Tenants need more scrutiny powers

13 Dec 07
Tenants should be given wide-ranging powers to scrutinise their landlords within the new regulatory system for housing associations and local authorities, according to a report.

14 December 2007

Tenants should be given wide-ranging powers to scrutinise their landlords within the new regulatory system for housing associations and local authorities, according to a report.

The study, which was commissioned by the Housing Corporation, calls on social landlords to set up self-regulation groups made up of residents that could inquire into the day-to-day running of their properties and, in extreme cases, demand outside intervention by the regulator.

The report, published on December 7 by the Chartered Institute of Housing, says that resident-driven accountability must be at the heart of the new regulatory system governed by the Office for Tenants and Social Landlords.

While landlords would be required to provide information and reply to questions put by tenants, they would know that – providing nothing went awry – they faced a lighter regulatory burden and less scrutiny from other agencies.

Abi Davies, principal policy officer at the CIH, said that while it did not wish to 'dump responsibility for regulation' on tenants, the new regulatory framework should be more tenant-focused. 'We want to give them power to ensure that existing monitoring activities have more clout,' she added.

The report, Leading the way, suggests tenant groups should be allocated budgets that allow them to commission outside bodies to scrutinise landlords.

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