Trust completes housing association transfer

Wishaw and District Housing Association has officially been taken over.

The transfer of engagements from WDHA to Trust Housing Association took place on December 1 following registration of the transfer by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

This means that Trust are now responsible for the homes and services that were provided previously by WDHA.

Wishaw and District’s tenants voted overwhelmingly in favour of the transfer in a tenant ballot that was held over August and September.

WDHA chairperson Julia Mulloy said: “A great deal of hard work has been carried out over the past year by the Board of Directors and staff team, supported by Mags Lightbody, the statutory manager appointed by the Scottish Housing Regulator, to get us to this point.

“I would like to express my sincere thanks to everyone involved for this.

“I would also like to thank Wishaw and District’s tenants, other customers and shareholding members for the positive contribution that they made to the development of the transfer proposal and for their active participation in the consultation and tenant ballot processes. This was vital in developing and agreeing a set of transfer promises that will deliver real long term benefits for existing and future tenants.”

The Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) has confirmed an end to its statutory intervention in WDHA following the transfer.

WDHA was subject to a regulatory intervention in February 2017 after an independent review identified serious governance and financial management issues which posed a risk to tenants.

Ian Brennan, director of Regulation, said: “During our intervention Wishaw and District worked constructively with the statutory manager and appointees to address its governance and financial management issues and to deliver the transfer.

“We will monitor how Trust delivers its commitments to Wishaw and Districts former tenants.”

Trust will implement a rent freeze for the first three years followed by a further five year rent guarantee for tenants.

Services will continue to be delivered locally by a front line staff team and a new local area committee will oversee delivery of the transfer promises and shape local services.

Trust will also deliver new homes on the Wishaw Main Street site that has long been a local blight.

Trust chief executive Rhona McLeod (pictured right), added: “I am delighted that we have now been able to successfully conclude the transfer process and I would like to express a warm welcome to Trust to Wishaw and District’s tenants, other customers and staff team.

“The outcome of the recent tenant ballot with 97 per cent voting in support the transfer provided a clear mandate for change.

“We are now ready and mobilised to start to deliver on the transfer commitments that we made to the tenants.”