Staff at the new Thrive Homes housing association are facing the prospect of reapplying for their jobs – less than two years after they began work with the organisation.

Thrive, which took over the running more than 4,000 council homes from Three Rivers District Council in 2008, will ask staff in its residential services team to reapply for a range of newly created posts in the coming months.

The Croxley Green-based organisation has denied the decision has anything to do with cost cutting, stressing it is concerned merely with creating an organisation “that all staff can be proud to be a part of”.

Not everybody, however, agrees.

Watford Rural Parish Council chairman Joan King, who has represented social housing tenants for more than a decade, said there was more to the changes than meets the eye.

She told the Watford Observer: “No jobs are being cut at the moment but staff I have spoken to are very worried about what is going on.

“Remember they [Thrive] bought the housing stock at the top of the market and can’t increase rents this year [rents are dictated by a strict Government formula linked to the currently miniscule rate of inflation].

“Why else would they want to change things?”

About 100 existing staff were transferred from Three Rivers District Council to the new organisation, with their pensions, jobs, and pay all protected by strict employment law.

The current changes will involve 18 out of 37 staff. Thrive also stresses that the restructuring process will result in a net increase in jobs rather than a reduction.

Mrs King, however, fears some experienced staff could leave as a result of the changes.

She added: “Some of these people have been working for the council for more than 20 years. They are now being asked to start new jobs with standard six month probationary periods.

“But what happens if after these six months somebody decides they are not up to the job any more? They could be dismissed without any redundancy payments.

“I know some of them are looking for new jobs before this gets under way. That will mean the loss of experienced staff and could have a negative impact on tenants.”

Thrive communications manager Rosie Salkeld said: “Naturally this is an unsettling process for staff and we are being as open about the process as we can.

“The residential services team is currently involved in a formal consultation period - to comment more specifically on any individual situations could prejudice the outcome.

“The Board, which includes tenant members, is supportive of these changes to safeguard the long term future of Thrive Homes.”