Council homes amongst best in the country

Tenants in North Kesteven have voted their council homes amongst the best in the country.
TNKDC's upgraded housing in Newfield Road, in Sleaford. EMN-200928-113048001TNKDC's upgraded housing in Newfield Road, in Sleaford. EMN-200928-113048001
TNKDC's upgraded housing in Newfield Road, in Sleaford. EMN-200928-113048001

The council has more than 8,000 properties and in a nation-wide survey of landlords of 84 councils with a similar number of homes carried out by bench-marking organisation Housemark, North Kesteven District Council came out top in four categories and second in a further two.

The top scores came in the areas of: overall satisfaction of housing and property services; the neighbourhood as a place to live; the value tenants get for rent paid; satisfaction with repairs and maintenance.

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The authority also came out second in the areas of: quality of homes and listening to the views of tenants and acting on them.

Executive member of the Council for housing, Coun Ian Carrington said: “The survey results are a testament to the commitment of councillors and our staff to the people who live in our homes.

“But we will not be complacent. We will continue to work hard to ensure our tenants get value for money from the rent they pay and we are already working on plans for next year.”

The Housing Business Plan due to be published in April will focus on health and safety, tenant priorities identified in a survey, improvements and new affordable accommodation.

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“It is clear that our tenants want modern facilities to deal with heating and mprovements to their bathrooms and kitchens which we will be working on,” said Coun Carrington.

“They have also told us that they would be interested in new technology being fitted to help with energy efficiency as well as having work done on doors, windows and plasterwork and all of these areas are on our radar,” he said.

The Annual Report to tenants, due to be published in late October, also shows that 95 per cent of North Kesteven tenants are satisfied with the housing service and that the authority has ambitious plans for the coming year.

Sixty new homes are scheduled to be added to the council’s portfolio in the months ahead which will add to the 21 built last year as the council continues to replace the properties lost under the Right to Buy legislation.

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Coun Carrington said: “We are also looking further ahead and in the next decade we plan to invest £64.1 million on new homes and spend £42.2 million on improvements to our existing stock.

“That is the level of our commitment in this area and I am very proud of it.”