Amicus and Horizon plan merger to create sixth biggest RSL includes the double accounting of Genesis and Pathmeads units (15 April, page 13).

The 22,000 units of Pathmeads, the recently bankrupted West Hampstead Housing Association, are part of the 35,000 units attributed to Genesis.

It has been suggested that exactly this thinking has been applied to calculations of workers’ hours booked.

An hour spent on a flat can be booked as overheads not only to the house in question, but also to the department. If this is shown to be true, it is hard to know whether stupidity or dishonesty is to blame.

Either way, we need, as a matter of urgency, an independent public inquiry into the functioning of registered social landlords along with a wastage czar.

The chancellor of the exchequer has much to gain. The potential savings would be staggering. I would be thrilled to receive just 1% of savings attributed to this suggestion.

Peter Rutherford, chair Pathmeads Tenants Association

Source

Housing Today