Guide to Successful Tenant Participation

1.

Are tenants fully involved in reviewing Tenant Participation policy and practice?

2.

Have the strengths and weaknesses of the strategy been identified by tenants, landlords, committee members and elected members?

3.

Does the strategy set out how traditionally excluded groups are encouraged to participate?

4.

Has an assessment of the resources currently put into Tenant Participation and the resource gaps been made?

5.

Have any shortfalls identified in the last review of Tenant Participation been addressed?

6.

Have gaps been prioritised for further development?

7.

Do services reflect tenants needs and priorities 

8.

Are tenants being encouraged to form scrutiny groups? 

9.

Do tenants and others understand landlord operation?

10.

Is training being provided?

11.

Are tenants and landlords working together to achieve change?

12.

Can you collaborate with neighbouring tenants/landlords to develop scrutiny activities?

13.

Tenants should consider if there are opportunities to be involved in monitoring and assessing the Charter performance of their landlord? 

14.

As landlords, is there more you could do to promote the Charter and support your tenants to be involved in scrutinising your Charter performance?

15.

Is there improved communication, effective partnership working and is scrutiny taking off?

16.

Are there Service Improvements and efficiencies?

17.

Is there Tenant involvement in Charter reporting and monitoring? 

18.

Does the Tenant Participation strategy fit in with other plans and statutory requirements?

19.

Are tenants aware that a review of Tenant Participation is underway and do they know how they can get involved?

20.

Is on going training and briefing in place to ensure the commitment of staff, committee members and elected members to Tenant Participation?

21.

Do staff, committee members and elected members know about the participation parts of the Act and good practice guidance?

22.

Are all staff kept up-to-date on Tenant Participation developments?

23.

Do front line staff who work with tenants have training on equal opportunities, customer care and the skills required to carry out their job effectively?

24.

Are processes of decision making open, clear and accountable?

25.

Do tenants have access to decision makers?

26.

Is consultation with tenants and groups carried out before decisions are made? Are decisions made together?

27.

Are tenants’ views taken into account before decisions are made?

28.

Are tenants and groups given adequate time to consider and respond to issues?

29.

Are tenants involved in the review of service standards, best value reviews and monitoring of landlord performance?

30.

Are methods in place to feedback to tenants and RTOs following a consultation exercise?

31.

Has the landlord consulted tenant groups or other networks of tenants to find out what their key housing issues are and what level of involvement they want?

32.

Has work been undertaken to stimulate Tenant Participation in areas where there is little or no tenant involvement?

33.

Is there an up-to-date register of registered tenant groups in place?

34.

Are mechanisms in place to enable tenants at a local level to influence housing management?

35.

In the case of registered social landlords, do tenants have a place or places on the governing body?

36.

Are mechanisms in place to enable tenants to contribute to the reviews of service standards, policies, investment priorities and performance monitoring?

37.

Is the main agenda for Tenant Participation planned in advance?

38.

Is the agenda jointly agreed with tenants?

39.

Are processes in place to enable tenants at a local level to influence local housing management services? 

1.

Does your Tenant Participation strategy set out processes for reviewing, monitoring and evaluating Tenant Participation?

2.

Were these processes jointly agreed with tenants?

3.

Have time and resources for monitoring and evaluating Tenant Participation been allocated within the strategy?

4.

Have tenants and landlords agreed what information needs to be collected, and how, when, and by whom the evaluation will be carried out?

5.

Is the information being collected relevant to monitoring and evaluating Tenant Participation?

6.

Is the information accurate and presented in a user-friendly format?

1.

Are staff with specific responsibility for Tenant Participation in place to provide support to new groups, develop existing groups, promote Tenant Participation and consult with the wider community?

2.

Is a training programme for all staff in place to provide skills and knowledge to develop participation practice?

3.

Can staff access external training events on Tenant Participation?

4.

Is training and briefing provided to keep committee members and elected members informed of Tenant Participation practice and developments?

5.

Is a joint agreement in place between landlords and tenants, setting out what information tenants will receive and how they will receive it?

6.

Is information for tenants easily accessible, in plain English, provided in different formats where required, relevant and accurate?

7.

Is information made available with sufficient time for tenant groups to consider and consult their members?

8.

Is training available for individuals and tenant groups to develop their ability to participate? 

9.

Can tenants access external Tenant Participation training and events?

10.

Are start up grants and annual running costs available to tenant groups to cover the group’s costs?

11.

Are these grants reviewed regularly with tenant groups to ensure they get enough funding to carry out their activities?

12.

Is funding available to ensure that there are no financial barriers to tenants participating, i.e. expenses, care costs are met?

13.

Is ‘in kind’ support, such as access to premises or photocopying, available to groups?

14.

Do tenants have access to independent advice?

1.

Does the landlord recognise and welcome the rights of tenant and resident groups and umbrella organisations to represent the views and interests of their local community?

2.

Is the independence of tenant groups recognised by the landlord?

3.

Are tenant and resident groups adequately supported financially and ‘in kind’?

4.

Does the landlord work to ensure that tenant organisations are well informed, resourced and given adequate support so that they are able to influence decisions?

5.

Is there a range of opportunities and mechanisms in place for tenant groups to access and input to the decision making process?

6.

Are tenant groups regularly invited to meetings with their landlord to discuss housing and community issues?

7.

Have the landlord and tenant groups agreed a timescale for receiving and considering information?

8.

Are tenant groups given the opportunity to meet and discuss joint issues and prepare their points of view before meeting the landlord?

9.

Do tenant groups have the opportunity to contribute to the agenda?

10.

Are perceptions of problems and issues shared between tenants and the landlord before potential solutions are discussed?

11.

Are tenants’ views considered before decisions are taken?

12.

Is feedback provided to groups following consultation exercises?

13.

Is Tenant Participation seen by the landlord as an on going process? 

14.

Are different ways to maintain communications with groups used?

15.

Is the relationship between the groups and the landlord a respectful one?

16.

Are staff in place to help new groups, provide development support to existing groups, and promote Tenant Participation across the organisation?

1.

Are equal opportunities build into both mainstream housing services and Tenant Participation strategies?

2.

Has a training needs assessment been carried out in relation to equal opportunities?

3.

Have staff and tenant representatives been provided with training on equal opportunities in relation to participation?

4.

Are equal opportunities and proactive attempts to involve all built into the Tenant Participation activities of the landlord and groups?

5.

Are representatives from all groups involved in monitoring and reviewing the Tenant Participation strategy?

6.

Have the individual needs of all groups been identified and met?

7.

Has action been taken to remove barriers to accessing participation, such as language barriers and child care?

8.

Have opportunities to take part in a range of participation methods been provided to all?

9.

Are networking opportunities provided to enable individual tenants to meet representatives of tenant groups and staff?