Council Moves To Shut Down ALMO

Haringey Council in north London has begun the process of shutting down its ALMO and bringing some 15,000 homes back in house. The council said that the decision to close Homes for Haringey was an “essential” move to strengthen resident voice, improve accountability and ensure services are joined up. It comes amid a spate of councils across England taking similar decisions to shut down their ALMOs for reasons including breaches of the Regulator of Social Housing’s Home Standard and cost-saving measures. Read more on Inside Housing.

https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/london-council-moves-to-shut-down-almo-69375 

ALMO Did Not Carry Out Inspections After 2014 Report Into Broadwater Farm Defects

Homes for Haringey did not carry out an intrusive inspection on a high-rise tower, despite a report in 2014 warning doing so could uncover safety issues. Residents will be evacuated from Tangmere House on the Broadwater Farm estate in Tottenham due to longstanding issues with the safety of the block’s structure. But Inside Housing has obtained a document which shows a structural assessment of this block carried out in 2014 reported cracks in walls throughout the building. The report added: “Latent defects may exist in the structure which can only be discovered by a further more detailed investigation.” Read more on Inside Housing.

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Homes For Haringey Retains Top Employer Award

The Top Employers Institute (TEI) has announced that Homes for Haringey is a Top Employer. The Institute which globally certifies excellence in the conditions that employers create for their staff shows that based on its research Homes for Haringey’s generous employee offerings made it a worthy recipient of the prestigious certification. This is the seventh consecutive year that Homes for Haringey has been credited which this year was given to around 70 organisations in the UK. The research undertaken by the TEI recognises leading employers around the world: those that provide excellent employee conditions, nurture and develop talent throughout all levels of the organisation, and which strive to continuously optimise employment practices.  Read more on the Homes for Haringey website.

New Ten-Year Deal For ALMO

Haringey Council is set to renew its arm’s-length management organisation’s contract for a further 10 years. The Labour-led council is expected to rubber-stamp a proposal to extend the contract of Homes for Haringey for 10 years after the current deal expires on 31 March next year. It also agreed to set up a development vehicle to refurbish stock and build new homes. The decisions follow recommendations from a review by a cross-party panel of councillors and tenants.  The review said Homes for Haringey, which manages more than 20,000 council homes, had shown strong tenant satisfaction ratings, strong tenant involvement and the ability to “move quickly to deliver and can make decisions without the constraints of the lengthy local authority process”. It also said the ALMO has a “significant record of financial savings and efficiencies”. The report said the ALMO had made savings of £3.2m in 2014/15. Read more on the Haringey Council website.

CPO Threat as Council Gets Tough With Empty Homes

A London borough has warned owners that abandon their properties and let them fall into ruin that they face losing them to compulsory purchase orders (CPO). Neglectful owners will be forced to sell their properties to Haringey Council and its ALMO Homes for Haringey as part of a scheme to bring empty homes back into use. Seven homes across the borough are currently in the council's sights, and will be snapped up under CPOs unless the owners take urgent action. Read more on 24dash.

‘ALMO of the Year' Award for Homes for Haringey

Homes for Haringey have been awarded the 'Arm's-Length Management organisation of the Year' Award at the recent UK Housing Awards. In the judges' opinion, Homes for Haringey, a 21,000-home landlord based in north London, has shone especially brightly this year. The numbers speak volumes: its customer satisfaction rate soared from 71 per cent in September 2010 to 93 per cent one year later. Read more on the Housing Forum website.