bdht is a registered social landlord (RSL) providing affordable accommodation and associated services in and around the district of Bromsgrove, although within Worcestershire we are geographically located to the immediate south of Birmingham at the point where the M5 and the M42 meet and this factor materially influences our work.
We were formed in March 2004 as a result of a large scale voluntary transfer (LSVT) from the local authority, Bromsgrove District Council, and we are the largest provider of affordable housing in the district.
We provide not only general needs housing, but also specific accommodation for the elderly including a recently completed extra care development, we manage the homeless service for the local authority and have been successful in securing a range of supporting people and other external contracts.
The stock meets the Decent Homes Standard and is mostly popular and in high demand. There are no significant difficult to let issues.
Bromsgrove Housing Initiatives Limited (BHI) was formed in 2005 for the prime purpose of procuring the Trusts new affordable housing development programme. BHI is part of Bromsgrove District Housing Trust Group and is registered with the TSA. We have been very proactive in pursuing new development and have already completed 104 units, with a further 101 on site and a pipeline of in excess of 800 units in total.
We have a very strong performance culture and have achieved top quartile performance in all areas of the business with many in the top 10 percentile; we are financially sound and considered low risk by our regulator, although we have not yet had a full or short notice inspection by the Audit Commission.
The organisation is relatively small with 3133 units in management, employing 119 staff but we aim, with the support of an excellent Chairman and Board, to push hard for the continued development and growth of the business.
The success of the organisation so far has been built upon good management and hard work with a clear understanding of the critical importance of working in partnership. Whilst perhaps not always the case, we have strong working relationships with the local authority and have been able to raise our regional profile based upon solid performance and reliability. We are active on the outskirts of Birmingham and Redditch and dominant within Bromsgrove.
Our future is very much based upon continuing to develop the quality of our services and provide housing solutions for new customers. We have an emerging focus on extending our remit into the wider community as the only direction we can follow to truly deliver what is needed – sustainable solutions!