centre for public scrutiny

Over the past year we have published several pieces of research and practical guidance about the new powers of scrutiny given to social housing tenants under the Localism Act 2011. This has involved us working closely with the former Tenant Services Authority (now the Homes and Communities Agency), the Tenant Participation and Advisory Service and other tenants organisations, and with tenants and landlords themselves.

Tenant scrutiny offers a real opportunity for tenants and residents to contribute directly to improving the quality and value for money of housing services. But it needs good support to make it as effective as it can be. CfPS has been working with housing providers and tenants to help them develop:

• the right skills and behaviours by tenant scrutiny panels
• the right support structures and relationships between tenant scrutiny and other groups involved in decision-making about housing services.

"As the people who receive your services, residents are the best to judge how well you're doing. Sometimes the smallest changes have the biggest impact - and it's these issues that staff can easily miss."  (Helena Partnerships)

The main publications can be accessed below:

• A short guide for tenants on the new powers ("Top tips for tenants");
• A longer piece of research summarising the outcomes of the work of the "co-regulatory champions", the tenants and landlords that worked together to pilot the new arrangements ("Lessons from the co-regulatory champions");
• Case studies, providing further information on the earlier work carried out by those champions ("Stories in tenant scrutiny");
• A Policy Briefing aimed at local government professionals to explain to them how tenant scrutiny and local government overview and scrutiny can and should work together.

Our expert advisers can help social housing providers develop, review and improve tenant scrutiny. Get in touch if you would like to see if we can help you.

"It's been really empowering for tenants... as a result we feel we've had a bigger impact"  (Chair of Way Ahead with Wherry)