About us FAQsAnswers to our frequently asked questions below. |
Below are the questions we are asked most often by tenants, residents and their associations. Select any question below to reveal the answer.
If there is anything else you would like to know, our team will do our best to help.
As a tenant you have a number of rights that are enshrined in law. These include:
The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) is the Government body that regulates social housing providers in England.
Homes England is the official government housing, land, and regeneration agency for England.
A Tenants' and Residents' Association (TRA) is a group formed by local people who join together to work for common aims. A group may come together for a whole range of reasons, for example to tackle environmental problems on an estate or conduct a road-safety campaign, and can become involved in all types of activities from running a community building to organising activities for young people.
Although all groups are different, they do share common aims and objectives, which can include identifying and trying to solve problems that affect tenants and residents, campaigning on particular issues, organising community events and creating a sense of 'community spirit'. Also, many landlords consult TARAs on housing management issues and TARAs often become the main representative of tenants' views in an area or on an estate.
We would recommend that the TP worker firstly try to get things moving, if possible, by addressing members of the group. Try to establish if there is a problem or not and also to mention that by not meeting they are in all probability, not strictly adhering to the terms of the groups constitution.
This is obviously dependent on the constitution itself, but if the group has been 'recognised' there should be something alluding to a scenario similar as this. The next step should be to call a meeting of the said group's quorum (preferably giving 28 days notice). You should now establish through this meeting whether the group wants to continue functioning or not. If the group members present agree that they want this to happen, they can opt to elect a new committee.
If this is not the case the group should organise a further and formal 'Winding Up' meeting (again, giving 28 days notice). If in the worst case scenario there is actually no quorum, then the group will probably have to be 'wound up' there and then and that all relevant books, accounts etc are forwarded on to the party specified in the original agreed constitution.
A constitution is a formal document, adopted by most tenants' associations, that states the aims and objectives of the association and how it will be run. Many informal groups can work well without a constitution, but if groups want to be more formal or want to apply for grants etc., then a constitution is necessary.
There is no legal requirement on what should be included in a constitution for a tenants' and residents' association, but sometimes landlords may want certain clauses included before they are prepared to recognise a group. You should ask your landlord about this when producing your constitution. Tpas can provide examples of constitutions.
It is easy for small problems to gather momentum and for disputes to arise. There are both 'healthy' and 'unhealthy' disputes – healthy disputes can result in productive discussions and better decisions being made, however if communication breaks down and relationships are affected the situation becomes unhealthy – and can quickly get out of hand and become destructive. Unresolved disputes also damage the trust that is so essential for effective working.
If things seem to be stuck and aren't moving forward mediation might be a good option to consider. An independent mediator is neutral and will work confidentially to help those in dispute reach an agreement that everyone is comfortable with. Failing that, if the dispute continues you may want to follow your landlords complaints procedure by raising an official complaint. The first person to tell about a problem with housing is the landlord. They might be able to put things right.
If the landlord cannot put things right, you can then contact the Housing Ombudsman.
For more detailed information on complaints and how to resolve them contact the Housing Ombudsman http://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/
