Fingers
South Yorkshire
Member of local Tenants Federation, previously a vice-chair of an ALMO, before standing down due to the benefits issues.
Recent activity
Comments (20)
-
Comment on: Minister pledges to end ‘digital apartheid’
Could it be that as the new DWP universal credit is implemented and all applicants have to register online and inform changes online our beloved Grunt Snapps has done his best to ensure that all tenants have accessability do do this.
-
Comment on: Minister pledges to end ‘digital apartheid’
Could it be that as the new DWP universal credit is implemented and all applicants have to register online and inform changes online our beloved Grunt Snapps has done his best to ensure that all tenants have accessability do do this.
-
Comment on: Stevenage takes ALMO back in house
it is interesting that most councils that are bringing back homes to council control are not consulting with and giving their tenants a vote as how they wish to express their concerns over how they are managed.
ALMOs have been a driver to encourage and deliver better services but it is a perception rightly or wrongly that LAs are wanting to retain the HRA when it comes to self financing.
Tenants are now more aware as to how their rents should be retained for and spent on housing issues only and not used to finance other programmes or schemes that should be from the general fund.
It will be interesting how tenant scrutiny as the regulator under the HCA will examine the finances and then if serious detriment appears on the horizon as a result of poor spending controls and how the HCA will handle this issue. -
Comment on: Stevenage takes ALMO back in house
it is interesting that most councils that are bringing back homes to council control are not consulting with and giving their tenants a vote as how they wish to express their concerns over how they are managed.
ALMOs have been a driver to encourage and deliver better services but it is a perception rightly or wrongly that LAs are wanting to retain the HRA when it comes to self financing.
Tenants are now more aware as to how their rents should be retained for and spent on housing issues only and not used to finance other programmes or schemes that should be from the general fund.
It will be interesting how tenant scrutiny as the regulator under the HCA will examine the finances and then if serious detriment appears on the horizon as a result of poor spending controls and how the HCA will handle this issue. -
Comment on: Ombudsman sets out ‘offer’ to tenants
Rick
Those democratically elected members that represent the landlords if it is retained stock will of course have the appropriate hat to ware that will give them the ability to independently represent tenants, you are being a little harsh on them.
Discussions (0)
Fingers has not added any discussions yet.
Posts (12)
-
Posted in: TENANT'S ENPOWERMENT - I'M NOT CONVINCED
KASS:-
The only point that I was trying to make when I stated “if only I could be CEO I could resolve the issues in no time at all.” That statement was, and still is poppycock, was that it is all too easy to create a blame culture and to blame everyone but ourselves.
Yes there are some tenants that have fought long and hard over many years. If Co-regulation is to work it will rely on the tenant movement as a whole accepting the responsibility to engage with our landlords and supporting them where appropriate, and challenge if that is the only way forward. We tenants must garner the knowledge to challenge effectively, only when we have that knowledge in place will we be able to make Co-regulation effective and a process that will serve us well.
But there again May 6th may have a change for us all. -
Posted in: TENANT'S ENPOWERMENT - I'M NOT CONVINCED
TENANT EMPOWERMENT
EVA: You are correct in the question you pose in that you are not convinced as to the interpretation of Co-Regulation and if the outcomes will work if there is a lack of “tenant empowerment.”
Tenants have stated for more years than I care to remember “if only I could be CEO I could resolve the issues in no time at all.” That statement was, and still is poppycock.
Tenant empowerment if it is to be meaningful will rely on tenants accepting their responsibility to engage and be responsible for influencing decisions. Tenants should never deride those that accept some of the responsibility that management brings. If tenants do not agree with how things are being run, then get together with like minded others and change the circumstances.
Tenant Empowerment will bring opportunities for those that are willing to grasp the options open to them, but to stand on the sidelines and malign the efforts of others, without taking up the challenge, demeans those tenants.
Yes there will be tenants that poor performing housing associations and their staff belittle, but that undermines the efforts those tenants try to bring into the challenging process that is social housing.
Good landlords will grasp co-regulation as a tool within their box to strengthen the participation of their tenants. After all the six standards are only the minimal acceptable, it will be for local standards to be developed over the next twelve to eighteen months to enhance the measure for social housing and how tenants engage in that process. That process and that alone will measure how positive “Tenant Empowerment” will be in ensuring tenant issues are listened to and acted upon. -
Posted in: CARELESS HOUSING ASSOCIATION
Eva
Nolan Principles
These are guidance for all local authorities to follow and are being adopted by hospitals and the NHS. These have not yet filtered down to HAs but you could use them to challenge your CEO as they are good principles for any organisation to follow.
VfM I must appologise for slipping into jargon, Value for Money, as I stated this should be embeded into any HA. No new project should be started without exploring if it succeeds to deliver value for money, and should be monitored regularly to ensure it continues to do so.
I'm sorry this forum seems to becoming a knocking shop, it was surely designed to help and assist those with questions, not one that has denegrated into smart alecs full of percieved inteligence but no common sense. -
Posted in: CARELESS HOUSING ASSOCIATION
Eva
You have the right to ensure that your landlord is fullfilling the requirement that you seek i.e. to ensure that you are getting value for money embeded into their business plan.
Any landlord worth their salt would embed VfM across everything they do, you as a tenant have the right to ensure that is the case. After allwhen you have scrutinised the figures you will be able to affirm that they are achieving Vfm, or not if that is the case.
There are a set of Nolan Principles that good quality HAs would proceed to use to prove good governance. These principles should help you to enquire into the governance of your HA. After all the issue of governance is a well known weakness in HAs as the Audit-Commision has flagged up.
As a thorn in their side you irritate them, surely your landlord would be better off if they were to bring you into their inner sanctum and put your concerns at rest by giving you the information you seek.
As long as you challenge appropriately, continue your struggle, but do not give up the fight. Confidentiality is used as the big smokescreen to hide behind, but you have the last option by a complaint to the TSA and allow them to mediate in this situation. -
Posted in: CARELESS HOUSING ASSOCIATION
EVA
Back to your original question and do you have the right to scrutinise your landlord and the decisions they make on your behalf may I point out to you a document on the TSA website entitled: A new regulatory framework for social housing in England. (You can request up to 5 copies on line from the TSA website, suggest both full and summary document)
The document sets out in detail the routes tenants can take under their rights of Tenant Empowerment, and the ability to scrutinise their landlord and the services they provide.
The regulations come into force for all social housing providers on 1st April 2010 (all fools day, or what).
The regulations will state that tenants will have the right to influence the decision making process.
Was a little surprised that Joe did not flag this document to you and with it the fact that if your landlord does not meet their obligations then you have the right to inform the regulatory body the TSA and they can then take action to ensure compliance.
Hope this helps in your hour of need