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A watchdog has voiced ‘serious concerns’ about the management of social housing in Oldham . In a first-of-its-kind report, the new Regulator of Social Housing investigated how the local authority is carrying out its landlording duties across the borough.

The council was pulled up over a limited awareness of its responsibilities as a landlord and ‘serious failings in respect of engagement with tenants’.

The poor rating is in part due to Oldham’s unique position. Unlike many other local authorities, most of the council’s housing stock is managed through Private Finance Initiatives (PFIs).

This means landlording responsibilities are carried out by the PFI management firms, Inspiral and Oldham Retirement Housing, with Oldham Council having a ‘light touch’ involvement in the

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