Poplar & Limehouse MP Jim Fitzpatrick says housing is Labour priority

I would like to praise the many housing associations in Poplar and Limehouse that do a fantastic job working with the residents of Tower Hamlets.

However, there are concerns about some.

Just last month, one housing association was found by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to have breached its home standards.

This was through their provision of poor repairs services which put the health and safety of tenants at risk.

In the past few years Poplar and Limehouse has seen a dramatic regeneration in the number and quality of properties available to tenants and homeowners. There are questions about the affordability of many.

Among other concerns, this was debated in the Commons on Friday, in my debate on “Housing Association transfer ballots”. Residents have been raising their complaints but there is no system in place to hold housing associations to account. It is my view that residents should be able to decide who to appoint as their housing association with the right to sack them and appoint another if major failures are found.

This is not the first time I have brought this issue to the House; in 2012 I highlighted in the Chamber that the housing related grievances in Poplar and Limehouse will not be going away unactioned. This is why I lent my support to the Homes for Britain campaign last Tuesday (March 17) for their walk to Westminster.

A Labour government in office post May 7 will ensure 200,000 more homes built a year by 2020, with more affordable homes, better living conditions and accountable housing associations. More from Jim Fitzpatrick