At Town & Country Housing, we’re committed to looking after the homes we provide and the people who live in them. With over 13,000 homes across Kent, Sussex and Surrey, part of our responsibility as a non-profit organisation is to make sure every property is safe, meets legal standards and continues to be a good fit for residents today — and in the future. 

Sometimes, that means making important decisions about what to do next. 

Looking after homes in the best way 

Our aim is always to care for and protect our homes and residents. We do this in two main ways: 

• Planned maintenance – this includes larger, long-term improvements like replacing kitchens and bathrooms, installing new boilers, improving insulation, and upgrading windows and roofs – find out more. 
• Responsive repairs – this covers day-to-day fixes, like repairing leaks, broken doors or faulty electrics, to keep homes safe and comfortable. 

However, there are occasions where a property becomes too costly to bring up to the necessary standard or is proving difficult to rent out to prospective residents. In these rare cases, we carry out a full assessment to understand the best option going forward — repair, refurbish or sell.

How do we make these decisions? 

This process is led by our Asset Management Group, a panel of six people with experience across property, finance and housing. Their role is to assess whether a property still meets the needs of our residents, and the legal standards required today. 

The team looks at several things including: 

• the cost of bringing the property up to standard 
• the current and future energy performance (EPC rating) – how easy and cost-effective it is to keep warm
• the level of demand for that type of property in that location 
• and whether it still makes a good home for living in the 21st century 

Once the review is complete, the group votes on whether to repair or sell the home. 

What happens if we decide to sell? 

When a property is no longer suitable, our Disposals team steps in to manage the sale. These properties are often in very poor condition or have extremely low energy ratings, making them expensive and inefficient to run. 

In 2024, we sold 36 such homes. The money raised didn’t just sit in an account — it was reinvested directly into: 

• maintaining and upgrading other homes 
• and supporting the development of new, high-quality social housing 

This helps us stay sustainable and focused on what matters most — providing safe, affordable homes for those who need them. 

Building the homes of tomorrow 

Selling properties that no longer meet standards doesn’t mean we’re shrinking as an organisation— quite the opposite. We’re committed to building new homes that are energy-efficient, well located and designed to meet the needs of modern residents. 

A great example of this is our ongoing Showfields regeneration project, where older housing is being replaced with high-quality, new-build homes. If you have any questions about this work or would like to learn more, you can always reach out to us through our website. We’re committed to being transparent, thoughtful and responsible in everything we do — so that all our residents can feel confident their home is in safe hands.