Learning lessons from stock transfer: the challenges in delivering second stage transfer in Glasgow

Kim Mckee

doi:10.3351/ppp.0003.0001.0002

Abstract

The 2003 housing stock transfer in Glasgow was designed to empower tenants through 'community ownership' of social housing. It involved a unique two-tier stock transfer process. From the outset, citywide housing management was devolved to a network of Local Housing Organisations. This was to be proceeded by further, smaller Second Stage Transfers in order that these organisations may own as well as manage their local housing stock. Implementing this political ambition has however been a fraught and difficult process. Indeed, more than five years on, few organisations have been able to realise their ambitions for local ownership through Second Stage Transfer. Drawing on recent empirical research, this paper seeks to outline progress to date, as well as emphasise the financial and organisational barriers that have undermined aspirations for community ownership in practice.

Highlights

The 2003 housing stock transfer in Glasgow is the largest and arguably most complex transfer embarked upon in the UK
Pre-transfer, was a lack of attention accorded to vital funding and organisational issues pertaining to the transfer of the housing stock from the Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) to the Local Housing Organisations (LHOs), but even key actors continue to squabble over how, and at what cost, the housing is to be broken up and shared between the LHOs
The importance of tenants in all of this seems to have been forgotten, with attention instead centred on financial resources, business plans and cash flows

Summary

The 2003 housing stock transfer in Glasgow was designed to empower tenants through ‘community ownership’ of social housing. It involved a unique two-tier stock transfer process. Citywide housing management was devolved to a network of Local Housing Organisations. This was to be proceeded by further, smaller Second Stage Transfers in order that these organisations may own as well as manage their local housing stock. Implementing this political ambition has been a fraught and difficult process.

Introduction

Methodology

Conclusion