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While the Decent Homes programme makes radical changes to
tenants’ homes day-to-day, tenants needn’t wait for their landlords to deal
with the basic repairs that can make a real difference to their standard of
living. For example, the Tenant Cashback
scheme offers residents with an eye for DIY a budget of up to £500 a year to
tackle repairs, decorate their homes or hire a skilled professional to do it
for them. Some social landlords have
already seen the benefit of the scheme and are training their tenants to take
on simple fixes like leaky taps and fitting doors, and I hope that in time,
this will be the norm instead of the exception.
And our new Community Cashback scheme paves the way for tenant groups to
take over services in their shared spaces, such as gardening, cleaning, and
security. They can then re-invest any savings they make into community projects
to improve their area.
Last week I confirmed nearly £1billion to bring council
homes across the country to a Decent Standard, a move which has real potential
to grow local economies right across the country. From fitting new roofs and windows to
updating kitchens or heating systems, the Decent Homes programme will bring new
opportunities for work to the small, independent tradesman who works locally,
employs locally and – most importantly – buys locally. One town has already proved the value of the
programme. Every £1 invested in Nottingham
social homes generated a local spend of £1.46 through orders to local suppliers
and employment.
