Mansfield District Council is joining forces with the ASRA Housing Group to manage 100 properties in Warsop and Ladybrook.

71 of the properties are located across the Mount Pleasant Estate in Warsop and 29 are located on George Street in Lower Ladybrook. In the past, the properties, which are all owned by ASRA, have been difficult to let.

Over the last 18 months ASRA has disposed of 12 properties via auction, which has potentially reduced the number of dwellings in these areas, which offer affordable rents. In order to ensure that both areas continue to have mixed tenure and a level of social housing available for rent, the Council has decided to work in partnership with ASRA by taking on the management of 100 identified properties.

The properties will remain in the ownership of ASRA Housing, but the Council will undertake the tenancy management and all landlord functions under the terms of a Management Agreement, which will see ASRA paying MDC to offset the costs of general management, repair and maintenance of the properties.

A dedicated MDC Housing Officer will also be appointed to manage the properties with a view to reducing the turnover of tenants, maximising the rental income and ensuring that anti-social behaviour is reduced.

Cllr Mick Colley, Portfolio Holder for Tenancy Services and Special Housing Needs, said: “This partnership will be good for the Council, ASRA and tenants. The Council is well placed to manage these properties, as we already have in place the repair and management structures needed to run our own housing stock.

“We are also well placed to deal with issues of crime and disorder and anti-social behaviour, as we have various partnership arrangements with both the Police and other statutory and non-statutory organisations that can be utilised to tackle some of the issues associated with the properties.

“This agreement will also help to ensure that levels of social housing available for rent are maintained within the areas.”