The Monarch Partnership
News Release
CROYDON COUNCIL RECEIVES 16 AFFORDABLE FAMILY HOMES
The Monarch Partnership kicks off campaign for private sector to help ease the affordable housing gap
Handover of properties attended by cabinet Member for Housing and Deputy Leader of Croydon Council, Cllr Alison Butler
Today Wallington-based energy consultancy, The Monarch Partnership, officially handed over 16 newly refurbished South Croydon properties to Cllr Alison Butler, Cabinet Member for Homes, Regeneration and Planning and Deputy Leader of Croydon Council.
The Monarch Partnership has donated the use of its properties to the council as part of a new campaign to raise awareness of the affordable housing shortage.
The initiative only requires the council to pay a minimal management fee for tenants’ use of the properties. The two-bedroom 1930s maisonettes in Hailing Grove were previously derelict until The Monarch Partnership stepped in.
With average private rental fees in London now at £1,5431, many people are priced out of the capital. Peter Dosanjh, managing director of The Monarch Partnership, hopes the campaign will encourage more private sector companies to support affordable housing in their local communities.
The 16 properties, situated on a private road in South Croydon, are available through Croydon Council’s housing association to hard-working families and individuals.
Councillor Alison Butler, Deputy Leader of Croydon Council and Cabinet Member for Homes, Regeneration and Planning, comments: “One of our biggest challenges is providing more Croydon families in need with better-quality homes while managing with less money.
“So on top of creating our own development company bringing forward thousands of new-build properties, partnerships like this one are important to meet our housing supply needs.”
The Monarch Partnership has provided use of the properties to the council because it felt not enough was being done to arrest the shortage. The company works with local authorities, housing associations and council tenants to manage and reduce their utility bills.
Peter Dosanjh, who is also a local magistrate and sees the effects of a lack of homes first hand, comments: “Through our work with local authorities and housing associations we’ve become painfully aware of the shortage of affordable accommodation.
“Since 1987 we have helped many organisations and families in our local community save money on their energy bills and the issue has now turned to affordable housing. The 16 properties are aimed at families and individuals who need them most.
“With rents in the capital going off the scale and utility bills continuing to rise, private sector companies must do more to invest in their local communities. Affordable housing is a significant issue that needs urgent attention and is one that many organisations are in a position to do something to help.
“We’re currently working with local authorities and banks to establish an ethical investment fund that’ll provide affordable housing to those in need, whilst generate a guaranteed above interest rate return on their investment. It’ll be fully FCA regulated and investments will be protected by the financial services compensation scheme.”
With utility bills another headache for priced-out Londoners, The Monarch Partnership actively promotes affordable utility programmes for its social housing customers, aimed at their tenants and housing managers. We have compiled an Affordable Warmth pack for housing associations to distribute to tenants that provides them with a repository of information on the help, advice and grants available to them from the government to manage their energy bills.
The UK Affordable Warmth Scheme is the new Government programme, which replaced the Warm Front Scheme in 2012. The programme specifically supports low-income households to increase warmth, reduce energy bills and minimise their carbon footprints.
Peter Dosanjh also plans to launch an ethical affordable Housing fund for other companies to invest into within the next six months. The fund will help to ease the gap as well as provide a return on the investment for other companies that want to boost community ties.
For more information contact Alex Kent at alex@makehoney.com or on +44 7538 730650.
Related articles and news
- Press Release 23rd May, 2016: Croydon Council salvages 137 properties in empty homes drive
- Rising rents ease landlord fears over tax increase by Homelet
- All Gov.uk documents relating to Affordable Housing Supply
- Gov.uk Policy paper: 2010 to 2015 government policy: rented housing sector
- Help from your energy supplier: the Affordable Warmth Obligation
- Download Monarch’s Affordable Warmth Guide (2018) or read the Issuu online paper
About The Monarch Partnership Ltd.
Your Intelligent Utilities Partner
We provide Auditing, Solution Planning, Execution, Management and Monitoring public organisations, SMEs and corporations. We supplement our Intelligent Procurement, Smart Asset Management, Historical Cost Recovery and Invoice Validation with value added services by partnering with industry leaders for sustainability, carbon reduction, energy management and energy data collection. Our thorough 47-point validation of every invoice is unrivalled in the industry.
Our nationwide service with dedicated Account Management teams is augmented by our market analysts, traders and invoice validators. We manage customers’ ongoing energy contracts at market-beating prices, saving clients over £100 million so far. Our success stems from personal service, quality work and demonstration of best value for money.
Save on your energy, gas and water bills – and time
We manage ongoing energy contracts of our customers at market-beating prices. Our customers continuously know how much they spend on utilities – and when they can save even more thanks to our real time market analysis and substantial expertise. Over 600 clients trust us to save them time, money and people resources, including corporates and SMES, housing associations and schools.
We are proud of our talented market analysts, traders and validation experts that continuously save our clients millions off their bottom line with the intelligent procurement and management services.
