Housing Corporation News Release

Tuesday 17 June 2008       Ref: 43/08

National debate on tenant empowerment and tenant choice opened

Housing Corporation Deputy CEO calls for revolution in tenant engagement and involvement

Housing Corporation Deputy CEO Peter Marsh called for the new housing regulator, the Tenant Services Authority, to lead a national debate to "challenge mediocrity and complacency" and "revolutionise" perceptions of tenant engagement and involvement in his speech at the CIH National Conference in Harrogate.

Speaking in a debate on priorities for the new regulator, Peter Marsh set out four key challenges that would be critical to the success of the new regulatory framework:

• responding effectively to the changing economic environment and increasingly challenging operating conditions facing housing associations;
• ensuring excellent levels of service to every tenant;
• revolutionising the sector's approach to tenant engagement and empowerment - placing it at the core of landlords' businesses; and
• ensuring that the new regulatory regime creates an opportunity for all stakeholders to be engaged, including landlords, tenants and local authorities.

Housing Corporation Deputy CEO Peter Marsh ended his speech by saying:

“The new regulator will lead a national debate which places tenant engagement and involvement at the core of what it means to be a social landlord. This will be what drives our new regulatory system. The challenge now is for housing associations (and ALMOs and LAs) to ready themselves to respond.”

Ends.

For further information: Terry Sefton, press office, 020 7393 2118.

Notes for Editors:

1. The Housing Corporation is the Government's national affordable homes agency, responsible for investing in new affordable homes and regulating nearly 2,000 housing associations who provide some two million homes across England.
 
2. The Corporation's £8 billion investment programme for 2008-11 is its biggest ever, set to fund at least 155,000 homes.  Over 100,000 of these are for affordable rent and more than 50,000 for affordable sale through the Government's HomeBuy initiatives, helping people get a foot on the property ladder.

3. The Housing Corporation is working with Communities and Local Government and English Partnerships to establish the proposed Homes and Communities Agency and proposed social housing regulator the Tenants Services Authority.