Merton Councils aim to be open, fair, and transparent, by consulting residents on transferring its housing stock to a new landlord, has been criticised by some tenants who say they want more choice.

A ballot next year will ask tenants and leaseholders to vote on whether the council should transfer the ownership and management of its housing to a Registered Social Landlord (RSL), with decisions shared between tenants, councillors and independent experts.

Critics, however, say there is no choice on the type of landlord with the ballot only asking for a simple yes or no to an RSL and provides tenants with no alternative options.

The council cites a shortage of money, coupled with government restrictions on borrowing, as reasons for considering a large-scale stock transfer scheme, with an estimated £12 million a year needed to carry out essential repairs on tenants homes.

Tenant Richard Law has written to Mertons head of housing, outlining five alternatives to a RSL.

He said: The way I see it is that you can only object at the end (by voting no in the ballot). Why cant we object now? How can the council come up with one option and call it a choice?

A council spokesman said: We have carefully considered all of the other strategic options for the future of the housing stock with tenants between May 2000 and February 2001.

The result was a clear decision to move towards a ballot for tenants and leaseholders on stock transfer

proposals.