Asset Management (social Housing)

Asset management within the context of social housing in the UK is a relatively new specialism. It pertains to the function within a Housing Association, Arms Length Management Organisation or Local Authority housing department that is responsible for the long term management of social housing stock. The aim of social housing is to provide housing that is affordable to people or tenants on low incomes. Asset management is a strategic planning tool driven by stock condition data to forecast future costs of maintaining housing stock. Often this includes the management of asbestos data.

There are two systems that play a vital role in the management of your housing stock. These are your housing management and asset management systems.


1) Housing Management; an operational management tool that deals with (among other things) rent collection, allocations, estates, repairs, tenant enquiries and contractors and is generally the core system used by a social landlord.


2) Asset Management; a strategic planning tool driven by stock condition data to forecast future costs of maintaining housing stock. Often this includes the management of asbestos data.


This includes projecting future costs to maintain housing stock at the required standard (in England this is the Decent Homes Standard), managing programmes of capital investment and undertaking stock options appraisals (to understand when it might be beneficial to sell or demolish stock rather than maintain it). Social landlords are also required to produce Energy Performance Certificates. Link to Guidance for Social Landlords

The Department for Communities and Local Government is responsible for defining the national housing strategy, and defines the guidance within which local authority housing offices must operate. Private sector housing trusts operating in this sector are regulated by the Tenant Services Authority. Asset managers are monitored by the Audit Commission who grade each organisation against these national strategy guidelines.

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