Of course tenants want a mouthpiece
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John Grayson’s letter (Inside Housing, 19 September) reflects the need for a National Tenant Voice to ensure that tenants, not academics, speak on behalf of tenants.
As the chairs of the three national tenant organisations, and members of the NTV project group, we make the following points.
First, he suggests that tenants have ‘overwhelmingly rejected’ the NTV proposals. Not true.
While the NTV project group has taken into account a number of points made by tenants, the vast majority consulted have been in favour of the proposals – particularly the proposal that the NTV should be independent and not based in the National Consumer Council as originally proposed. Of course, some tenant groups have different views than others. This is the NTV’s challenge – to develop a structure that can best represent all strands of tenant interest – from existing groups to the large body of tenants whose voices are never heard.
Second, Mr Grayson suggests that the NTV will marginalise local tenant groups. The NTV consultation paper makes it clear that strengthening local, regional, and national tenant organisations is one of the NTV’s three core aims – the other two being to advocate for tenants, and to research what tenants want.
It is not proposed that the NTV take on being a representative body for tenants, because such bodies already exist nationally, regionally and locally, and they work hard to represent tenants. However, the reality is that none are yet as strong and accountable as tenants need them to be, and it will take many years to develop an effective democratic structure.
Third, Mr Grayson is suggesting that the NTV will take a ‘consumerist’ rather than a citizen-based approach. We agree that a purely consumerist line would not be appropriate for the NTV. The NTV should promote and support collective tenant approaches including tenant management, and several people involved have been strongly campaigning for these approaches for many years. But collective and consumer approaches are not incompatible with each other and each only works successfully if both are options available to tenants. Again, the challenge for the NTV is to ensure that it reflects all tenant activity and viewpoints.
Generally, the response to the tenant consultation has been that the NTV proposals, while not perfect, are as close to reflecting the different strands of tenant interest as they could be at the moment. We would urge all tenants to unite to support the NTV and other housing practitioners to respect the views of tenants.
Nic Bliss, chair, Confederation of Co-operative Housing; Terry Edis, chair, National Federation of Tenant Management Organisations; and Michael Gelling, chair, Tenants’ and Residents’ Organisations of England
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Readers' comments (2)
Terry Harding | 29/10/2008 9:51 pm
So now we are to have a National Council to champion Tenants rights, perhaps long overdue I hear you all saying, but I fear its years too late and who is to be on the Council, look down the list and we will see the same names from worn out organisations. I wonder who nominated them, or is that question out of order and should we tenants not ask who is to represent them.
Last year the Government announced their intention to create a National Tenants Voice, which would be made up of tenants, now we find that a 15 strong Executive will have the powers, with only 26 tenants, chosen from tenant organisations throughout the Country. Well that certainly omits the majority of non represented tenants doesn’t it? It also omit North Tyneside from any chance of representation, as North Tyneside Council have repeatedly failed to involve tenants throughout its whole existence. We went the Government and complained there was no tenant empowered strategy, but the Parliamentary Ombudsman , in her wisdom and with her vast experience of Council Tenants, thought that informing tenants in a newsletter constituted tenant involvement. Other tenants from other Local Authorities in the North East have the same problems, I was approached tonight by a Tenant in Sunderland and asked if I would consider representing them, perhaps Alan Savage might consider in my place, after all he may do better in Sunderland because he met with little success in Blyth Valley, when his Council went ALMO without consulting a single tenant. I suppose Gateshead faired little better when the Tenants Panel, chaired by a House Owner, voted for disposal of their Houses, or perhaps they should ask Newcastle Tenants Federation, for they appear to be completely out of touch with Newcastle Tenants. But let’s face it, there are few Council tenants left to represent now anyway. Still we would like to have full control of our own destiny (better the devil you know) The Government in their wisdom have decided for us, after all who better to run this unholy alliance than TPAS, TAROE, National Federation of Tenant Management Organisations, Confederation of Co-operative Housing, NECTAR, National Community Forum. Not to forget non representative groups such as the Audit Commission, Chartered Institute of Housing, Local Government Association and the National Housing Federation. Now that is what I call a real mixed bunch and we could hardly find a single dedicated Tenant Representative among the whole bunch. Recently Hilary Armstrong expressed a wish to become involved in housing once again, well Hilary, I think the creation of this panel is on par with your creation of the Tenants Participation Compact and I certainly envisage the National Tenants Voice as just another Lame dog organisation to equal that of the Local Government Ombudsman.
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Tim Brooks | 14/11/2008 12:41 pm
Terry Harding is very critical of the new NTV arrangements and appears to be wallowing in a mire of defeatism. Have you actually given up - if so why bother writing such comments?
It is true the strucutre of the NTV is not perfect, but where would you start? It seems logical to start with those organisations that already exist.
26 tenants ( a majority on the council) are not from TAROE, NFTMO or CCH, they are recruited from other residents groups - so the claim that the same "worn out" organisations will have all the power is simply not true. You say that this omits non represented tenants. How would you propose to select members from those tenants who are not part of a group? How would that work?
The point is that if the NTV is able to get some momentum - and this will require tenants to unite around it - it may be able to have influence nationally to increase the number of Residents Groups so that fewer people are unaffiliated and therefore to broaden coverage of the tenant population to enable more to take part in the NTV - at some point, who knows it may even be able to become fully democratic (this has to be a goal for the future).
It is true that many undemocratic and unethical actions have taken place and that is shameful for all involved. But now we have an opportunity to move forward and ensure that all residents have a voice in an atmosphere of mutuality and partnership.
Like everything the NTV strucutre can be criticised from a number of angles - but waht''s your alternative? If you don't have one, best keep quiet or you will be guaranteeing the continuance of the Status Quo and all its dysfunctional, divisive, and inequitable consequences.
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