Red Kite Community Housing

Red Kite Community Housing, a tenant-led landlord in south Buckinghamshire

Red Kite Community Housing is a charitable housing association that owns and manages more than 6,600 homes. Its entire stock lies within 15 miles of High Wycombe, in the south of Buckinghamshire. The organisation describes itself as tenant-led and states that sharing its performance with tenants is a priority, publishing monthly statistics on how it is doing.

Housing options and tenancy types

The association presents a range of homes and tenancies aimed at different situations. Its offer covers social and affordable rent, independent living for people over 60, shared ownership, staircasing, market rent and commercial premises. It also publishes guidance on tenancy types and on what moving into a new home involves.

Managing existing homes

A large part of the activity concerns the day-to-day running of the properties. The published material addresses aids and adaptations, asbestos, balconies, cleaning, communal areas and storage, drains, electric vehicle chargers, energy saving, fences, hedges, gates and boundaries, fire safety and fire door safety, gas safety and carbon monoxide, grounds maintenance, heating, home contents insurance, lift safety, parking, pest control, pets, power cuts, smart meters, storage heaters, trees, ventilation and water hygiene. It also covers damp, mould and condensation, with instructions for reporting a problem, advice on improving the situation and prevention tips.

Repairs are handled through a dedicated reporting route, with information on responsive repairs, repair priorities and who is responsible for each type of work, as well as specific guidance on heating problems, water leaks and damage to other homes. Leaseholders have their own section covering administration fees, buildings and contents insurance, service charges, the leaseholder's handbook, repairs to leasehold homes, selling a home and rights and obligations.

Rent, payments and feedback

Tenants can pay rent online, and the association explains the available payment methods, how service charges work and how it charges for work and services. On feedback, it accepts compliments, complaints and general comments, and publishes how it is performing in this area, alongside information on the Housing Ombudsman, the Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code, cases it handled well and its "You said, we did" responses. It also runs a tenant satisfaction measures survey, Tenant Question Time and The Big Door Knock.

Support for tenants and communities

The supporting-you section gathers help on antisocial behaviour, hate crimes and harassment, noise, grief and loss, the cost of living crisis, domestic abuse, hot weather, financial wellbeing, debt management, energy saving and Universal Credit. It also presents case studies on how the Tenancy Sustainment and Wellbeing Team has helped, together with material on homelessness and temporary accommodation, the Homes for Ukraine scheme, safeguarding and arranging events.

Community work includes community funding, the Starting Blocks and Springboard programmes, environmental improvements and community volunteering. Tenants can take part through the Tenant Voice Panel, Red Kite Champions, tenant-led service scrutiny and a set of panels: Environmental Improvement Group, Springboard Panel, Repairs and Empty Homes Group, Development Panel, Interview Panel, Core Procurement Group, Asset Management Group and Home Safety Group, plus a Resident Representative Team and an e-Panel.

Development and refurbishment programme

The development programme lists numerous sites, among them The Atrium, Auckland Road, Bedder Road, Bookerhill Road, Britnell Court, Buckingham Drive, Castlefield, the Chartridge House redevelopment area, Clifford Road, Deanfield Close, Five Acres, Foxes Piece, Harvest Hill, Hicks Farm Way, Highwood Crescent, Marefield Road, New Road, Poundfield, Rutland Street, Sandygate Road, Shelley Road, Shiplake, Totteridge Drive, Westhorpe Road and Westwood. Completed developments include Chalky Fields, Gayhurst Road, Hampden Meadows, Havenfield Road, Huntercombe Park, Kennylands Road, Little Kimble, Mentmore Road, Mill Close, The Meadows, Tyzack Road and Windrush House. Refurbishment work is grouped under Blakes, Overshot and Seven Acre House, with a separate programme of improvements.

Governance, accounts and membership

The corporate information covers the team, the Board and its meetings, the current Corporate Strategy and previous five-year strategies, finances, value for money, partners, procurement, performance and the annual report. Policies, standards, sustainability, equality and diversity and modern slavery statements are also published, along with the Social Tenant Access to Information Requirements (STAIRs), whose first phase launched on 1 October, and membership of PlaceShapers. Tenants and others can become a member of the organisation. The association also recruits staff and volunteers and maintains a dedicated volunteering form.

Accessibility and communication

The association states that it can provide communications in multiple languages, Braille and large print, and that tenants can choose email, phone, text or other accessible formats. Its most recent annual report, covering 2025/26, sets out the year's results and performance.