Housing Transfer

At a meeting on 29 November the cabinet confirmed that they will go ahead with plans that will see the biggest changes to council housing in the city for almost two decades.

The changes will see all services currently delivered by YHN on behalf of the council and the people who deliver them become part of the council. This means the council will take over responsibility for all housing services for the first time since 2004.

Work on the housing transfer, which will include a TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment Regulations) transfer of all YHN staff who deliver services on behalf of the council, will begin immediately and is expected to complete in July 2024.

As part of the decision-making process the cabinet considered the views of tenants, leaseholders and local residents who responded to a consultation on the proposals. You can find the full cabinet report including the consultation report at http://tiny.cc/housing-report-NCC.

What do the changes mean?

YHN was set up as an arms-length management organisation (ALMO) in 2004 to access government funding to improve homes. They currently manage council homes and deliver housing and some other services on behalf of the council. 

Changing regulations, financial challenges in the social housing sector and increasing demand for council houses means we need to change the way we deliver housing services to meet residents needs now and in the future. 

The cabinet decision means that all services delivered on behalf of the council by YHN and the people who deliver them will be transferred to the council. Council homes and services will be managed and delivered directly by the council. 

The council has always owned all council homes in the city and this won’t change because of the housing transfer.

Four main benefits of the housing transfer

1. Meeting the needs of residents more effectively. Bringing all our housing services together will help up put people at the heart of what we do. This will help us to deliver a more people focussed approach, make it easier for all council services to work together and improve our housing services.

2. More money to spend on improving homes and services. Having a separate organisation to manage our homes and deliver services costs more money. We expect to save around £1 million a year that could be used to improve homes and services. 

3. Better communication between tenants, leaseholders and the council. It will be easier for us to understand and react to the needs or our tenants and leaseholders if we have a direct relationship with them. 

4. Increased accountability. Bringing all our housing services together will make it easier for us to do things to improve tenants satisfaction as everyone who delivers our housing services will report to senior council managers and councillors. 

Frequently asked questions

• Housing review
• Rent, tenancies and leases
• Staying in touch
• Repairs
• Newcastle Homes
• Leazes Homes

Housing review

Why is the council making these changes?

Housing is a key priority for the council. We want to make sure the homes and housing services we provide will meet the needs of our residents now and in the future. 

We believe bringing all our housing services together will help us to build on our achievements and meet our new legal duties. The housing transfer will also save money that we will be able to spend to improve homes and housing services.

When will the changes happen?

We started work on the housing transfer as soon as cabinet made the decision to bring YHN into the council. We want the housing transfer to be as smooth as possible for our tenants and leaseholders and for our employees. There are lots of things that need to happen before the changes take place. We expect the transfer to take place in July 2024. We will let you know about any changes when they happen.

Will there be any changes to my tenancy agreement?

 No, the changes won’t affect your tenancy agreement. The council always owned all council homes in the city and we were always your landlord. You will be able to talk to us directly now instead of going through YHN and the council will deliver your services. 

Will the council stop delivering some housing services?

We don’t plan to stop delivering any housing services because of the housing transfer. YHN services will be brought into the council. Some YHN and council services will be brought together in one joined-up team. This will help use improve the way we deliver services. 

I live in supported accommodation. Will my services change?

If you live in a council housing plus scheme, assisted living development or other type of supported housing you will still receive the services you need but they will be delivered by the council instead of YHN.

Will the support you offer homeless people change?

Homeless people will still be able to get support through our Housing Advice Centre. Bringing all housing services together will help us deliver an approach that puts people’s journeys through housing services at the heart of what we do. 

If housing services aren’t going to change how will you save money?

There are lots of ways the housing transfer can help us save money.  Some tasks are done by both the council and YHN.  By bringing those services together, and having more joined-up ways of working, we will be able to make savings.

How will savings be monitored?

Savings will be monitored as part of the Council’s budget monitoring processes and procedures. This includes monthly and quarterly reporting to management teams and budget implementation monitoring meetings.

What happens if the expected savings aren’t achieved?

We have been cautious in our initial estimate of savings and are confident they are achievable.

How much will it cost to bring YHN into the council?

Final costs of transferring YHN to the Council are still being finalised. We expect the cost to be around £0.8m.  Given the anticipated savings we expect this will be repaid within two years.

Who owns the rights to the YHN name? Could someone else use it in future?

YHN is an arms-length management organisation (ALMO) owned by the council. We own the Your Homes Newcastle name, branding and assets. Once the housing transfer is complete YHN will cease to exist but we will still own the name and brand. We have no plans to use the name or brand in the future and no one else will be able to use it. If someone claims to represent YHN after the housing transfer completes you should report this immediately as it may be a scam.

How can I share my ideas for improving housing services?

We always welcome suggestions for how we can improve our services. If you have any ideas about how we might be able to improve our housing services please send details to housing.review@newcastle.gov.uk.

Rent, tenancies and leases

Will my rent go up?

Council rents are reviewed every year and aren’t part of this process. Your rent won’t change because of these changes. 

Will there be any changes to my tenancy agreement?

No, the changes won’t affect your tenancy agreement. The council always owned all council homes in the city and we were always your landlord. You will be able to talk to us directly now instead of going through YHN and the council will deliver your services. 

Will my lease stay the same?

There won’t be any changes to your lease due to these changes. You will still own the lease to your home and the council will still own the freehold. 

How will YHN share information about me safely with the council?

The council and YHN have secure systems that we will use to transfer data safely.

Will my rent arrears be written off?

The council owns all council homes in Newcastle. YHN manage housing services, including collecting rent, on behalf of the council. If you have rent arrears when the housing transfer completes you will still need to pay them. If you already have a payment plan this will remain in place. If you have not made arrangements to repay your arrears you should contact us as soon as possible to discuss options. 

I’m in dispute with YHN, who will deal with my complaint?

All ongoing complaints will continue to be dealt with under YHN’s complaints procedure until the housing transfer is complete. Responsibility for unresolved complaints will transfer to the council. We will continue to use the procedures that were in place when the complaint was made.

Staying in touch

Will I still be able to use the YHN website? 

As part of the housing transfer we will be moving content from YHN’s website to the housing section of the council’s website. This means all our housing information and online services will be on together on the same website. 

We want to move the content in a way that means the online information you need is always available. We will start copying some content onto the council website in January but we won’t remove anything from YHN’s website until the new webpages are ready. We expect this work to be finished in July 2024. 

Do I still use the same telephone number or email address if I have an issue?

Yes, you can still contact us in the same way as you do now. There may be some changes in the future but we will let you know about these if they happen.

Will I still be able to ask for a repair or pay my rent online?

Yes, you will still be able to request a repair and pay your rent online. When the housing transfer completes you will need to do this on the council website instead of YHN’s website. We will provide information about this on both websites and on social media before the change happens.

How will you tell tenants and leaseholders if anything changes?

We will update this webpage regularly during the housing transfer. We will also share information about any changes on our social media channels. 

If there are changes that will affect individual tenants or leaseholders we will contact them directly to let you know. 

When will tenants and leaseholders find out about changes that affect them?

We will provide regular updates about the housing transfer on our website at www.newcastle.gov.uk/housing-transfer. We will also share information on social media as well as in our magazines, Citylife and Homes and People. We will contact tenants and leaseholders directly if there are any changes to services they use or the way they access them.

Repairs 

Will the way I request a repair change?

No, you’ll still be able to contact us in the same ways that you do now to request a repair.  If for any reason, anything needs to change, we’ll let you know about the changes and what it means for you. 

Will I have to wait longer for a repair?

YHN has service standards that need to be met for how long it takes to complete repairs. These standards will still be in place when the service moves to the council. 

What will happen to any outstanding repairs I have?

If you have reported a repair which hasn’t been your repair will transfer to the council automatically. You won’t need to contact us to report it again.

Will the council concentrate on fixing homes?

We have a planned maintenance and investment programme to help us look after and improve council homes and these changes will help us to improve how we do this. The savings to be achieved from bringing YHN back into the council will be used to invest in homes and housing services. 

Newcastle Homes

Will there be any changes to Newcastle Homes?

Newcastle Homes is the brand name for our choice based lettings service and is owned by the council. The Newcastle Homes website allows people to search and apply for council and other social housing in Newcastle. YHN staff manage housing applications received through the Newcastle Homes website on behalf of the council and other registered housing providers. There are no plans to change the Newcastle Homes website or how you apply for council and social housing in the city.

Will I still apply for council housing on the Newcastle Homes website?

Yes, you will still apply for council and social housing on the Newcastle Homes website. Newcastle Homes services provided by YHN on behalf of the council will transfer to the council as part of the housing transfer.

Will my log-in details change on the Newcastle Homes website?

No. If you are registered on the Newcastle Homes website your log-in details and application status will stay the same when the housing transfer completes.

Leazes Homes

Who is going to provide services to Leazes Homes tenants?

Leazes Homes currently purchase housing services from YHN. The Leazes Homes Board has been looking at how these services will be delivered in the future. They have considered a range of Registered Housing Providers and are currently going through a selection process to appoint a new service delivery partner. Once the partner is identified YHN will work with the Leazes Homes Board to make the move to the new service provider as smooth as possible. 

The changes won’t take place immediately and until a decision is made we will work with Leazes Homes to make sure no one is left without the services they rely on. If you have any question or need any more information please contact Leazes Homes directly.

Alternative formats

If you need this information in an alternative format please contact us by emailing housing.review@newcastle.gov.uk or by phone on 0191 2787878.

We will update this page as the housing transfer progresses.