Southern Housing Group

In June the Tenant Services Authority, the new independent regulator for affordable housing, unveiled the results of the largest ever consultation with housing association residents.

Over 27,000 residents from across the country took part in the first phase of the TSA’s National Conversation. The feedback gathered from this has been used to draft a new set of standards for all social housing landlords in England, to help improve services for residents.

The standards focus on six key themes:
• repairs and maintenance
• neighbourhood management
• resident involvement
• tenancy agreements, including rents and allocations
• governance
• viability and value for money.

The TSA want your feedback on these standards and have launched the second phase of their consultation. You have until 8 September 2009 to tell them what you think.  To find out more information about how you can have your say visit: www.nationalconversation.co.uk

The TSA will also be consulting residents via:
• a sounding board and three supporting advisory boards
• written responses
• feedback from events
• feedback from local conversations
• direct contact with tenants, landlords and stakeholders.

Judy McGough, Research Manager for Southern Housing Group commented on the consultation: "Social housing is a really valuable resource and we want to see it well run and deliver services that residents want. These proposals will affect everyone who wants to apply for a home with or be housed by social landlords in England  They will regulate the way in which all such landlords operate and deliver services, and so we think it's important that residents tell the TSA what they think about their proposals.”

The final phase of the process will be a statutory consultation which will be launched in the Autumn 2009.