Rent arrears management practices in the housing association sector

4.2 Rent collection and arrears
management performance
As shown in Table 4 .1, HAs’ rent arrears
management performance has remained fairly
steady over the past few years . However, there is
considerable variation across the country .
In 2007-08, while the average current tenant arrears
52
(general needs) figure for London associations
was 6 .7%, the comparable figure, for associations
operating in the south west, was only 3 .6% . In terms
of association type, transfer organisations typically
record lower arrears rates; the average for this class
of association in 2007-08 was 4 .5% as compared
with 6 .0% for “traditional” HAs .
Table 4.1 – Trend in current tenant arrears, general needs housing,
2004-05 to 2007-08
2004–05
%
2005–06
%
2006–07
%
2007–08
%
Mean 5 .6 5 .4 5 .4 5 .3
Top quartile 3 .5 3 .5 3 .3 3 .4
Bottom quartile 7 .1 7 .1 6 .5 6 .6
Source: Housing Corporation performance indicators
Note: Figures show year-end rent arrears as % of rent collectable