News Release

New regulation and guidance to encourage and support tenant empowerment to come into effect
 
29 September 2008             Ref: 70/08  

New regulation and guidance to encourage and support tenant empowerment come into effect this week (Wednesday 1 October 2008) as new Right to Manage regulations and changes to the Tenant Empowerment Programme are introduced.

The Tenant Empowerment Programme, which supports the Right to Manage initiative, allows tenants to gain independent advice, training and information and helps them to challenge, influence or control how their housing services are delivered in their communities.

The new guidance introduces a voluntary route to tenant management.  As a result of this:

• For the first time, housing association tenants will be able to apply for Tenant Empowerment Programme funding which has previously only been available to local authority tenants.

• Tenants in both the local authority and housing association sectors will be able to choose to take control of a limited range of services, operations or budgets through the creation of new 'Local Management Agreements'. These are designed to give tenants an 'easy entry' to tenant management without the need to take on full responsibility.

• A process for starting full tenant management without the need for tenants to serve notice on their landlord will also become available.

The regulatory changes include:

• The number of ballots required will reduce from two to one, to make the process quicker and less complicated

• A new, enlarged pool of  Lead Advisors will be available to guide tenants through the process of preparing to manage

• Approved Assessors will be recruited to give an independent and robust assessment of competencies.

Housing Corporation Chief Executive, Steve Douglas said “As part of our commitment to give the new social housing regulator the best possible start, this programme offers a great opportunity for tenants to get more involved in the management of their homes from now. 

Evidence shows that when tenants get directly involved in the management of their homes, standards improve.  It can also lead to a greater feeling of community and well-being. Landlords benefit from increased co-operation from tenants.”

Tenants who would like to find out more about the Tenant Empowerment Programme can visit:
The Housing Corporation
InSTEP
CLG

Tenants wishing to use the services of a Lead Advisor will be able to link to a list at: http://www.nftmo.com/

Ends.

For further information please contact
Sandra White Housing Corporation Press Office on 0207 393 2094
CLG press office on 020 7944 3049 or Fax: 0207 944 4689 press.office@communities.gsi.gov.uk

Notes to editors:

1)The Tenant Empowerment Programme supports the Housing (Right to Manage) Regulations 1994 which were introduced to give a clear framework for the development of tenant management within local authority housing; and to ensure that tenants who wanted to explore and develop tenant management could not unreasonably be prevented from doing so by the local authority.

2) On October 1st the Housing (Right to Manage) (England) Regulations 2008 - Statutory Instrument 2008 / 2361 will come into force. These will update the 1994 Regulations, reducing the number of required ballots from two to one, removing the need for support to tenants to be provided from an approved list, and introducing an independent assessment of the tenant group's competence before a ballot is held.