Tenants and Residents Associations

Tenants and Residents Associations are groups of people, acting in a voluntary capacity. They put forward views and concerns on behalf of tenants and residents in their area. Groups vary in format, for example:

• tenants' association for tenants only
• tenants of one landlord
• residents' associations for all adults in the community
• action groups formed round a particular issue

Most Tenants and Residents Associations hold regular meetings, open to all tenants in the area. A smaller committee conducts their business. Tenants and Residents Associations may:

• provide a collective voice for tenants in an area
• act as a focus for consultation
• campaign and lobby for change (for example, play facilities or housing conditions)
• develop extra services through self help schemes (for example, lunch clubs)
• offer advice to local people
• represent individual tenants when dealing with authorities
• organise around issues such as housing transfers, regeneration, repairs, services, problems with neighbours
• influence decision making that affects your and your neighbours' homes
• give accurate advice and information to tenants and residents
• increase the sense of belonging to a community