Established in 2010 the Tenant
Advisory Panel (TAP ) is a direct link
between regulation and tenants across
Wales. It meets on a quarterly basis
to discuss the main issues that are
currently affecting tenants within the
housing sector and to raise concern
around the performance of housing
association regulation.
Currently committed to and focused on
housing influences such as maintenance,
communication, WHQS, welfare reform
and homelessness, TAP seeks to obtain
tenant views from all over Wales, feeding
the regulators with up-to-date information
from a tenant point of view and the
housing minister who fully supports the
work of TAP. Regular access to education,
training and up-to-date information of the
housing sector and housing association
regulatory framework is needed.
As TAP member Lynn Wilkinson Owen
explains: ‘Tenant participation and tenant
training is important within my housing
association, Cymdeithas Tai Eryri. They
arrange meetings to suit all and pay travel
and expenses for childcare. The main
source of funding comes from the TP
budget, tenants are encouraged to attend
training and forums and last year saw an
increase of tenants joining various groups.
They also fund tenants to attend events
and conferences and I myself was funded
to attend two last year. My work in my
community has always been important
and I enjoy what it achieves. Training is
ongoing and very helpful as updates in
all areas are needed continually. Being a
member of TAP I can see what is needed to
ensure communities have good standards
of living conditions and good homes to
live in. It is important that all tenants get
the opportunity to receive training as
we are an important part of our housing
association who would like to continue to
make a difference in our communities.’
The purse strings
Tenants within the sector often face a
constant battle and sometimes find it
increasingly difficult to challenge those
who hold the ‘purse strings’ and this quite
often leads to a communication breakdown
resulting in loss of interest. When tenants
show enthusiasm to participate, they
are constantly being reminded of the
lack of funds and resources to carry out
the requests of their landlord and to be
active in the field to commit to tenant
participation and contribute positively.
Volunteers would like to be assured that
there is access to facilities and training
readily available, thus enabling them to
progress and achieve the outcomes within
the sector. When tenants do volunteer for
work in the social housing sector, not all
have the necessary experience and skills to
undertake the work required when sitting
on tenant panels and scrutiny groups at all
levels. This results in an inability to voice
concerns and develop in particular areas.
Funding for training
Although information and training is
made available to tenants through various
organisations such as CHC, CIH, Welsh
Tenants, TPAS and Open Communities,
creating better access and the provision
of more funding for training will enable
tenants to build confidence and knowledge
to challenge the sector and receive updated
regular access to information enabling them
to keep up with the constant changes in
housing.
As TAP member Christine Kemp-
Philp explains: ‘I knew nothing of my
rights and responsibilities about being
a tenant in 2006 and became involved
in the tenants panel where I received
basic training, including how to chair
meetings. Since then I have received
useful in-house training and have gained
a number of housing-related certificates,
CIH and others. The TAP training has also
kept me informed on regulatory issues
by attending various conferences, Welsh
Tenants ATTAIN meetings and some TPAS
training. I have been able to network with
other tenants from my region where we
share experiences. This has increased my
confidence in representing the views of
other tenants.
‘The best training was at Trafford Hall,
the national tenants resource centre. It
was residential so I could mix with tenants
from all over. Sadly this resource is now
only available to English tenants. It is a
huge shame that Wales does not have a
similar centre of its own, where tenants
can network and learn.\’