Defence
Part of the Ministry of Defence, Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) Operations Accommodation is responsible for the provision of Service Family Accommodation (SFA) in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
This includes planning to provide accommodation as and when required by the Armed Forces; improving the overall standard of properties; providing a comprehensive repair and maintenance service; managing allocations for highly mobile Service personnel; and overseeing Move Ins and Move Outs.
Management of SFA
Overall responsibility for SFA within the MOD rests with the Chief Executive of DIO who delegates responsibility for delivering the housing service to the Head of Operations Accommodation, who in turn is accountable to the Director General Operations.
The responsibilities of the Head of Operations Accommodation include:
- Maintaining and improving the standard of SFA
- Providing an effective and comprehensive repair and maintenance service
- The provision of an allocation service to house entitled and eligible personnel
- The provision of housing services to over 40,000 Service families and other occupants at any one time
- Managing over 20,000 moves into and out of accommodation each year
- Liaison and planning with Service chains of command to ensure their current and future needs are met
- Contributing to local Service community support.
Service Family Accommodation (SFA) at RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire.
[Picture: Peter Burbridge Crown Copyright/MOD 2010]
Further background
The majority of SFA housing in England and Wales is either leased from a private sector company below the current market rate from Annington Homes Limited (who bought most of the MOD's housing stock in 1996),or is provided under the Government's Private Finance Initiative (PFI).
Houses in Northern Ireland and Scotland, and some other areas, are mostly MOD owned.
Where appropriate, DIO remains responsible for lease payments and the maintenance and upgrade of leased back properties.
In areas where SFA housing stock is unavailable, Service families may be provided with fully-serviced private rented properties – known as Substitute Service Family Accommodation (SSFA). This accommodation is sourced and leased on behalf of the MOD by a specialised contractor (the HCR Group).
Repair and maintenance
DIO is responsible for the maintenance of all SFA through the relevant Prime Contracts (except for properties provided under the Government's Private Finance Initiative - PFI).
This comprehensive service is free to occupants, who have very little responsibility for the maintenance of their SFA – this mainly includes maintaining the garden and minor maintenance such as replacing standard light bulbs and fuses.
More information
The requirement for both SFA (and Single Living Accommodation) is constantly changing as the Defence estate is rationalised to support operational capability and as individual preferences change.
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