Accreditation
The Group and its members are accredited by a
number of organisations. Some are regulatory, some voluntary. Here
are more details about them.
Housing Corporation
The
Housing Corporation is the previous government agency that funded
new affordable homes and regulated housing associations in
England.
It closed on 30th November 2008 and was replaced by two new
agencies:
- Homes & Communities Agency
- Tenant Services Authority
Somer Community Housing Trust 2004 inspection.
Homes & Communities Agency
The Homes and Communities
Agency (HCA) is the national housing and regeneration delivery
agency for England. Its role is to create thriving communities and
affordable homes.
It works nationally but support the delivery of the
ambitions of our local partners to provide better places that offer
great homes and good jobs in well-served communities where people
enjoy living and can afford.
Homes & Communities
Agency website
Tenant Services Authority
The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) is the new independent
regulator for affordable housing. Initially the TSA will operate
under the legal powers of the Housing Corporation whilst it
consults on the powers set out in the 2008 Housing and Regeneration
Act.
The TSA will be consulting with tenants across 5 million
households and their landlords - including local authorities, ALMOs
and housing associations - to develop the new standards framework
and implement the new powers granted in the Homes and Communities
Act. The TSA intends to ‘switch on’ its new powers for Housing
Associations in December 2009 and across the local authority sector
in April 2010.
Tenant Services Authority
website.
TSA Regulatory Judgement, December 2008.
Housing Ombudsman Service
The Housing Ombudsman Service considers complaints
against member organisations, and deals with other housing
disputes. All registered social landlords in England are members by
law. It will consider any complaints about shortcomings in the way
homes are managed, but only after the complainant has completed the
internal complaints procedure of the landlord or agent.
Housing Ombudsman
Service website
National Housing Federation
The National Housing Federation represents 1,300
independent, not-for-profit housing associations in England and is
the voice of affordable housing. Its mission is to support and
promote the work that housing associations do and campaign for
better housing and neighbourhoods.
National Housing
Federation website
iN business for neighbourhoods
Friendly neighbours, local shops, schools,
healthcare, jobs, places to relax and good public transport -
that’s what makes a place somewhere you’d be happy to bring up
children and grow old. Where you see the 'iN business for
neighbourhoods' logo, you will find a housing association that has
made a set of promises – to customers, neighbourhoods and
excellence. Somer Housing Group's members have made this promise to
put neighbourhoods first.
iN Business for
neighbourhoods website
Supporting People
The
Supporting People programme offers vulnerable people the
opportunity to improve their quality of life. It aims to do
this by providing a stable environment which enables greater
independence.
It delivers high-quality and strategically planned
housing-related services which are cost effective and reliable, and
complement existing care services. The planning and development of
services will be needs led. Supporting People is a working
partnership of local government, service users and support
agencies.
Supporting People website
Investors in People
IiP
is
the only quality mark to focus on people and has become widely
recognised since its launch in 1990. Assessors look at how well an
organisation manages and develops its staff to improve performance
and meet objectives. Somer Housing Group achieved
IiP
in 2007 and will be reassessed
every three years to make sure it is still up to the standard.
Investors in People
website
Positive About Disabled People
The Disability Symbol is a recognition given by
Jobcentre Plus to employers based in Great Britain who have agreed
to take action to meet five commitments regarding the employment,
retention, training and career development of disabled
employees.
Jobcentre Plus website
Construction Clients' Charter
By signing up to the Construction Clients’ Charter,
construction industry clients make a clear statement of their
commitment to improve their own performance. Charter Clients do not
just pay lip service to culture change but are prepared to measure
their progress against an agreed programme with increasingly
demanding targets.
Charter website
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