Action for Housing says Auditor's report highlights serious failings in transparency

Action For Housing says the Auditor’s Report highlights serious failings in transparency, fairness, and accountability on public housing.

The pressure group says the findings confirm long-standing concerns, particularly around the large number of vacant government flats.

As of October 2024, 170 properties were unallocated, with 123 considered fit to rent.

Action for Housing says it's concerned that, on average, a vacant property remained unused for over six years.

An audit of 25 recent housing allocations revealed that 18 applicants, 72% of the sample, were allocated flats even though they were not first on the waiting list.

Action for Housing notes the Chief Minister was directly involved in seven allocations.

However, in the report, the Principal Housing Officer defended the Chief Minister’s actions, citing exceptional humanitarian circumstances.

Action for Housing says the report reveals a culture of nepotism and poor governance, and urges serious reform to restore public trust and ensure fair allocation of housing.