Every housing association has its own asset management challenge and it should be self-evident that good asset management is an essential feature of the business and operations of the organisation. The Housing Corporation makes clear requirements in its Regulatory Code that can only be met by a good asset management strategy, and the Government's targets on ensuring all social housing tenants live in a decent home give added impetus to the need for housing associations to properly manage their assets. Housing associations are in a powerful position to ensure the communities they operate in and the buildings they manage are sustainable, and to make a valuable contribution to the Government's policy on building sustainable communities.

The attached framework aims to assist housing association boards to pose the questions they need answered to make sure that asset management is effective and is being given the right degree of priority. By posing these questions we hope to promote the adoption of good practice, and to provide tools for board members to assess the effectiveness of their organisation's asset management strategy in delivering continuous improvement and its compliance with the Regulatory Code.