Residents charter
Hackney is building. On dozens of sites across our borough, Hackney Council is building a new generation of Council housing to help meet demand and replace homes that are beyond repair.
Our house building programme isn’t about luxury flats or overseas investors – it’s about building genuinely affordable homes for those most in need of somewhere to live, with priority going to local people first.
We know you will judge us by what we actually do. That is why this charter sets out the promises the Council will make to you, and the rights and guarantees you are entitled to if new homes are to be built where you live.
On this page:
Our key promises
- we will hold meaningful engagement on our proposals and where appropriate, we will change our ideas in response to residents’ feedback, and explain how we have done this
- if the plan requires the demolition of any Council homes, we will hold a ballot of the residents living in those homes
- we will regularly communicate with residents about our plans in a clear, accessible and transparent way, and make it easy to find out more detailed information
- we will ensure Council tenants whose home is demolished will be guaranteed a new, modern Council home on their estate that better meets their needs, at the same type of social rent and with the same tenancy conditions they have now
- the new Council rented homes we build will be at a genuinely affordable social rent – not what the government calls ‘affordable’ rent – annual rent increases for Council homes will be limited at CPI +1%, or other regulator of social housing formula in force at the time
- local Council tenants in housing need will have first dibs on any remaining new Council homes before they are then offered to families on the Council’s housing register
- we will only sell homes to cover the cost of building new Council homes, not to make a profit, and we will market these locally first – not to overseas investors or buy-to-let landlords
- resident leaseholders and freeholders will be guaranteed the right to purchase a new, modern home from the Council on their estate, and will never be financially worse off as a result of redevelopment
Our commitments to you
If we plan to build new homes on your estate, whether you rent or own your home, we promise that:
- we will be open and transparent with you from the beginning about the proposals and clearly explain how they affect you and your neighbours
- we will give you the opportunities to have your say on the proposals and design of the new homes, and we will act on your feedback and tell you what we have changed
- we will keep you informed and updated about the progress of the proposals
- if our proposals involve the demolition of existing Council homes, we will hold a ballot of directly affected residents as part of a wide-ranging consultation and engagement plan, which will include access to independent advice for residents
If our proposals include the demolition of your home, these are the promises we make to you if you are a: