News Release

Tuesday 22 July 2008       01/08

Tenant Services Authority (TSA) gets ready for action
 
The new social housing regulator – the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) – is today ready for action with the news that Royal Assent has been granted on the Housing and Regeneration Bill in Parliament.

In a welcome move the Secretary of State has also inserted a clause in the current Housing and Regeneration Bill which will see the regulation of the local authority sector added to the remit of TSA through secondary legislation. It means that from day one, the TSA will have the authority to begin to design the regulatory system with four million households in mind.
 
The TSA has also today announced plans to start the recruitment process for its senior management team.

Peter Marsh, TSA Chief Executive Designate, said, “There have only been nine months since the decision to create an independent regulator was made and the volume of work required to turn the Cavian vision into a reality has been enormous. The debate in the House, in the press and in our offices has been full and healthy and with Royal Assent complete today we have the green light to take our vision forward. The TSA is now firmly on track to launch in December 2008.”

Recruitment consultants Odgers have been appointed to recruit the TSA Executive Team. Advertisements will appear in this weekend’s edition of the Sunday Times for the following posts:

• Executive Director - Tenant Services;
• Executive Director - Market Development;
• Executive Director - Corporate Services; and
• Director - Human Resource & Organisational Development.

The post of Executive Director - Governance and Viability will be recruited via an internal ring-fenced process. 

Peter Marsh added, “These are some of the most influential and exciting roles in housing today. Our new structure will place tenants’ views at the heart of everything we do, ensure the continued viability of a thriving housing sector and shape the market of affordable housing for generations to come. I want to build an executive team who will, collectively, be regarded a force for change with a passion for the importance of affordable housing.”

The closing date for applications will be Monday 1 September 2008.

Ends.

For further information, please contact Sandra White on 020 7393 2094.

Notes to Editors:

1) The Tenant Services Authority will regulate social housing landlords, setting high standards of management across housing association and local authority social homes, listening to tenants' concerns and using its powers to make sure tenants are getting a good service from their landlords, whilst encouraging landlords to keep innovating and improving their offer.

2) The Tenant Services Authority will be an independent regulatory body with powers to cut red tape for registered local landlords and wider ranging ability to take action where tenants are not getting a fair deal.

3) The TSA was announced by the then Minister for Housing and Planning,
Yvette Cooper, on 15 October 2007
:www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm071015/wmstext/71015m0001.htm 

4) Peter Marsh, Chief Executive Designate of the TSA, will be accountable to the Board of TSA. He will be responsible for creating a new social housing regulator that will deliver the Government’s vision as set out in its response to the consultation on delivering housing and regeneration (January 2008). He will ensure that tenants get a high quality service from their landlords, while allowing the latter sufficient freedom to allow them to innovate for the benefit of the sector.