(top right) Michael Newey, Chief Executive of Broadland Housing Association;
(above) tenants participating in workshop sessions
Kate Dodsworth, Director of Consumer Regulation at the Housing Regulator, met tenants from 7 social housing providers across the eastern region at a meeting hosted by Broadland Housing in October.
The aim was to get tenants’ feedback on what is important to them and how well their landlord listens to their issues and concerns.
The meeting, organised jointly by Placeshapers and the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH), was an exciting opportunity for tenants to give their views directly to the Regulator.
Social Housing White Paper
Last year, the Government published its Social Housing White Paper. This requires RSH to change the way it carries out consumer regulation in social housing and to create a new consumer function. RSH wants to hear from social housing tenants over the next few years on a range of topics relating to this, to better understand what matters to them. This will help RSH shape how the new consumer function should work in practice.
The session at Carrow Road, Norwich, covered how regulation in the social housing sector works at the moment and the changes the White Paper is introducing, and the opportunities coming up to engage further with RSH.
Positive feedback from tenants
The day started with a joint meeting between members of Independent East (a partnership between Broadland Housing, Freebridge, Havebury, Saffron and Orwell Housing). Tenants from the housing associations learned how they could influence positive change with their landlords, share best practice and discuss the issues they face. There were also opportunities for tenants to share their thoughts with RSH directly during workshop sessions.
The feedback from the meeting was very positive: 93% of tenants who attended said they would like to see a new forum set up. The most popular topics for further discussion are: reviewing service standards, reviewing complaints together and training.
Tenants were also interested in attending other ad hoc workshops and seminars. This is an exciting development in the sector and we will be posting more news and developments as they happen.