Residents to meet for major consultation on landlord-tenant relationship

Housing association residents from across the West Midlands will meet in Birmingham on 1 May for a major national consultation on the relationship between tenants and social landlords in England.

This consultation will make a vital contribution to Together with Tenants, an ambitious project launched in February by the National Housing Federation. It seeks to build relationships between tenants and housing associations, as well as giving residents a strong role in scrutinising their landlord.

Now, Matrix Housing Partnership – a group of seven Midlands-based housing associations, including Trident Group – is working with the Federation to bring together dozens of residents to help shape Together with Tenants.

Attendees will give their views on key parts of the draft proposals, including a new charter setting out what residents can expect from their landlord. The Centre for Public Scrutiny will also run a series of ‘World Café’ workshops and Kate Henderson, the Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, will give a speech.

This event is part of the wider consultation on the draft proposals, supported by the Centre for Public Scrutiny. Residents across the country are able to give their views through an online questionnaire, as well as webinars and other regional events.

Boris Worrall, chair of the Federation’s West Midlands regional committee and Group Chief Executive of Rooftop, said:

“As a region we’ve wanted to bring tenants from across the Midlands together to have an open, honest and practical discussion about what really matters to them and how landlords could respond. This gives us the perfect opportunity for really meaningful engagement at scale.” 

Chris Handy, Chief Executive at Accord Housing Association, which leads the Matrix Housing Partnership, said:

“Collectively, Matrix manages over 65,000 homes. We have an excellent track record of involving and empowering our customers, and it is vital, more now than ever before, that we continue to build and improve on this. It is only by listening to what our customers have to say, and working with and alongside them, that we are able to support and empower them to shape their homes and their communities. Having the opportunity to do this on such a large scale will offer valuable benefits to us all, as individual housing associations and in our joint partnerships.”

Katie Teasdale, Head of Member Relations at the National Housing Federation, added:

“This event is a great opportunity to shape Together with Tenants. Residents are at the heart of these ambitious proposals, and it’s absolutely vital that we ensure the project works for them. Now, we’re looking forward to this event, and hearing the views of tenants across the West Midlands – and indeed the whole country.”

The event will take place on 1 May at Birmingham’s Millennium Point.