29 Apr 2009

Glasgow Housing Co-op Joins Britain's Biggest

[Click here for a text copy of full press release]

Four Walls Housing Co-operative in Glasgow has reached agreement to become part of Tenants First Housing Co-operative, Britain's largest housing co-operative, based in Aberdeen.

Four Walls was set up in Glasgow in 1983 to provide safe, secure and affordable housing for women. The co-operative owns a number of flats in a purpose-built development in the west end of Glasgow.

Commenting on the agreement for Four Walls to join Tenants First, John McKinnon, Tenants First chairperson, said:

"At Tenants First we have been working with Four Walls for some time, providing management support for their operation. Over this time it has become clear that there were considerable benefits, in terms of growing resources and increasing efficiency, that could be gained by joining forces. 

"Both organisations share a common view about the benefits of fully mutual housing co-operatives in meeting the affordable housing needs of their members. This deal is also particularly significant for Tenants First as it represents the first formal expansion of our organisation outside our traditional area of Aberdeen and North East Scotland. 

"We have watched, with some dismay, the dwindling numbers of housing co-operatives in recent years. My hope is that this expansion of Tenants First into the Central Belt, could be the catalyst in creating renewed interest in the housing co-operative movement as a means to meet the affordable housing need in Scotland."

Speaking on behalf of Four Walls Housing Co-operative, Dianne Barry, joint chairperson, said:

"We are looking forward to playing an active role as part of Tenants First Housing Co-operative. We have agreed that, as part of Tenants First, we will maintain our focus on providing housing for women and women with children."