South East

Paula's story

Living in a Co-op has really helped me turn my life around.

People have the right to control their own lives. I do not see why people have this thing about having to leave something for their children - you have to work for what you have.

I pay £400 rent, but I know someone who pays £2,000 a month - I have the same security but none of the worrying over having to pay a huge mortgage. I could never live in private rented or own a house again - if I left here I would have to live in a co-op.

Working together

Working in a housing co-operative gives people a chance to show what they can achieve and how successfully they can work together to run a compassionate, but effective business.

Here is the low down on how our co-operative is run:

Minster Housing Co-operative is situated in Minster, Isle of Sheppey in the district of Swale North East of Kent. It has 36 properties ranging from two bedrooms to five-bedroom houses including disabled access units.

Paula Farrow talks to a good neighbour.

All houses are family units and the tenants control the properties in which they live collectively by means of an executive committee voted by the members. The housing co-operative is meeting the need of social housing in the area.

The estate was built in 1996 by CDS (Co-operative Development Society) with the help of finance from the Housing Corporation and a mortgage loan.

Three years later the ownership of the properties transferred to Minster housing co-operative Ltd, after they secured funding for a mortgage with the Nationwide Building Society.

The founding members underwent an extensive training programme for two years. All members bring individual skills and business experience to the Management of the Co-operative.

The members take pride in developing a sustainable community that is independently and successfully run by the co-operative. Strong relationships have nurtured between the tenant members living on the estate.

Life and work balance

Members of the Co-operative take responsibilities for balancing the duties involved in being part of the co-op with their personal and working lives.

Encouraging tenant participation is the biggest ongoing challenge the co-operative faces.

Some tenants are reluctant in getting involved in the business or they are unwilling to commit because they do not fully understand how housing co-operatives operate and what is involved in being a member.

Isle of Sheppey - social housing.

The co-operative works together to over come this by offering the right amount of support to their members.

We have the elected management committee dealing with day-to-day business, and employ a managing agent to deal with rent collection and legal statistical returns to monitoring bodies i.e. Housing Corporation and business advice with support.

The Committee consists of 12 to 15 members and meets every four weeks to discuss issues of the co-operative. by working together under the structure of the co-operative, the tenant members of Minster have created a strong sense of community and collective responsibility.

The co-op wants tenant members to feel secure in their homes however the tenants must respect the rules of the co-operative as well as the principles and values set down by ICA (International Co-operative Alliance) that all co-ops abide by.

The Co-operative however does not have the right to dictate how its members should live, it is a democratic organisation.In the long term, the co-operative is aiming to expand by obtaining or building other properties in the local area.