星空传媒

I read your article on the Rent Bonanza at Neath Port Talbot Council (鈥淗ere鈥檚 an idea鈥�, 2 May, page 30) with mixed emotions.

On the one hand, I am very supportive of the idea of incentives to encourage tenants to pay their rent and bills on time. AU79, which is the consulting arm of Irwell Valley Housing Association, is working with more than 20 housing associations, local authorities, arm鈥檚-length management organisations and transfer associations in developing such schemes.

However, on the basis of the information in the article, I am concerned that the cash prize draw at Neath Port Talbot may be illegal, as it appears not to have a 鈥渘o purchase requirement鈥� (a legally required option for people to enter a prize draw without having to pay any money or buy any product).

At AU79, we believe that incentives in themselves will not work in isolation, as the recent Office of the Deputy Prime Minister research Incentives and Beyond: The Transferability of the Irwell Valley Gold Services to Other Social Landlords states: 鈥淭he evidence that incentives change behaviour is limited but appears unlikely to have more than a marginal effect unless incentives are accompanied by wider changes in culture and service delivery.鈥�

We very much support the development of incentive schemes in housing organisations and AU79 has been set up by Irwell Valley Housing Association, endorsed by the Housing Corporation, to help other organisations develop schemes that are tailored to suit the individual circumstances of an organisation as well as the complex legal issues.