PA Housing

PA Housing, affordable housing in the Midlands, London and the South East

PA Housing is a housing association operating in the Midlands, London and the South East of England. Its activity focuses on providing accommodation for people who have difficulty accessing the open market, through different tenure options ranging from affordable rent to purchase.

The organisation presents itself as the owner and manager of homes lived in by its residents, and places its work in the field of the people and communities where those properties are located rather than in the buildings themselves.

Routes to housing

The organisation's catalogue distinguishes several routes according to the applicant's situation:

• Renting homes from its housing stock.
• Supported housing for those who require additional services.
• Shared ownership, a part-buy part-rent scheme for those who cannot afford to buy on the open market.
• Resales and new-build developments within that same shared ownership scheme.
• Accommodation for NHS workers.
• Mutual exchange between tenants.
• Outright sale of homes.
• Right to Purchase for residents.

Services for tenants, leaseholders and shared owners

The website organises support for residents according to their tenure: tenants, leaseholders and shared owners. For them it details the channels for managing repairs, paying rent, service charges and information about the tenure itself. Homeowners have a specific section.

The neighbourhood area includes estate services and the role of neighbourhood coordinator, as well as ways for residents to get involved.

Financial, social and community support

The organisation brings together a set of services aimed at making its residents' daily lives easier: financial and welfare support, employment help, support with getting online, management of neighbour disputes and antisocial behaviour, and guidance on safety in the home. It also offers home contents insurance and links to external resources.

It dedicates a specific section to damp and mould in the home, with guidance on condensation, prevention measures for residents and the procedure the organisation follows when a problem is reported. It also publishes information on how to end a tenancy and how to report tenancy fraud.

Relationship with residents and accountability

PA Housing states that it is part of Together with Tenants, a resident-led initiative in collaboration with the National Housing Federation aimed at strengthening the relationship between tenants and their housing association. The organisation also publishes its policies, its governance, information for investors and Tenant Satisfaction Measures, and carries out an annual survey among its residents.

The website includes a notice under the slogan "IT'S NOT OK" in which it warns that it does not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour towards its teams, while acknowledging that residents may feel upset or frustrated. It also maintains a whistleblowing policy and a channel for information requests.

Employment and corporate structure

The organisation publishes vacancies and describes its recruitment process, its workforce, its diversity policy, its employee benefits and its social responsibility, as well as opportunities aimed at residents themselves. Its registered office is at Case House, Walton-on-Thames (Surrey).

PA Housing operates under the legal name Paragon Asra Housing Limited, a charitable community benefit society registered under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014, with society number 7536 and number 4849 in the Regulator of Social Housing register.

Location and contact

Case House, 85-89 High Street, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, KT12 1DZ