Landlords to open their books

More than 200,000 additional social tenants are to get detailed access as to how their landlords spend money. Major landlords are to follow ministers' requests to open their books to taxpayers and tenants and let them see how they spend their rent money, according to Housing Minister Grant Shapps. Adactus, Hyde and Sanctuary housing associations - who between them manage over 100,000 homes - are to publish details of their spending. Accoring to Mr Shapps housing associations should do as councils do - and the Department for Communities and Local Government itself does - and publish details of their spending. Home Group were first to answer the call in 2011, and now routinely publish detail of all spending above £500 - with Viridian and Hereford Housing Associations doing the same from earlier this year. July 7, 2012