Tenants authority ‘acting beyond its remit’

19 Nov 09
Social landlords have accused their new regulator of going beyond its remit by looking too closely into how they achieve value for money
By Neil Merrick

19 November 2009

Social landlords have accused their new regulator of going beyond its remit by looking too closely into how they achieve value for money.

Both councils and housing associations are concerned about a value-for-money standard that is set to form part of the new regulatory framework for landlords and other housing providers.

The proposed framework, published last week by the Tenant Services Authority, suggested landlords should provide ‘cost-effective, efficient, quality services and homes’ and show tenants how they prioritise spending. It would also require them to demonstrate they carried out value-for-money tests.

John Bryant, policy leader at the National Housing Federation, said landlords should decide how they achieve outcomes set by the TSA. ‘We don’t want the regulator to be involved in process,’ he added. ‘Value for money is really important but it’s not something that the regulator can usefully contribute to.’

Value for money is one of six standards proposed in the framework, due to be introduced next April. Piali DasGupta, policy consultant at the Local Government Association, said it should not be a stand-alone category but should feature in all standards.

TSA chief executive Peter Marsh said it was required by Parliament to ensure that providers operated efficiently. He promised a full debate on the standards, but said: ‘We don’t in any way prescribe how providers should show they’re achieving value for money.’

The NHF welcomed the framework as a whole. ‘The TSA is stepping back generally in trying to regulate outcomes,’ said Bryant. ‘On the whole, it’s making an effort to get it right.’

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