The future of council housing: West Gorton

There are big changes ahead for West Gorton. Exciting improvement plans include new homes for rent and for sale, lots of new facilities and shops, and better leisure facilities and open spaces.

To make way for all these changes we will demolish the 380 council homes that were not transferred to Guinness Northern Counties in September 2010. 

But there will be no demolitions until we've talked through your rehousing options.

If you are a homeowner we will buy your home from you at the market value, and explain your options - such as helping you to buy a new home, or rent a home.

If you are a council tenant, you can move to another home in West Gorton if you want to. If you prefer to live somewhere else, but still rent from a not-for-profit landlord (like a housing association), we will give you rehousing priority to allow you to move.

We'll check how long everyone has lived in West Gorton. People who have lived here the longest will get the first choice of new homes that match their household size and type.

Find out much more: see Questions and answers

Open days

Lots of local people came to two special open days in spring 2011 to find out more about the new homes and how they will be allocated. They had a preview of how the new kitchens and bathrooms will look, and saw the choice of floors.

Now we are meeting you individually to talk about your own move, starting with people who want a new bungalow.

What next?

We will send you an official legal letter called an Initial Demolition Notice. It tells you that we'll demolish your home within five years - although we're aiming for most people to have moved out by 2012.

The notice also suspends the right to buy. But don't worry, if you move to another council home in Manchester, or one of the new ones in West Gorton, you'll take the right to buy with you.

The 171 new council homes will be ready to move into from March 2012. If you are moving into one of the new homes you will not have to move before your new home is ready.

We plan to demolish properties as soon as possible after they become empty. In most cases this will be after December 2012, but if individual blocks of properties become empty earlier we will look to demolish them sooner.

Find out much more: see Questions and answers

Compensation

If, when you move out, you have lived in your home for at least a year you get compensation.

If you are a council tenant you will get £4,700. If you owe any rent, this will be deducted from the compensation. You will also get help with removal expenses - for things like refitting carpets and curtains, and redirecting your post.

If you own your home you will get £4,700; or 10% of the market value of your home, whichever is the highest. You will also get help with removal expenses - for things like refitting carpets and curtains, and redirecting your post - and can claim reasonable professional fees such as a surveyor and legal costs.

Find out much more: see Questions and answers