Proposal emerges ahead of the blueprint for the National Tenant Voice
Associations urged to fund tenant groups
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The new pan-England tenants’ body could push housing associations into providing financial backing to isolated groups of tenants who are battling to improve their communities.
The news emerged ahead of next week’s launch of the blueprint for the new National Tenant Voice, which will be established this summer.
The isolation of some tenants groups was making it ‘very difficult for them to share their views and best practice,’ said housing consultant Steve Hilditch, independent chair of the project group setting up the NTV.
Mr Hilditch said the organisation would work to get funding to existing local and national groups in order to strengthen tenant participation.
‘It is impossible for the tenant movement to become more representative unless they have more resources,’ he said.
The NTV could provide funding from its own budget, or housing associations could be asked to pay, he added.
‘Tenants would say that these organisations and what they do are based on their rents. A small proportion of that could come back to the tenants’ movement.’
Tenant groups would need to have business plans, targets and be able to demonstrate that they can deliver in order to access money from the NTV, Mr Hilditch said.
‘Some of the people involved in the tenant movement are real heroes – they represent tenants’ interests for nothing and they devote their lives to it,’ he added.
‘The NTV should be about getting resources to these amazing people.’
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Readers' comments (2)
Jim Parsons | 06/02/2009 10:10 am
Does this include Leaseholders? I know in the eyes of the law we are all tenants but our landlord, Orbit South Housing Association, are vehemently anti-Leaseholder! We have formed a Leaseholder group in Bexley and do not take money from our landlord, our wish. But if RSL's want to fully embrace all tenant groups regardless of tenure they a. must work with tenant groups and b. fund activities that are positive and constructive for all. Once we see (in our landlord's case) self protection barriers dismantled then we and all tenant groups countrywide will feel appreciated. In our particular case by forming an opposition to our landlord's many grandious schemes have we been able to help them manage our properties without ridiculous and costly schemes being implemented; a lesson here for all RSL's and with a better outlook for all for the future!
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Carole | 06/02/2009 10:43 am
I couldn't agree more with the comments made. I raised a similar issue at a recent regional event organised by the TSA. For a number of years tenant/leasehold participation has been on the landlords terms. But not for much longer, tenants have become very cynical and want to be involved on their terms, especially within the larger/merged RSLs. I've thought for a long time now that RSLs have relied on a few tenants to give their time on a voluntary basis, isn't it about time us tenants were paid for the 'free consultation' work we do to keep our communities running?
But given the current economic climate, lack of sales etc, I see tenant participation funding as a soft target to make cut backs. We need goverment funding as well as individual RSL funding to help make the 'Tenant Voice' heard and respected.
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