NHF to tighten rebranding campaign rules as Guinness raises concerns

The 26,000-home registered social landlord has yet to sign up to In Business for Neighbourhoods. Simon Dow, chief executive of the trust, said: "My concern is that the campaign as it stands is not properly policed – it is a club without any rules.

"I have been talking to the federation about how to protect the brand in the longer term.

"The danger right now is that you could have an organisation that everyone agrees is not going about things in the right way [that] could not be removed from In Business.

"[This could] pull the credibility of the whole thing down for everyone else."

Richard Clark, chair of the NHF and chief executive of social investment agency Prime Focus, hopes heightened controls will ease the Trust's fears.

Clark wants all RSLs to demonstrate their commitment to overhauling social housing's image through their business plans.

NHF chief executive Jim Coulter has written to the 360 associations signed up to In Business, asking them to demonstrate their commitment to the campaign.

Clark said: "The next few months we will be pushing associations very hard as to what they are going to do to deliver. It is not enough to just go through the motions. Associations have to make concrete commitments in their business plans.

"It's a reality check. By now they should have looked at their key strategies to see if they are compatible with the aims set out in our document, Action for Change."

Clark added that RSLs should set aside funds to ensure they meet the campaign's aims.

The chief thrust of the £1m project has been to ensure associations are at the heart of successful communities by broadening the services they offer and raising their profiles.

The process of "taking stock" will be completed by June, said Clark.

"What the federation is doing is a step in the right direction," said Dow, "but I would like to see the business plan changes approved by the NHF before associations can proceed."