A Brief History
Eldon Housing Association Ltd was formed in 1981 to assume full responsibility for the housing and homes for the elderly provided by the Croydon Guild of Voluntary Organisations, now known as Croydon Voluntary Action. We are a non-profit making organisation registered as a Charity under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014.
Our portfolio comprises general, sheltered, flexible care, extra care and semi independent housing all within the London Borough of Croydon plus a flexible care sheltered housing scheme in Haywards Heath, West Sussex.
The aims and objectives of Eldon Housing Association Ltd are the provision of housing and associated amenities for people in housing need. We seek to maintain a high standard of management with a commitment to quality of service and tenant participation.
We are committed to a policy of equal opportunities and welcome applicants having close ties with Croydon regardless of age, race, ethnic or national origins, religion, sex, physical ability, appearance, marital status, sexual orientation or gender re-assignment.
The Association has not only grown in size over the years in terms of buildings but has diversified into providing support and consultation services to other Housing Associations and is a registered Domiciliary Care Agency.
We are a secure partner with Croydon Council and provide Facilities Management services to their older person’s specialist accommodation PFI project; know as Homes for the Future (New for Old) PFI Project.
Visions Mission Values
Our Vision
To be the best provider of affordable housing for older and vulnerable people within our area of operation.
Our Mission
Providing accessible and sustainable housing, supported by flexible and reliable services.
Our Values
Passionate, professional and operating with integrity
Caring about customers, staff and business
Respectful – listening and approachable
Innovative – always working to improve
Tenants’ Charter
We are committed to delivering a high quality service and have adopted the following:-
Tenants’ Charter
we will…
- maintain your home, keeping this and all communal areas in good repair, and will complete repairs within our target response times.
- support you in maintaining your tenancy through our Care & Support services or by signposting you to appropriate service providers.
- respect you treating you with courtesy at all times ensuring all our staff are polite, professional and trained to provide a high standard of service.
- deal with enquiries quickly and efficiently, replying to voicemail messages within 2 working days and responding to correspondence within 10 working days and when writing to you we will always use plain English.
- regularly consult with you to ensure we are providing the services that meet your needs and have your views taken into account when making decisions that relate to your home or the care & services provided.
- keep you informed through Tenant Meetings, our Tenants’ Panel, The Link magazine, newsletters and one-to- one meetings.
Strategic Aims & Objectives – Looking Forward
TO PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF HOMES AND THE SERVICES THAT TENANTS VALUE
Our objectives are to:
- Achieve a CQC ‘outstanding’ rating
- Achieve Investors in People (Standard/Silver/Gold) award
- Maintain tenants’ satisfaction with Eldon at 95% or above
- Invest £1.7 million 1 over the next three years to maintain good quality homes that are safe to live in
Years 2-4 of the Asset Management Plan
TO PENETRATE THE MARKET OF OLDER AND DISABLED PEOPLE’S ACCOMMODATION-BASED SERVICES IN ELDON’S CORE OPERATIONAL AREAS, CREATING NEW SUPPLY AND NEW SERVICES
Our objectives are to:
- Pursue one new opportunity each year with our partner local authorities to optimise the use of land and facilities to improve the quality of supply and/or create new supply
- Explore delivery partnerships with ethical investors that are building homes for older and disabled people but require housing and facilities management services
- Expand housing and facilities management to other local social landlords providing sheltered, flexible care, and extra care housing
- Consider bringing in-house, the care provision for all extra care schemes that Eldon owns. Redevelop schemes that we own that are no longer fit for purpose and to provide additional high-quality homes
TO PROMOTE ELDON’S SERVICE OFFER TO INDUCE FUTURE FUNDERS, PARTNERS, EMPLOYEES, AND SERVICE USERS
Our objectives are to:
- Commission and implement a communications plan to refine key messages, raise Eldon’s profile, and publicise the quality of the service offer
- Upgrade the website to present Eldon as a modern, dynamic, and high-quality operation
- Improve the communication flow between tenants, senior officers, and the board to ensure Eldon maintains good customer insight and is responding effectively to tenants needs
- Make annual submissions for at least two reputable industry awards to raise awareness of the quality of Eldon’s new developments, the quality of the service, and/or the innovative and successful partnerships that we have helped to create.
- Commission stakeholder perception surveys every two years to get a temperature check on Eldon’s public profile
TO PRESERVE INDEPENDENCE, FINANCIAL STRENGTH, GOOD LEADERSHIP, AND GOOD GOVERNANCE
To strengthen financial and organisational resilience our objectives are to:
- Carry out an annual board effectiveness review ensuring a comprehensive review is externally commissioned once every three years. A light touch review to be carried out in the intervening years
- Ensure adherence to the risk management framework is maintained with an annual review of the risk register, annual update of the assets and liabilities register, and stress testing of the business plan at least once a year and when there is a significant event
- Review the value for money strategy each year in the context of benchmark comparison, and update the improvement plan to continuously drive efficiencies
- Review the treasury arrangements each year to ensure Eldon is getting the best return on investment and securing competitive borrowing rates
- Modernise IT infrastructure by reviewing the key databases and programmes to ensure systems and processes are efficient and add value
- Develop a learning and development programme for the senior management team and central (head office) staff to ensure they continue to build and maintain skills to lead an effective and efficient business
- Commission a review of rents and service charges
- Draft development assumptions to set the parameters within which Eldon must ensure new developments are financially viable
Board of Management and Senior Management Team
Board of Management
Our multi-skilled Board of Management is lead by our Chair, Hony Premal.
Our Board meets quarterly and is responsible for the governance and strategic direction of the Association ensuring that our obligations to our tenants and clients are understood and met
Board members contribute their specialised skills to our Audit & Risk Committee, which meets regularly to review the Association’s performance against strategic objectives, budget, and targets. Additionally, our Quality Assurance Committee meets regularly to oversee the company’s compliance with statutory and regulatory obligations.
Board of Management – Profiles
Hony Premlal MBA, CIHCM
Hony Premlal is a much sought-after, highly regarded executive in the Social Housing sector with an experience spanning nearly three decades. She has a proven career track record in small and large housing providers, where she has held several executive and non-executive positions including Managing Director. Hony is the Founder and CEO at Hony Premlal Consultancy, an organisation that provides executive mentoring/coaching and housing consultancy services. She also fulfils the role of Chair for WISH London. She holds board memberships with SCLT and Trinity Housing, in addition to being a Regional Group Member of the CIH.
Anne Chapman, BA (Hons), PgDip., CIHCM
Anne is the Deputy Chair of the Board of Management at Eldon. A practising solicitor for more than 20 years, Anne is also Assistant Director – Governance and Compliance at Golding Homes which is one of the largest not-for-profit housing associations in the South East. In addition, Anne is the Vice Chair of the Governing Board for the CIH, the Chair of the Audit and Risk Board for the CIH and Vice Chair at the national charity We Are With You which provides support to people experiencing issues with drugs, alcohol or mental health.
Dan Gower-Smith CMgr FCMI
Has worked within the social care sector for over 16 years. Dan started his career as a support worker for adults with learning disabilities and associated conditions and progressed to a Registered Manager, Area Manager and is currently a Regional Director all within the social care sector.
Michael Chinn FCCA, CPFA
Michael joined Saxon Weald as Executive Director of Resources in March 2020. Before moving into the housing sector, he trained in Practice Accountancy. He was previously Deputy Finance Director of a medium sized housing association in West London and then Director of Finance at a Croydon association. He is also a Board Member and Audit Committee Member of Gateway Housing in East London.
Kristian Melgaard
Kristian is an interim Housing Executive at the Royal Borough of Greenwich and has worked in the affordable housing sector for 18 years and has occupied a variety of senior housing roles at both registered providers and local authorities.
He brings a wealth of experience in housing operations, customer services, asset management, development and sales.
Nannette Sakyi BA(Hons) MA
Nannette is an experienced Housing professional with a track record of successfully developing new build properties, winning new business, delivering business change and project management within the public sector. Nannette’s experience of over 15 years ranges from New build development, operational management and delivery through to strategy and service improvement, stakeholder management and business transformation. Nannette holds a Master’s degree in Housing and is passionate about developing much needed homes for families.
Madi Makgoba-Turpin
Madi is a Commissioning Consultant known for supporting and delivering programmes across Social Care, Housing and Health. She has worked with over 100 purchasing authorities and has been instrumental in driving efficiency savings, service transformation, and quality assurance across the health and social care sectors.
Madi’s commitment to social care extends beyond professional duties, serving as a trustee for Women’s Aid Federation England. She is also the founder of Black Connects, a membership group for Black professionals.
Ben Dowling
Ben is a social entrepreneur working with young people of all ages to build their life skills and help them become changemakers; currently through Unloc Learning Limited, a company he co-founded aged 19 and in which he remains an active Director with overarching responsibility for strategic direction, strategic finance, human resources, asset management, IT and health & safety. Ben’s expertise is primarily in good governance, finance and leadership.
Jonathan Jarvis
Jonathan joined the Board in November 2023 and was formally elected at the last Board meeting in December 2023. He has over 25 years’ experience as a solicitor specialising in the social housing sector. He has been a Partner at Devonshires Solicitors since 2012.’
Senior Leadership Team
The Senior Management Team are all based at our Kenley Head Office and are responsible for the Association’s operations, stability and the future development of the business in line with our Vision, Mission, Values and Objectives
The team comprises:-
Susan Faridi, CEO, Susan has over 30 years’ experience working in social care and supported housing, working for local authorities, charitable organisations and housing associations. Susan has joined Eldon with extensive leadership experience in supported, sheltered and extra care housing and development. She also has wide-ranging experience in charity management and governance.
Prior to this role, Susan was the Chief Executive for The Finchley Charities, a registered housing provider and Almshouse charity, providing sheltered housing and grant giving to community and charitable groups as well as to individuals in hardship. Before this, Susan was the Director of Services at Stoll, a military charity and housing association providing supported housing and a range of services to veterans and those transitioning from the British Armed Forces.
Susan was also a group Board member and Chair of the Care Board at Hill Homes, a housing association providing sheltered and Extra Care Housing.
Niall O’Rourke, Interim Director of Asset & Facilities Management, Building Surveyor with 30 years’ experience, including 15 years at the senior management level across small, medium, and G15 housing associations. He is well-versed in all aspects of property services, encompassing asset appraisal and management, compliance, building safety, retrofit, as well as planned, cyclical, and responsive repairs and voids.
His strengths lie in leading and motivating teams, developing effective operational methods, and driving service improvement. He has extensive experience in establishing and managing PFIs, which includes overseeing facilities management and enhancing the living environments for individuals with needs. He is currently expanding his expertise into executive team leadership.
Linda Strong, Head of Housing, Care & Support, has a passion for delivering outstanding services to older people, that enable and empower them to live their best lives. Linda has 24 years of management and leadership experience in housing, care and support. She has been responsible for a range of services providing registered care and support to a variety of client groups, with significant experience in vulnerable older people housing, particularly Extra Care. Prior to commencing at Eldon, Linda was Care & Support Assistant Director at Notting Hill Genesis for 9 years, with direct responsibility for 13 Extra Care sites and over 200 older people leasehold units. Linda brings knowledge, skills and experience at a senior and operational level in registered care, regulation compliance, supported housing, procurement, contract management, new business development, financial management, leadership and change management.
Dawn Knee, MSc HRM, Assoc CIPD, Head of People and Resources. Dawn has over 20 years’ experience working in HR across both the education and charity sector. Dawn is responsible for People and Resources at Eldon and brings a wealth of experience in managing this function. As Head of People and Resources at Eldon Dawn, leads with a focus on fostering a supportive work environment for staff, which in turn ensures our team delivers excellent services to our tenants across the scheme.
