Frequently Asked Questions
Q – I would like to rent a property on the Stockfield Estate, how do I go about it?
A – The website details how to apply to become a Stockfield Tenant and Stockfield’s Tenancy Agreement is reproduced on this website. There is also a link to Bromford Housing Group, which also provides rented accommodation on the Estate.
Q – I am a Stockfield Tenant and would like to move to another Stockfield dwelling on the estate, What do I do?
A – This may be possible under Stockfield’s Local Lettings Policy, which is reproduced on the website. Existing Stockfield Tenants are given priority for allocation to vacant dwellings providing of course the Tenant’s housing needs qualify him/her for the dwelling.
Q – I am a Tenant of Stockfield Community Association is Stockfield a Housing Association like Bromford?
A – Stockfield Community Association is a Social Landlord and is a Charity and is a Housing Association but unlike Bromford which is an RSL (Registered Social Landlord) Stockfield is not regulated by the Housing Corporation: it is therefore a non-registered Social Landlord or Non-registered Housing Association.
Q - Are all residents on the Stockfield Estate Members of the Community Association?
A – No: Stockfield does not have “members”: all Residents are, however, potential beneficiaries of the Association. The only Company Members are the Company Directors and the Residents of the estate elect 6 of these in formal elections every 3 years.
Q – Who is my Landlord?
A – If you live in rented accommodation on the Stockfield Estate your Landlord will either be:
- Stockfield Community Association
- Bromford Housing Group or
- A Private Landlord (very few on the Stockfield Estate)
If you are an Owner Occupier in a Leasehold Property your Landlord (Head-lease holder) is Stockfield Community Association (Subsidiary) Limited.
Birmingham City Council has no rented accommodation on the Stockfield Estate.
Q – Is my Tenancy with Stockfield the same as a Birmingham City Council Tenancy?
A – No: The Council issues Secure Tenancies, the Association issues Assured Tenancies. The Association’s Tenancy Conditions are produced in full on the web site. All new Stockfield Tenancies from 1st January 2005 are Starter Tenancies, which provided the Tenant’s Household does not contravene its obligations under the Starter Tenancy for 12 months, will become an Assured Tenancy. If you have an Assured Tenancy it means your Landlord cannot repossess your home without a direction from the Courts.
Q – Can I buy my home from the Association?
A – No: The Association is a Private Social Landlord and does not grant any Rights to Buy to its Tenants.
Q – Why do Stockfield’s Tenants pay their rent to Birmingham City Council?
A – Birmingham City Council has been employed by Stockfield Community Association as its Housing Manager and the Council provides services including letting of dwellings, the collection of rents, chasing arrears, dealing with Tenancy Contraventions and carrying out enforcement action through the Courts. The rent collected is passed to the Association by the Council.
Q – Is Stockfield Community Association responsible for repair and upkeep of the Estate Roads?
A – No: All of the roads on the Stockfield Estate are Adopted Public Highways and therefore Birmingham City Council is responsible. Stockfield Community Association has, however, contracted with the Council to have 4 extra road sweeps per year.
Q – Does Stockfield Community Association own Stockfield Park?
A – No: The land and play equipment belongs to Birmingham City Council and it is responsible for maintenance and upkeep of the Park.
Q – Who are the Company Directors?
A - The Company structure is set out in the Association’s Annual Report, the most recent of which is detailed on the website.
Q – How are Directors chosen or appointed?
A – The Association has 12 Directorships. Five of the Directors are nominated to the Board by various Institutions. Birmingham City Council and Bromford Housing Group each nominate 2 Directors and the Halifax BOS Bank nominates 1. Six of the Directors are elected by the Residents of the Stockfield Estate and these Elections take place every 3 years. The next Election will take place in the summer of 2007. The remaining Directorship was previously held by Halifax BOS Bank but was relinquished recently. The Association is considering how to fill this vacancy.
Q – Do all the Directors have to live on the Stockfield Estate?
A – No: Only Locally elected Resident Directors are required to live on the Estate.
Q – I am a Leaseholder do I need permission from my Landlord to carry out improvements?
A – Yes: Your Lease details all of those things for which you need permission (and these are not restricted to works). You need permission from your Landlord even if you do not need Planning Permission for the works you are contemplating. You need to obtain permission in advance and your Landlord provides a free service provided you utilise your Landlords normal Board Meeting cycle. Your Landlord provides a fast track service between Board Meetings for which a fee is payable. Your Landlord will not give permission for certain works such as removal of or fundamental change to boundary walls and gates and works that reduce the number of available off-street parking spaces or make off-street parking spaces unusable. Your Landlord will always require that consultation with your neighbours takes place before considering approval of works to your home. The web site provides information about how to apply for permission.
Q – I am a Leaseholder can I buy my Freehold?
A – Yes: Birmingham City Council owns the Freehold and will sell this to you under the provisions of the Leasehold Reform Act. You will, however, have to purchase your Landlords Head-Lease at the same time. The web site details likely costs and how you can apply to acquire these superior interests.
Q – I am a Tenant of Stockfield Rented Accommodation do I need permission from my Landlord to carry out improvements?
A – Yes: Your Tenancy Agreement (reproduced on the web site) details all of those things for which you need permission (and these are not restricted to works). You need permission from your Landlord even if you do not need Planning Permission for the works you are contemplating. You need to obtain permission in advance and your Landlord provides a free service. Your Landlord will always require that consultation with your neighbours takes place before considering approval of works to your home. The web site provides information about how to apply for permission.
Q – The Subsidiary Company Balance Sheet shows no assets and no funds, what does this mean?
A – The Subsidiary Company receives principally Ground Rent income each year from Leaseholders. The only assets it owned were plots of land on which dwellings for sale were built and these were sold to Leasehold owners at cost when the new dwelling was initially sold. At the accounting year-end any surplus income the Subsidiary has is paid to the Stockfield Community Association under a Gift Aid arrangement. This ensures that the Subsidiary pays no Corporation Tax so all of its surpluses are available for the benefit of the Stockfield Estate.
Q – Why does the Association have large reserves on its Balance Sheet.
A – The Association adopts “Whole Life Costing” for its rented accommodation. This essentially means that those people who “use up” the property – create wear and tear; pay for the repair and replacements. Since the Association let its first properties in approximately 1990 some of each year’s rental income has been set aside to fund major repair and maintenance programmes scheduled to take place in the future - as certain components in the houses wear out. Details are included in the Annual Report, which is reproduced on the web site. By setting aside these funds the Association can guarantee that when, for instance, kitchens need refurbishing in the future, the funds will be available.
Q – Why does the Association need over £5 million as detailed in its Balance Sheet?
A – The figure you refer to is the total of the Balance Sheet and not actual Funds. The important items on the Balance Sheet are the Current Assets (money owed to the Association and the money it has in hand) less Current Liabilities (money the Association owes to others – this figure does not include its mortgage loans). At 31st December 2004 this figure was £1.1 million. This balance of funds is largely earmarked to designated Sinking Funds, which total £835,000. In addition the Association owed its Mortgage Funder £765,000, this loan is scheduled to be fully paid off by 2023 but will hopefully be paid off sooner.
In January 2005 the Association utilised £200,000 of its undesignated balances of £265,000 (£1.1 million less £835,000) to redeem some of its Mortgage Loan, which now stands at £565,000.