West Kent's mission to provide the best housing and services received a boost as it was selected to develop a holistic local standard pilot by the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) the national social housing regulator, for its repairs and maintenance service.

The association will receive £9,000 to support work to develop the standard for delivering repairs and maintenance.

The pilot will involve all stakeholders and cover the 5800 homes we have in Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, Tunbridge Wells, Gravesham, Dartford, Medway, Maidstone and Ashford.

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Involving tenants in maintenance partnering contracts and ensuring their homes meet their needs both now and in the future are key outputs of this project.

West Kent is one of thirty-seven housing projects from across the country which has been selected as a local Standards Pilot by the TSA.

Barbara Thorndick, Chief Executive of West Kent said: "Our success in securing this bid is evidence that we continue to innovate in the housing sector; we want to promote a more transparent repairs service that encourages residents to get involved with improving an already good service. We will be increasing choice and performance accountability and increasing our pool of engaged tenants as we go forward in developing Resident Led Self Regulation."

The pilots are scheduled to start this month and will be funded through to April 2010.

(CD/GK)