Housing associations need new relationship with Government. Solving the country’s housing problems is dependent on a new relationship between housing associations and the Government, National Housing Federation chief executive, David Orr, said in his keynote speech.

Orr spoke on increasing housing supply:

“Crucially, we also need a new relationship with government: one which treats housing associations as the powerful allies they are, not simply as the Government’s delivery agents. The best associations are delivering prosperous, secure and vibrant neighbourhoods. And they can do this because they are independent organisations with talent and creativity. But too often, associations find their hands tied by bureaucratic regulation. To its credit the Government is starting to address this through the Elton Review. This must deliver a system that frees up housing associations to devote more of their energy to creating better neighbourhoods.”

On sector change:

New financial inclusion solutions

Neighbourhood Awards winners announced by TV’s Eamonn Holmes
England’s finest housing associations were recognised at the 2006 Neighbourhood Awards gala ceremony, presented by TV’s Eamonn Holmes.

The Awards - organised by the National Housing Federation and sponsored by RSM Robson Rhodes - recognise the achievements of housing associations, their staff and tenants in making their local neighbourhood a better place to live.

Hertfordshire’s Aldwyck Housing Association clinched the Overall Winner title with its college for young people with learning difficulties in association with local charity St Elizabeth’s Centre. This scheme won the Partner of Choice category, for the most productive partnership between a housing association and another organisation.

Lily Muscat, a tenant with Merseyside-based Knowsley Housing Trust, was crowned as England’s Best Neighbour for her success in reducing anti-social behaviour and offering local youngsters more leisure activities.

The Neighbourhood Awards are judged by 60 housing association tenants via a unique online voting system, with a panel of invited judges selecting the overall winner.
David Orr, Chief Executive, National Housing Federation, said: “I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to all the Neighbourhood Awards winners and commiserations to other entrants. I know the judges found it tough to choose the winners because standards were so high this year. Everyone who enters the Neighbourhood Awards is a winner in their own communities. They can be confident that they’re improving people’s lives and that’s what the Neighbourhood Awards are all about - making Britain better”.

Housing association tenants want better services and more accountability

• Tenants know what their responsibilities are but do not know their rights.
• There is a huge, unmet appetite for choice among tenants. Housing associations tend to focus on choice-based lettings, and are cautious about wider choice. Tenants, in contrast, have lots of ideas on the choices they would like, from choice based kitchens and bathrooms through to more of a say in appointment times.
• Housing associations are often perceived to be paternalistic or, even patronising, in their approach to tenants. Some tenants speak of a “get what you are given” culture within their association and the contractors it employs.
• Black and minority ethnic tenants are significantly less satisfied (67%) with the overall service of their landlord than white British tenants (78%).
• Tenants know how to complain to their housing association but few know how to complain about their housing association.

The report recommends housing associations adopt a new 10-point ‘Customer First Plan’ based upon pledges to improve services and accountability.

The Customer First Plan draws on over 50 best practice case studies of where individual housing associations are already getting it right - ranging from offering £15 where the housing association or its contractors fails to turn up in time through to linking staff pay to customer satisfaction ratings.

The Commission argues for tough minimum standards of tenant involvement, but with the freedom for housing associations to find what works for them - with options such as minimum 25% tenants on boards, or watchdog panels of tenants feeding in to the board, or opening up ways in which tenants might be more involved in decision-making, such as tenant management of their homes and facilities.

Launching the report, Ed Mayo, Chair of the Tenant Involvement Commission, said: “What Tenants Want is one of the first authoritative national studies of what tenants think of the service their landlord provides. It is essential reading for all concerned with housing and I invite every housing association to consider our recommendations. The Commission found many good individual examples of customer and tenant engagement, but standards vary widely across the sector as a whole. But the headline message is that housing associations are perhaps not yet as good as they think they are. The message from tenants is stark: you must put your own house in order and deliver better services, more choice, and ensure that tenants have a greater say over their homes and neighbourhoods.”

The report also recommends that housing associations should face less government red tape to allow them to be more innovative and flexible in the way they operate and the services they offer. The needs and aspirations of tenants and customers should determine how housing associations operate, rather than cumbersome and unnecessary bureaucratic regulation. There are also recommendations for the National Housing Federation to support housing associations improve their services.

The National Housing Federation
Tel; 020 7067 1010
www.housing.org.uk