You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Full review of TMOs and new FOI powers for tenants form part of government Grenfell response
The government has provided an update on its efforts to improve the oversight and accountability of tenant management organisations (TMOs), in its first annual report following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
Full review of TMOs and new FOI powers for tenants form part of government Grenfell response #UKhousingLast year, the government pledged to carry out a review of existing arrangements for the oversight of TMOs, in its response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report.
Following a call for evidence undertaken last year, the government has now begun a full review of the Right to Manage regulations which govern TMOs and will aim to identify if any changes are needed.
The report also revealed the government’s plans to extend Freedom of Information (FOI) rights to TMO tenants in order to provide them with “greater agency to better understand their homes”.
Read more
This change, along with new rules around Social Tenant Access to Information Requirements, will “give residents more practical tools to see how their landlords operate, providing them transparently with the knowledge to hold them to account”.
Management of Grenfell Tower was delegated from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) to the Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO), which was both a TMO and an arm’s length management organisation (ALMO).
The inquiry concluded that residents of KCTMO had been “ignored and marginalised”, despite the fact that TMOs and ALMOs are “intended to put residents at the heart of decisions”.
In response, the government expressed determination to ensure that residents’ rights, the quality and safety of their accommodation and the services they receive are not compromised when management of housing is delegated to third parties.
The new annual report from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “We committed to review the governance of delegated management organisations so residents can be confident their housing management is fit for purpose, and effective oversight and accountability is in place, regardless of who delivers it.
“Last year we carried out a call for evidence to understand the current relationship between councils, tenant management organisations and arm’s length management organisations.
“In light of this evidence, we have now begun a full review of the Right to Manage regulations which govern the establishment, operation and oversight of TMOs.”
The government said the call for evidence had identified issues with “clarity of responsibilities between TMOs and their parent landlords, information sharing and governance and financial arrangements”.
It continued: “We will work with TMOs, councils and tenants to identify the changes needed to the regulations and statutory guidance.
“The review will also consider how more tenants can be encouraged and supported to use the Right to Manage to take control of their housing management, with appropriate support and oversight.”
At the end of last year, Lambeth Council called on the government to urgently reform TMO legislation, which it said “binds the hands” of local authorities to act on resident concerns.
The council highlighted a specific TMO in Lambeth that it had recently referred to the Financial Conduct Authority.
Sign up to Inside Housing’s Tenancy Management newsletter
Sign up to Inside Housing’s Tenancy Management newsletter, a weekly round-up of stories on all aspects of tenancy management, from allocations to evictions.
Already have an account? Click here to manage your newsletters.
Sign up for Housing 2026
Join us at Housing 2026 and hear from the sector’s most influential voices. Leading housing organisations curate their stages, showcasing the speakers and discussions that matter most.
Take part in purposeful, tech-enabled networking – see who’s attending, handpick the people you want to meet, and engage in meaningful, in-person conversations.
Connect with every key decision-maker under one roof, from local authorities and housing associations to investors, developers and operators.
Related stories
