National register for tower blocks

Plans for a national register of social housing tower blocks in England are being outlined today by the Tenant Services Authority (TSA).

The social housing regulator’s national register will hold details on ownership, the number of properties and the age of the tower block and will list the date of the last fire risk assessment and the date of the next assessment.

The TSA will begin collecting data from housing associations in February 2010.

Phil Morgan, executive director Tenant Services said: “The health and safety of tenants is obviously of paramount importance to housing associations and their tenants. That is why the TSA is proposing to include health and safety in its new standards for social housing landlords, which come into force from April, and by developing a new national register of tower blocks.

“The register will be a valuable tool, allowing us to build up a comprehensive picture of tower blocks in England. It will allow us to work with landlords to ensure that they are fully complying with their responsibilities to carry out risk assessments and taking appropriate action so that tenants are properly protected from the risk of fire.”

The TSA wrote to all housing associations in July last year asking them to check the fire safety of their tower blocks following the fire at Lakanal House in Camberwell. Housing associations were asked to inform the TSA if they owned any housing with similar “scissor block” design features which were of concern. The TSA is working closely with Communities and Local Government (CLG), which wrote to all local authorities asking for similar information.

Amicus Horizon, Gentoo Sunderland, South Yorkshire Housing Association, Whitefriars Housing Group and Richmond upon Thames Churches Housing Trust – a subsidiary of Paragon Community Housing Group reported that they have a total of six blocks with a similar design to Lakanal.

All five associations have advised the TSA of the plans in place or action taken to address any fire safety issues. They all have up-to-date fire assessments and the tenants who live in the six blocks have been notified and will be kept updated.

As the regulator, the TSA is continuing to work with the five landlords on the issues raised.

The register is expected to be available in the summer.