About Service Families Accommodation

General
Defence Estates (DE) assumed responsibility for Service Families Accommodation in England, Scotland and Wales in 2004 following a merger of DE and the Defence Housing Executive. Most MOD Housing stock in England and Wales is either leased back from a private company, Annington Homes Limited (who bought most of the MOD’s housing stock in 1996) or provided under the Government's Private Finance Initiative. Houses in Scotland, and certain other areas, fall outside the 1996 sale and leaseback arrangement and are mostly MOD-owned. DE remains responsible for lease payments and the maintenance and upgrade of leased back properties.

Where there is insufficient Service accommodation, Service families are accommodated in substitute accommodation, comprising fully-serviced private rented properties. This accommodation is leased on behalf of the MOD by a specialised contractor, the HCR Group, previously known as Countrywide Mobility Partners.

Repair and Maintenance
With the exception of properties provided under the Government's Private Finance Initiative, DE is responsible for the maintenance of all Service Families Accommodation through the relevant Prime Contracts.

Management of SFA
Overall responsibility for Service Families Accommodation within the MOD rests with the Chief Executive, DE who delegates responsibility for delivering the housing service to the Director Operations Housing who in turn is accountable to Director General Operations.

The responsibilities of Director Operations Housing include:

• Maintaining and improving Service Families Accommodation. This service is delivered in England and Wales by MODern Housing Solutions (the Housing Prime Contractor), and in Scotland by Amec Turner (the Regional Prime Contractor Scotland).
• The provision of an allocation service to house entitled and eligible personnel
• The provision of housing services to about 42000 Service families and other occupants at any one time
• Managing over 40000 moves into and out of accommodation each year
• Liaison with Service chains of command
• Contributing to local Service community support