CECODHAS European Liaison Committee for social housing August 2008

1. CECODHASEuropean Liaison Committee for social housingAugust 2008 CECODHAS MISSION CECODHAS is the European Committee for social housing, a network of national and regional social housing federations gathering public, voluntary and cooperatives housing organisations. Together the 45 members in 19 EU members States manage 22 millions dwellings. CECODHAS members work together: to reinforce the European Social model and take an active role in the definition of its future to protect fundamental rights and call for policies to ensure and reinforce social rights to promote integrated approaches to urban policies and sustainable development to fight for services of general interest of good quality accessible for all and for legal certainty for the providers http://www.cecodhas.org

2. Our vision We, not-for-profit, public and co-operative housing providers, have a vision of a Europe which provides access to decent and affordable housing for all in communities which are socially, economically and environmentally sustainable and where all are enabled to reach their full potential.

3. Structure of the presentation The context: • Financial crisis linked to mortgages • Energy prices • Successful, sustainable neighbourhoods All three are crucial elements of the question of this panel “EU-policies to guarantee affordable rental housing in the cities of Europe” • But also important for us to work not only on the supply in volume but also in quality and to present the current UK framework to improve quality of services to tenants

4. Financial crisis: impact on housing; what can the EU do ? • Impact on housing is diverse in Europe: In UK, Ireland and Spain, a decrease of price is expected but because of the rising cost of credit the affordability of housing will not improve • Stagnation of price in other countries • But everywhere: increasingly difficult to get mortgage because of very strict criteria and weakness of the financial market (especially for vulnerable households) • Role of social housing: provide more supply (Spain, vast programme was planned to increase rental sector), become landlord of people who can not pay for their mortgage (England); in France the State has just announced it will buy 30.000 housing not yet finished but from which the construction stops because of the difficulty to sell) • Role of EU policies: time to shift from “growth and jobs” (Lisbon agenda where homeownership was very supported as a factor of growth); to green and social growth (sustainable agenda)

5. The energy crisis • Major increases in energy prices • Energy costs a very high proportion of the household costs of low income households • Poor energy efficiency contributes to fuel poverty • Poor energy efficiency causes unnecessary CO2 emissions • Improved energy efficiency a ‘win, win, win’ outcome

6. Energy prices increase • What role for social housing ? Provide new energy services to tenants such as: - Brokers: supply of energy • Energy efficiency advice • Major refurbishment programmes for existing homes • Build new homes to the highest standards • Campaign against fuel poverty • How the EU can help ? • 0%-reduced VAT rate to energy product • Protection of energy consumers into the energy liberalisation directive such as: impose to national authorities to launch a programme to fight against poverty, ask the energy companies to finance energy efficiency programmes, request a right for all to affordable energy • Major shift towards sustainable housing: Structural funds, revenue of the ETS auctions….

7. What we’re doing in England Not only more affordable homes but also better quality through real involvement of tenants • National Housing Federation sponsored an independent Commission – the Tenant Involvement Commission • Extensive consultation with tenants and landlords • Deliberative forum – 100 tenants and a rich source of information • Report – What Tenants Want • “excellent service and going the extra mile” • Code of Customer Service and Accountability – out for consultation • Commitment to residents • And a new regulator – the Tenant Services Authority • www.housing.org.uk