Our main concern was to ensure that, as far as possible, all avenues for any proposed transfer of Accent's housing stock are explored, with the key aim of retaining the existing stock for social housing. Our greatest concern is that Accent may ultimately opt to sell off its housing stock to the private sector which stands largely out of the control of the housing authority and other agencies. Whilst we recognise that there are good private landlords we also note that many issues arise from the sector which are difficult to tackle, especially when the landlord is based away from the area with little knowledge or interest in our community.
We were advised that Accent has been forced into considering long-term withdrawal as a result of funding issues and also because demand for housing in the sector has fallen as a result of government legislation - mainly the additional bedroom subsidy, or bedroom tax as it's better known.
A number of options have already been considered in addressing these problems, with Accent's preferred route being the transfer of its stock to another social landlord and we have asked that all options be left open pending a decision. We believe that this should include the option of Accent transferring its properties to the public sector.
We have specifically asked that Accent considers selective demolition and rebuild in parts of the village where there may be significant voids in any particular location. Although there will be a cost implication to the company we feel that Accent has fared well from its time in Blackhall and that they should leave an attractive legacy rather than empty properties when they pull out of the village. We have also asked that tenants and other interested parties be kept regularly up to date with progress.
In order to monitor events we intend to hold regular meetings with Accent staff in future and we will endeavour to keep you informed of progress. Ultimately though we are forced to accept that Accent's houses in the village belong to the company and the final decision on disposal will be theirs to make.
