A NEW landlord has taken control of 11,625 homes from Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.
More than 10,000 tenants have been transferred to Coast and Country Housing, which will manage and maintain the homes.
Coast and Country Housing is made up of tenants, independent experts, and councillors, and has outlined plans to spend £155m on repairs and modernisation over five years.
Councillor David Walsh, chairman of Redcar and Cleveland Council, said: "Council housing provision has over the years been a bedrock for good quality housing as part of the welfare state.
"Having said that, times change and we look forward to working in a partnership with a new organisation that will see tenants, amongst others, directly involved in the running of their own estates."
The transfer has the backing of Tony McNulty, the Government's Housing Minister, who said Coast and Country Housing would have access to additional private funding.
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