Each sector develops its own jargon, and words and phrases are thrown about that can confuse the man on the street. Here are definitions that go along with some of the common terms used in social housing.

Acceptable Behaviour Contract (ABC)

A resident or their children can be asked to sign an ABC, which is an agreement that they will behave in an acceptable way. The contract will outline the behaviour issues and make clear what action will be taken if the contract is breached.

Affordable housing

Affordable housing is housing which has been built with subsidy from the Government, a housing association and is available either for rent, outright sale, or shared ownership. The subsidy reduces the cost of rent/purchase to make the property affordable for households who would not otherwise be able to afford to live in the area.

Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG)

This is a mandatory means-tested grant payable by a local authority to a disabled person to meet or substantially contribute to the cost of adapting their property to meet their needs and enable them to live independently in the community.

Extra care

Extra care is now widely used to describe retirement housing where care is available. The properties are available either to rent, to buy or to be owned under shared ownership. As residents’ needs change, the level of care they receive can also change without the resident

Homebuy

Homebuy enables people who cannot afford to buy a home outright to purchase a share in a new home and still pay rent on the remaining percentage.

Housing Benefit (HB)

This is a means tested welfare benefit administered by the local authority providing eligible residents with assistance in meeting the cost of rent. All tenants, council, housing association or private, are eligible to apply but how much help anyone receives depends on their income and other circumstances.

Major repairs

Substantial repairs to housing, normally these are planned in advance and will take the form of all properties in an area being upgraded in the same way at the same time – for example all kitchens one year, all windows the next.

Notice of Intention to Seek Possession (NOSP/NISP)

This is the notice served by a landlord on a tenant advising that the landlord intends to apply to court for possession of the property.

Programme maintenance

This term refers to routine maintenance scheduled in advance, for example, for works such as gas servicing, painting, replacement of heating systems, and modernisation.

Rent convergence/rent restructuring

The Government intends that all council and housing association tenants should pay similar rents for similar properties in similar condition in an individual local authority area. The aim is that this will be achieved within ten years (2011/12)

Responsive repairs

These are day-to-day repairs to homes done in response to requests made by tenants.

Right to repair

The right to repair is part of the Housing Act 1985 and the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, it gives rented residents the right to claim compensation if certain small urgent repairs (costing less than £250) are not carried out within prescribed time limits.

Shared ownership

Shared ownership helps people who cannot afford the full cost of buying a home outright to own a percentage of their property. With shared ownership the tenant buys a share of their home and pays rent pro rata on the rest.

Social Housing Grant

This is a grant from the Homes and Communities Agency to subsidise the cost of developing affordable housing. It is given to housing associations to help them fund the development of social housing projects within their areas.

Target rents

These are the various levels at which the council and housing association set rental prices on properties. They are calculated by using a Government formula based on size, location and condition. The levels also take into account local incomes and the value of homes.

Void – including Voids and Void costs

Void properties are empty properties. Void repairs are those necessary repairs that have to be completed before a property can be allocated to a new tenant. Void costs are the costs associated with an empty property and can include the cost of repairs to that property or the rent loss from that property whilst it is empty