1. Effective Tenant Scrutiny Conference Tuesday 7 June Department for Communities and Local Government

2. Government Agenda: Localism
“Today is the start of a deep and serious reform agenda to take power away from politicians and give it to people.“
David Cameron
“We need to give people the platform to get things done ….. a system which properly puts tenants and their representatives firmly in the driving seat.”
Grant Shapps
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3. Review of Social Housing Regulation
In October 2010 Grant Shapps published the Review of Social Housing:
transfers functions from the TSA to the HCA;
consumer regulation focused on local mechanisms;
localist approach for resolving complaints;
shift to local challenge and scrutiny including a new standard on Tenant Involvement

4. Direction on Tenant Involvement
Expect the new Direction to include recommendations from the Review:
tenants should be given a wide range of opportunities to influence scrutiny of landlord’s performance;
landlords must provide timely, useful performance information including an annual report to tenants
Subsequent policy announcements
increasing opportunities to manage own homes;
tenant cashback scheme
Consultation on Directions (including Tenure, Mutual Exchange, Rent, Accommodation) expected shortly

5. Draft direction expected to reflect the Tenant Cashback announcement:
opportunities for tenants to be involved in the management of repair services for their homes;
tenants take control by undertaking or commissioning routine repair tasks themselves;
share in any savings made;
gain practical and transferable skills
Model will be flexible to suit local circumstances
Pilots will examine how the scheme will work in practice

6. Tenant Panels – Draft Direction
Draft direction expected to require landlords to accept scrutiny via a tenant panel
Landlords must support the formation and activities of panels
Landlords respond in a constructive and timely manner

7. Tenant Panels – Localism Bill
Provisions in the Localism Bill to support tenant panels
Proposing to give panels a formal role in the “democratic filter” for complaints handling
Means that panels (alongside local councillors and local MPs) will refer unresolved complaints to the HO
Up to panels to decide whether to fulfil this dual function

8. Tenant Panels – work by NTOs
NTOs invited by Grant Shapps to identify a framework for the development of tenant panels
High level principles on how an effective panel might operate in different local circumstances
Supported by case studies / good practice from existing models
Expecting to publish early next year - will consult widely during the process

9. Role of the Regulator
Limited to setting clear standards – moving away from current system of monitoring and inspections
Only investigating and addressing the most serious failures against those regulatory standards
The regulator will consult in Autumn on how it intends to apply a “serious detriment” threshold

10. Major refocusing of the regulatory framework for consumer protection
Conclusion
Major refocusing of the regulatory framework for consumer protection
Greater emphasis on local accountability and local dispute resolution
A stronger role for tenants (and locally elected people) in scrutinising landlord performance
Opportunities for tenant panels e.g. scrutiny and “democratic filter”