WANTED: Your views.
WHY?: To set new standards for social landlords.
Housing Associations including Hexagon now have a new regulator – the Tenant Services Authority (the “TSA”). The TSA started work on 1 December and has replaced the regulation role of the Housing Corporation.
The new TSA wants to do things differently and has been given extra powers by government. Its main concerns will be:
• how financially viable housing associations are (particularly in the current economic climate)
• how well the housing associations are being run by their Boards
• the standards of the service provided by housing associations
The TSA’s standards
The TSA will be drawing up a brand new set of standards for all social landlords to be measured against. These standards will be used to show how well (or not, as the case may be) the landlord is performing – and taking action against those who don’t perform to the standard. The first thing that the TSA is planning to do is to consult with residents nationwide, starting right now, on what these standards should be. You can see examples of the areas the standards are expected to cover by turning to Page 14 of Home News, our residents’ newsletter or visiting the TSA's website at http://www.nationalconversation.co.uk.
The National Conversation
On 12th January the TSA launched the biggest ever discussion with housing association and council tenants in England. This discussion is known as the National Conversation and is taking place to find out what residents want to see be part of the new standards.
The National Conversation will take the form of a series of regional events. To see further details of these events and of ‘Local Conversations’ and how you can organise your own Local Conversation, turn to page 14 of our Home News newsletter or contact Marley Simmons at Hexagon on 020 8768 7970 or by email at msimmons@hexagon.org.uk.