Assured tenancies for co-operative housing associations is good news!

Dave Palmer, Co-operative Housing Project Manager for the Wales Co-operative Centre welcomes the introduction of the new Housing Bill.

A new Housing (Wales) Bill was launched by Housing Minister Carl Sargeant on Monday (18th November) and it includes measures that will greatly support the development of co-operative housing in Wales.

The Bill takes forward proposals set out in the White Paper “Homes for Wales” in 2012. It sets out a series of legislative proposals that will make a difference to people and communities in Wales by:
Helping people access a decent, affordable home and ensuring those at risk of becoming homeless receive the help they need. Raising standards in the private rented sector and placing a greater emphasis on action to prevent people from becoming homeless. Assisting the expansion of co-operative housing as another way of increasing the supply of affordable homes.

This is important, because in terms of co-operative housing, the Bill will assist the expansion of this co-operative approach by improving arrangements for people who wish to join or leave a co-operative.

Proposed measures to boost co-operative housing by allowing fully mutual housing co-operatives to grant both assured and assured short-hold tenancies are to be welcomed. They will create more security for tenants and help co-operatives obtain finance from lenders.

Keith Edwards, Director at the Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru agrees.

“Wales is creating a distinct approach to meet national housing needs, with considerable cross-party consensus and multi-sector support, under the ‘system stewardship’ of Welsh Government. The Bill contains diverse, Welsh-crafted solutions, to improve consumer protection, raise standards across all sectors and protect our most vulnerable and disadvantaged citizens by prioritising the reduction of homelessness”.

The new Bill encourages the development of innovative approaches to housing supply and in particular to the development of co-operative housing in Wales. We in the Wales Co-operative Centre welcome the Bill and the positive impact it will make to tenants in Wales. Assured tenancies for fully mutual (co-operative) housing associations are good news for future co-operative tenants!

For further information about the Wales Co-operative Centre’s Co-operative Housing Project visit Wales Co-operative Centre’s website or call 0300 111 5050