Green light to 38 councils for transfer scheme

Pushing forward with its social housing refurbishment programme, the government has given 38 councils in England the green light to transfer 94,000 homes during the next two years.

As part of the Decent Homes drive 49 new schemes in 38 local authorities have been given the go-ahead to ensure rented social homes meet minimum standards of decency by transferring their stock to Registered Social Landlords.

Additionally, 24 councils have been given immediate places on the 2006 Housing Transfer Programme.

Housing minister Yvette Cooper announced said: “We have invested £21bn since 1997 in refurbishing old council housing. That has led to the number of non-decent homes dropping to 1 million."

"This announcement will help more than 80,000 families get a decent home and a further 100,000 maintained at the standard that tenants have the right to expect,” she said.