The Scrutiny Homes Sub-Committee was scheduled to meet to review the council's financial performance, examine the work of registered social landlords, and discuss the sub-committee's work programme. The meeting was due to take place in the Council Chamber at Croydon Town Hall.

Review of Registered Social Landlords

A report was prepared to provide context for the Homes Sub-Committee's review of Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), also known as housing associations, operating within the borough. For the session, the sub-committee invited the seven largest housing associations operating in Croydon, based on the volume of housing stock held within the borough: Wandle, Clarion, L&Q, ccha, Hyde, Notting Hill Genesis (NHG) and Southern Housing.

To support the review, each invited housing association was sent a questionnaire in advance of the meeting. The questionnaire asked for information on:

• Development
• Allocations and evictions
• Repairs and maintenance
• Anti-social behaviour
• Communication and partnership working

The responses from the housing associations were collated and shared with the sub-committee.

Here are some of the responses:

Southern Housing

Southern Housing stated that in the past 12 months they have delivered 68 London Affordable Rent homes and 23 shared ownership homes in Croydon. They also stated that they have 601 homes currently under construction or in the planning pipeline, of which:

• 186 are affordable rent
• 75 are social rent
• 12 are shared ownership
• 243 are London Affordable Rent
• 85 are London Living Rent

Southern Housing also stated that they let 128 properties in the last financial year, of which 107 (84%) were let to Croydon Council nominees. Of the 7 evictions that took place, 6 were for rent arrears, and 1 was for tenancy breach. They received 6672 repair requests in the past 12 months, with an average completion time of 22.46 working days. 56% of repairs were completed within the 20 day target. They opened 190 ASB cases in the past 12 months, of which 48% have been closed.

Wandle Housing Association

Wandle stated that they have delivered 21 new shared ownership homes in Croydon over the past 36 months. They also stated that they have 42 new homes currently under construction or in the planning pipeline, of which 5 are social rent and 37 are shared ownership. 29 of these homes are expected to be completed in 2025-26. Wandle also stated that they let 19 social lets in Croydon in the last financial year, of which 75% were to people where Croydon's allocations team had made nominations. Wandle carried out 2 evictions in Croydon in 24/25, both for rent arrears, however in both cases the properties had been abandoned. For September 2025 the average completion time for routine repairs was 17.1 days, and 87.4% of routine repairs were completed within target timescales. They inspected approximately 14% of homes for damp and mould in the past year. They opened 25 ASB cases in Croydon.

Wandle also stated:

We are working to adopt the GLA Service Charge Charter in the first instance. We are also looking at designing out, where we can, unnecessary & expensive communal systems and adopting low maintenance and durable materials, especially in landscaped areas, as well as looking at the efficiencies of our communal spaces. We are also looking, when working with developers on s106s, to get involved as early in the process as possible to effect efficient scheme designs and challenge service charges from the start.

Clarion Housing Group

Clarion stated that they have delivered 280 homes in Croydon in the last three years, broken down by the following tenures:

• 39 General Needs (all London Affordable Rent)
• 241 Shared Ownership

They have no homes under construction or in planning in Croydon. Clarion also stated that they let two properties in Croydon in the last financial year, and that Croydon Council has 85% nomination rights to Clarion housing stock in the borough. They had two General Needs voids in the last year, with void works taking 10 calendar days. There were 218 repair requests received in the last 12 months. The average completion time for routine repairs in September 2025 was 20.15 days, and 96.26% of routine repairs were completed within target timescales. They opened 52 ASB cases in the past 12 months.

L&Q

L&Q stated that they handed over 26 shared ownership properties at Taberner House in Apr-22. They also delivered 58 and 88 London Living Rent homes in Apr-22 and Jan-23 at Taberner House. They had 21 voids in Croydon in the last year, with an average re-let time of 42.33 days. 6335 repair requests were received in the past 12 months. The average completion time for emergency repairs was 1.05 days, for urgent repairs was 21.13 days, and for routine repairs was 35.56 days. 50 ASB cases were opened in the Borough of Croydon for 2024/25, and 79 ASB cases have been opened in the Borough of Croydon since November 24.

ccha

ccha stated that they have delivered 42 homes in Croydon over the past 36 months:

• Millen Court, Brighton Road – 10 shared and 6 social
• Angel Oak Point - 23 homes – 3 social rent – 7 for London Living rent – 13 for shared ownership

They have 54 homes currently under construction or in the planning pipeline:

• 30 Russell Hill – 18 homes for shared ownership
• The Hawthornes 8 homes for social rent to the rear of an existing block
• Frederick gardens – 17 homes for social rent
• St Lukes Church – This is a joint venture with the church and a co-operative Heads2gether community hall, 1 flat for private rent and 10 for social rent

They let 75 homes in the last financial year, with 57 in Croydon, of which 76% were to Croydon Council nominees. In 2024/25 the average relet time across all their boroughs was:

• General rented homes 39.54 days
• Supported housing 86.88 days
• Older Persons Services 18.58 days

4,177 completed repairs in 2024 – 25 across all boroughs. In 2024 – 25 their repair completions were:

• Emergency 80.4%
• Urgent 86.4%
• Routine 89.3%

In 2024/25, they had 32 ASB cases across all boroughs.

Hyde Housing Association

Hyde stated that they have a scheme at Stafford Road in Waddon, which has been under construction since 2021. Phase 1 consists of 56 London Affordable Rent homes and 70 Shared Ownership homes completed in September 2025. They let 31 Social Housing properties in the 2024/25 financial year, 100% of which were to Croydon Council nominees. The average re-let time for the 31 properties in 2024/25 was 31 days. 7033 repair requests were received in the past 12 months. The average completion time for emergency repairs was 1 day, for urgent repairs was 6.9 days, and for routine repairs was 20.9 days. 181 ASB cases were opened between 22/10/2024 to 22/10/2025.

Notting Hill Genesis

NHG stated that they have 1142 homes in Croydon, of which:

• 63 are temporary housing
• 19 are supported housing
• 173 are leasehold
• 596 are general needs
• 289 are private rent
• 2 are IMR

They delivered 108 new homes in Croydon over the past 36 months, of which 92 are shared ownership. They let 10 General Needs and 2 Supported Housing properties in the last financial year, of which 70% of general needs family sized units offered to Croydon Council for letting. There were 8 General Needs voids at the end of March 25, with an average re-let time of 40 days. 3406 repair requests were received in the past 12 months. 13 ASB cases were opened in the past 12 months.

2025-26 Period 5 Financial Performance Report

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to receive an update on the council's financial position in Period 5.

The 2025-26 Period 5 Financial Performance Report noted that the General Fund revenue budget outturn is forecast to underspend at financial year end by £22.6m, contributing to the target as required by the Stabilisation Plan¹. This would reduce the necessary level of capitalisation directions from £136m to £113.4m.

The report also noted that the Council's historic legacy borrowing and debt burden continues to be critical to the non-sustainability of the Council's revenue budget, with an estimated £72m cost in 2025-26 for the Council to service the debt.

A supplementary agenda included a Housing GF and HRA report which stated that at period 5, the Housing directorate has a General Fund forecast underspend of £0.1m against the net budget of £52.4m. There is ongoing increased demand within the nightly paid portfolio, and the average cost per night has increased to £81.32 from £79.52 per night in the prior year.

At period 5, the HRA is forecasting a breakeven position.

Work Programme 2025-26

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider any additions, amendments, or changes to the work programme for the Committee in 2025-2026.