Large Scale Voluntary Transfer

On the 18th March 2002 Riversmead completed the transfer of some 3237 homes and 1600 garages from East Hertfordshire District Council.

Tenants voted overwhelmingly in favour of Riversmead becoming their landlord in a secret ballot.

Below is a summary of the key benefits transferred tenants can now expect :

Five year rent guarantee

Tenants who transferred from East Herts District Council have a rent guarantee limiting annual rent increases to no more than inflation +2% for each of the first five years.

After the first five years

Rents with Riversmead will remain affordable after the first five years . New Government rules say that over the next 10 years rents for similar properties in an area (target rent) should be similar whether you rent your home from the Council or from a housing organisation like Riversmead. The target rent varies from region to region and is based amongst other things on the average family earnings and property prices in that region. So, tenants will pay a similar rent as they would if their homes had stayed with the Council. But the big difference is that they will now get more for their money.

Key rights and entitlements protected

Tenants’ rights and entitlements have been protected now that their homes have transferred to Riversmead.

Tenants who had the Right to Buy with the Council are still be able to buy their home under the Preserved Right to Buy scheme. And tenants can take any discount built up with the Council to Riversmead.

The following rights have also been retained:

Right to security of tenure
Right to Buy (known as the Preserved Right to Buy)
Right to pass on your home (succession) to your partner or a member of your family
Right to be consulted on matters of housing management
Right to have repairs carried out within set time scales
Right to carry out certain improvements and receive compensation for them if you leave your home
Right to sub-let part of your home with approval and to take in lodgers
Right to have your home properly maintained and repaired.
Right to exchange your home
Right to be provided with information about the management of your home.

Tenants have lost only two rights as a result of transfer – the Right to Manage and the Rent to Mortgage schemes. Only three tenants in East Herts had ever taken up the Rent to Mortgage scheme and although there will no longer be a legal Right to Manage, Riversmead will positively encourage tenants to be involved with the management of their homes.

More say in key decisions

Six tenants sit on the board of Riversmead , alongside three councillors and nine independent experts. There will be more say for tenants as the Boards are now involved in decisions about things like repairing and modernising homes.

Repairs and improvements

As a result of transfer Riversmead are planning to carry out more than £29.2 million of repairs and improvements in the first five years. There will not be any increase in rent for any of this work.

Planned work to the homes which transferred to Riversmead will include:

Fitting double glazing in 900 homes
New kitchens fitted in 1,100 homes
New bathrooms fitted in 525 homes
Installing or upgrading central heating in 660 homes
315 new secure front and back doors
Rewiring 1,250 homes including hard wired smoke detectors
£650,000 for environmental improvements to be spent in consultation with tenants.
Safety and security measures continued in all sheltered housing and elderly persons accommodation
Energy efficiency improvements such as cavity wall and loft insulation.
Upgrading communal television systems to a digital service.
Continuing the present programme of lift renewal.
Installing security entryphone systems to blocks of flats.
£250,000 for repairing and replacing gates, fences and paths.

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