One of social housing provider South Northants Homes' tenants has gone public with his praise for the association’s work. 

Interviewed on BBC Radio Northampton’s Breakfast Show Russell Barre, 67, delivered a glowing report on SNH’s first five years.  

Russell told listeners: “My property needed a new bathroom and the kitchen needed rewiring. We needed a wet room so we applied for one and within a couple of months SNH came and fitted it – now we have a bathroom which is accessible to us.” 

He was part of a focus by Stuart Linnell’s Breakfast Show on the housing situation in the county, as 12,000 council tenants in Northampton Borough are being consulted over whether they want to remain with the council or consider other options including moving to a housing association landlord. 

Mr Barre had been a former South Northants Council tenant before SNH took over the 3,000 housing stock from the local authority five years ago.

He said: “The Council had been years behind with its repairs and modernisations but SNH promised to spend £50m and that’s exactly what they have done. They have put all the money into the houses.” 

Asked what he would say to other council tenants who may have the option of transferring to a housing association, Russell said: “I would definitely recommend they go with the association. Most are not for profit. They put all the money back into the houses, you have a safe and secure tenancy and you can have a say in the running of the association. With the council you never had that at all.”

As part of a focus on housing running throughout the week on the show Russell followed SNH Managing Director Paul Calland on air who called for more Government subsidy to build much needed new homes. 

ENDS