Stock transfer monitoring

Following a detailed process involving local tenants, leaseholders and elected members, in February 2003, Wirral Council agreed to transfer its housing stock as the chosen means of achieving the ‘decent homes standard’. This enabled an investment programme, worth in excess of £170M covering over 14,500 homes, to be delivered along with wider housing-related investment needs for the stock.

On 7th February 2005, the Council housing stock was transferred to the newly formed housing associations WPH and BBCHA. Both transfer companies were set up as Registered Providers (formerly known as Housing Associations or Registered Social Landlords) which means they are regulated by the Homes and Communities Agency.

However, the Council was committed to ensuring both of the new stock transfer companies met the ‘promises’ to tenants they had set out in their original transfer proposal.

The Council’s Housing Strategy Team undertakes the process of monitoring the progress of the two transfer companies against the original promises. As a result of this, there are now only 15 of the original 131 promises remaining and those related to the 7 year investment plan which will be achieved by 2012.