Trial management by housing associations could unlock the door to future council stock transfers, according to the National Housing Federation.
The federation says tenants could explore at first hand whether they wanted to transfer. The idea would be especially suitable for estate transfers where prospective landlords would otherwise risk a "no" vote.

The idea is proposed in a report called Action for Better Homes. The federation says a series of pilot "phased transfers" to established organisations would offer route maps for others.

It says: "There is a need to move away from a one-size-fits-all 'big bang' approach to stock transfer."

Projects director Stephen Duckworth said the idea had been tried before when councils contracted out the management of their stock. Transfers later went through, supported by the tenants.

But Kingsmead Homes chief executive Nigel Poole said the idea would be "messy" and tenants would not get a flavour of the aspects that really mattered. His organisation, part of the Shaftesbury Group, took over 950 homes in Hackney, east London, nearly five years ago.

He said: "Management is bread and butter. The big issue is long-term commitment to regeneration, communities and the whole social agenda. You can't show that commitment in a short time."