION
· Tenants of Rutland County Council have recently voted overwhelmingly in favour of transferring their homes to Spire Homes. Spire Homes has been managing the housing service since February 2006. The transfer of the ownership of the homes will take place before the end of the year.
· Spire Homes is a member of the Longhurst Group, which manages over 16,000 properties throughout the Midlands. For further information, visit our website at www.spire-homes.org.uk.