Update on the Tenant Participation Strategy

The Department for Social Development recently produced its Response Report to the Tenant Participation Strategy Consultation. The Tenant Participation consultation is part of a wider programme of reform in the social rented sector. An encouraging 206 individuals and organisations responded to the Consultation exercise.

What did the respondents think about the Tenants Participation Strategy?

In the response report, the Department sets out the feedback received by way of specific answers to the consultation questions and more general comments that were made.

Key feedback includes:

• 73% of respondents were in favour of developing a tenant participation strategy.
• 93% of respondents felt that the strategic approach was appropriate and fair.
• 87% showed support for an over-arching tenant body.
• 88% felt that the regulatory standard was clear and understandable.
• 77% were in favour of the introduction of legislation to support tenant empowerment rights.

What other information has the Department taken from the responses?

The Department acknowledges:

• That the standards should apply to all social housing providers, and not just housing associations.

The Department has given reassurance that:

• Compliance with the standards will be policed by the Regulator who will look for evidence from social landlords of the efforts they make to engage with tenants. There will also be an emphasis on outputs. The Department is very much of a mind that compliance will not be a ‘tick box’ exercise.
• They will address the issue of participation by non-tenants e.g. service users, homeless people, as part of their action plan. The Department will work to set in place processes to ensure that engagement opportunities are made available to non-tenants.

The Department will give further consideration to:

• The introduction of additional enforcement powers for the Regulator where social housing providers to not meet the regulatory standards
• What is meant by a ‘Tenants’ Advocate’.

It is promising that the Department is committed to working with housing professionals and other stakeholders to build on the good practise that already exists. We also welcome their support to access adequate resources to further the development independent tenant support. Here at Housing Rights, we look forward to working with the Department and others in making tenant and user participation a reality.