Salford’s housing vehicle confirmed as RP

The Regulator of Social Housing has rubber-stamped Dérive status as a registered provider, paving the way for the city council to hand over the first 104 properties to the company. 

Dérive has become just the twelfth local authority housing subsidiary to be granted registered provider status by the government. 

Prior to its approval as an RP, Dérive was the council’s in-house social homes division, set up in 2019. 

A year later a group structure for Dérive RP was established – the company is a subsidiary of Dérive Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the council – while the intention to request registration as an RP was announced. 

Registered provider status will enable Dérive to operate as its own entity and gain increased access to funding from public bodies such as Homes England. 

More than 100 properties across three sites will now be transferred from Salford City Council’s ownership to Dérive.  

The city council will lend Derive £6.6m to fund the acquisition of the homes. 

Robin Lawlor, the former chief executive of Northwards Housing – Manchester City Council’s now-defunct former ALMO for housing delivery – is Dérive’s independent chairperson. 

Two councillors, Cllr John Merry and Cllr Tracy Kelly, are directors at Dérive.