Report 2012 - Wishaw and District Housing Association

Living With Neighbours
The occasional thoughtlessness of a few residents inevitably
causes distress to their neighbours, and last year we received
complaints about twenty of our tenants. However, it is important
to note that we manage over 1,500 dwellings so those residents
that do display anti-social behaviour are very much in the
minority, at around 1.3%. Additionally, virtually all of these
complaints were of a relatively minor nature and most were
resolved quickly and amicably.
We are committed to keeping a zero tolerance approach to
anti-social behaviour and last year we issued notices to five
tenants advising that legal action would be taken against them if
their behaviour did not improve.
To demonstrate our support for residents that do suffer from
the behaviour of others, we once again renewed our agreement
with North Lanarkshire Council who provide advice and practical
assistance outwith office hours.
Leases and Partnership Working
Women’s Aid
The Association has been working with Women’s
Aid for almost five years and continues to lease
two flats to their organisation.
This partnership has allowed the Association to assist
Women’s Aid to support vulnerable women and their children
to leave a violent situation by providing them with a safe
haven until they are ready to start their new life in
accommodation of their own.
NLC’s Homeless Service
The Association has been working in partnership
with North Lanarkshire Council to assist them meet
their legal obligation to homeless households. We currently
lease one property to the Council for temporary
accommodation and we are exploring ways to extend this much
needed provision.
Sustaining Tenancies – Other Social Landlords
We continue to look at new ways we can work with other
organisations and agencies to provide much needed support
services to vulnerable tenants. We are currently working with
partner social landlords to explore the possibility of a tenancy
sustainment project that will offer intensive, tailored support
to tenants struggling to maintain their tenancy.
Ownership Matters
Property Management Service
We continue to look at opportunities to improve and expand the
services we offer to the 527 owners that reside in our areas. We are
pleased to note that our efforts seem to be being recognised and more
owners are co-operating with the Association.
In particular, the timeous payment of property management
invoices has improved and formal debt recovery action has only been
required in a very small number of cases. However we did refer
fourteen owners to a debt collection agency and two wage arrestment
actions were taken after court decrees were obtained.
Right to Buy Sales
During the year just two properties were sold under the old rules
governing Right to Buy.
The Association successfully applied for a ten year extension to
the suspension of the Modernised Right to Buy which was due to
expire in September of this year. This will assist us to protect our
stock for future generations who wish to rent.
Shared Ownership
As a result of a further three sharing owners buying the remainder of
their property and two recent ‘buybacks’ on the open market for relet
as fully rented properties, the Association now has only 63 properties
on the shared ownership tenure.
The conveyancing of the three properties bought by their
occupiers was all carried out within the target timescale of 90 days,
taking an average of 78 days to complete.
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