The Housing Select Committee was scheduled to meet on 27 March 2025 to discuss repairs updates from housing providers, options for the expiry of the Brockley Housing PFI contract, and the committee's work programme.

Repairs Updates from Housing Providers

The Housing Select Committee was scheduled to receive updates from four housing providers: Hexagon Housing Association Limited, Housing For Women, L&Q and Notting Hill Genesis. The updates were scheduled to cover:

• Key performance indicators (KPIs) relating to repair cases, complaints, and disrepair cases.
• The impact of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 on repairs services, one year after its enactment.
• A brief update on the use of Schedule 2, Ground 8 of the Housing Act 1988 in rent arrears cases[^2]. [^2]: Schedule 2, Ground 8 of the Housing Act 1988 allows landlords to repossess a property if the tenant has accrued significant rent arrears.
• Performance on the tenant satisfaction measures.
• Challenges facing the repairs service.

Each housing provider was asked to provide specific data, including the total number of properties they manage in Lewisham, the number of tenants and leaseholders, and a breakdown of repair operatives. They were also asked to provide data on repair cases, complaints, disrepair cases, and voids¹, including the time taken to re-let a void and the average spend on a void. Hexagon Housing Association Limited

Hexagon Housing Association Limited was scheduled to report that they manage 1,387 properties in Lewisham out of a total of 4,449 across all their housing stock. They were also scheduled to report that, as of the end of 2024, they had the following EPC ratings for their properties:

Properties rated EPC A (RdSAP 92-100) 10 Properties rated EPC B (RdSAP 81-91) 523 Properties rated EPC C (RdSAP 69-80) 2,364 Properties rated EPC D (Rd SAP 55-68) 909 Properties rated EPC E (RdSAP 39-54) 44 Properties rated EPC F (RdSAP 21-38) 5 Properties rated EPC G (RdSAP 1-20) 0

Hexagon Housing Association Limited was scheduled to state that disrepair claims are the issue impacting most on their repairs service.

Housing for Women

Housing for Women was scheduled to report that they manage 211 properties in Lewisham, out of 829 across all their housing stock. Of the Lewisham properties, 18 did not have a valid EPC, and 4 were rated D or below. They have budgeted £72,000 to resolve this by 2030.

Housing for Women was scheduled to state that the challenges they face are:

• Increased legislative requirements
• Budget constraints
• Skills shortage within the staff team
• Damp and Mould
• Increased scrutiny by the Housing Ombudsman
• Mobilisation of new Repairs Contractor

L&Q

L&Q were scheduled to report that they manage 5,674 tenanted units in Lewisham, occupied by 24,144 tenants, and 1,592 leasehold units, occupied by 6,365 leaseholders. They were also scheduled to report that they have 30 in-house operatives and 49 main subcontractors, plus 47 on Plentific². L&Q were scheduled to state that the impact of the Social Housing Act 2023 has been limited as they have continued to work to improve the service and specifically the customer journey alongside the implementation of the Act.

Notting Hill Genesis

Notting Hill Genesis was scheduled to report that they manage 623 properties in Lewisham, out of 67,953 across all their housing stock. These Lewisham properties are occupied by 1,348 tenants. They were also scheduled to report that they have 2 repair operatives and two main contractors.

Notting Hill Genesis was scheduled to state that they have instances where oversight on specific cases was lacking, resulting in insufficient follow-through and a disjointed approach, leading to missed opportunities to resolve issues effectively. They stated that leaks, in particular, have been a major contributing factor to these challenges and that they now have specific Subject Matter Experts in place, who take a more investigative and holistic approach to managing these repairs.

Options Appraisal for expiry of the Brockley Housing PFI contract

The Housing Select Committee was scheduled to consider a draft report prepared for the Mayor and Cabinet regarding options for the future management of the 1,829 council homes and associated land on estates covered by the Brockley PFI (Private Finance Initiative) contract, which is due to expire on 3 June 2027.

The report sets out several options for the future management of the properties:

• Option 1: No change. This option is not possible as the PFI contract ends on 3 June 2027, and there is no contractual clause allowing for an extension.
• Option 2: In-house management. This is the recommended option, to enable the council to manage changes in legislation and regulations effectively.
• Option 3: Transfer the stock to an existing registered provider. This is not a recommended option.
• Option 4: Transfer the stock to a new resident-led housing provider. This is not a recommended option.
• Option 5: Negotiate a new contract with Regenter B3. This is not a recommended option.
• Option 6: Negotiate new contracts with the current subcontractors. This is not a recommended option.

The report notes that government guidance states that any change in housing management should be subject to a test of opinion. It was proposed that consultation and engagement with residents be carried out during the summer.

Select Committee Work Programme

The Housing Select Committee was scheduled to discuss its completed work programme for 2024/25 and to propose draft priority themes for the committee’s work programme for 2025/26.

Key issues covered by the Housing Select Committee in 2024/25 include:

• Regulator of Social Housing’s response to Lewisham’s self-referral
• Private Rented Sector- Landlord Licensing
• Building for Lewisham Programme update
• Annual Statutory Housing Ombudsman Reports 2023-24
• Housing Retrofit Strategy
• Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman Report
• Resident Engagement Strategy
• Temporary Accommodation- Supply and Pressures
• Stock Condition Survey
• PFI Expiry Options Appraisal
• Repairs update from Registered Housing Providers

The Housing Select Committee was scheduled to consider suggestions and priorities for the 2025/26 work programme, bearing in mind the Council’s Corporate Strategy for 2022-2026, and in particular the ‘Quality Housing’ priority, which commits the Council to:

• delivering more social homes for Lewisham residents and providing them with safe & comfortable accommodation
• improving the conditions in the borough’s housing stock by working with all housing providers to encourage retro-fitting as part of our drive to be carbon-neutral by 2030
• developing a Lewisham Rent Repairs Charter that improves the quality and timeliness of repairs
• providing more support to renters through further landlord licensing, holding landlords to account and giving a voice to renters across the borough
• safeguarding our heritage by preserving and restoring our historic buildings and landmarks.