Pentland homes and services to be transferred to Cairn Housing Association
PENTLAND Housing Association plans to transfer its homes and services to Cairn Housing Association next year.
The local association, which has more than 500 properties in Wick and Thurso, carried out a strategic review involving tenants, staff and board members to plan for the future. Pentland's board has concluded that it is in the best interests of tenants and other customers to transfer to Cairn Housing.
Now the tenants and others affected will be invited to a series of consultation events to develop the detail of the proposed transfer, which will only go ahead if a majority of tenants voting in a formal ballot agree to the proposal and shareholding members vote in favour of it at a subsequent special general meeting.
The board believes that the transfer to Cairn, which operates Scotland-wide, would bring considerable benefits to Pentland Housing Association tenants, including an affordable rent guarantee, guaranteed investment in tenants’ homes, continued local services from an office in Thurso and the opportunity to become part of a larger organisation with greater resources and financial security.
Pentland and Cairn have distinct histories and strengths, and both feel that this proposal represents a great opportunity.
Jim Hair, chairman of Pentland Housing Association, said: "Pentland and Cairn have distinct histories and strengths, and both feel that this proposal represents a great opportunity to jointly create added value for tenants.
"Cairn is an ambitious, forward-looking organisation that has a proven track record of investing in homes and modernising services. It has a considerable number of homes in Caithness and the wider Highland region and it shares our vision of excellent services to our communities.
"We look forward to working with our colleagues at Cairn and with our tenants and staff over the months ahead as we develop the proposals that will be put to a tenant vote."
Cairn chairman Simon Guest said: "We are delighted Pentland Housing Association has chosen Cairn as its preferred partner. By working together we can combine our strengths and resources to create a stronger organisation that best serves the needs of tenants and other customers in the Highlands.”
If the tenants' ballot and shareholder vote support the plan, the transfer would take place in late 2020.
