ABC - Acceptable Behaviour Contract
A written agreement between an anti-social behaviour perpetrator and their local authority, Youth Inclusion Support Panel, landlord or the police. The ABC consists of a list of anti-social acts that the offender agrees not to continue and outlines the consequences if the contract is breached.
ALMO - Arms Length Management Organisation
This is an independent company. ALMOs manage council homes on behalf of the Council, which is the only shareholder.
ASBO - Anti Social Behaviour Order
A Magistrate Court Civil Order made against a person who has been shown to have engaged in anti-social behaviour. The UK government introduced ASBOs by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
BV - Best Value
Best Value is a policy introduced by the Labour Government. It is designed to improve the services provided by Councils and other public bodies.
CBL - Choice Based Lettings
A new way that some local councils and housing associations are letting their properties. The common feature is that once you have registered that you are looking for housing, you have to bid for properties that become available. Based on your circumstances, you will be awarded a ‘priority rating’, and this will determine who gets a property if several people bid for it.
CIOH - Chartered Institute of Housing
This is the representative body for housing professionals.
GNHP - Greater Norwich Housing Partnership
The GNHP, made up of Broadland District Council, Norwich City Council, and South Norfolk Council, was set up to support the development of sufficient good quality and affordable housing within the Greater Norwich sub-region.
HC - The Housing Corporation
The Government agency that funds new affordable homes and regulates housing associations in England.
HIP - Housing Investment Programme
This is the annual plan a Council makes for its housing capital programme. It forms a bid to the Government for resources to build, repair and improve housing stock.
LSE - Leasehold Scheme for the Elderly
Properties under this scheme were built using a government subsidy. Each property is sold for 70% of its market value, while the purchaser enjoys exclusive possession and use. This way the property will remain an affordable form of housing for its entire life.
LSVT - Large Scale Voluntary Transfer
Transfer of ownership of local authority housing stock to an RSL. Transfer has to have the support of the tenants, usually determined by a ballot, and so is designed “voluntary”.
NHF - National Housing Federation
The central respresentative, negotiating and advisory body for RSLs in England.
NROSH - The National Register of Social Housing
The NROSH is a system for collecting social housing data on individual properties directly from local authorities (LAs) and housing associations (HAs).
RC - Rent Convergence
The Government’s Social Rent Reform policy expects social housing rents (council or RSL) for similar properties in similar locations to be brought together to a comparable level within 10 years from 2002.
RSL - Registered Social Landlord
RSLs provide homes and housing services to people in housing need.
There are various types of organisations, such as housing associations or housing co-operatives. Some are charitable and others are known as local housing companies. They are non-profit making and are controlled by boards of management committees made up of unpaid volunteers. RSLs are registered with the Housing Corporation.
RTB - Right To Buy
Some council and housing association tenants have the legal right to buy their home if they have been living there for more than two years.