The Government published its Social Housing Green Paper on the 14th August 2018 in response to the tragedy at Grenfell Tower.
The Green Paper is the way the government consults on issues before considering whether they should be taken forward for legislation. The consultation period for this Green Paper closes on the 6th November 2018. It is presented as ‘a fundamental shift in the State’s approach to social housing and people who call it home’. We would like to feed into the consultation process and would therefore like to get the views of our tenants on what we should say.
We have therefore organised a discussion meeting for tenants to be held on Monday 29th October in the Board Room at our Head Office which is at 90 Beech Avenue, Nottingham, NG7 7LW. The meeting will start at 10.00 am and will be hosted by Jane Eyles from TPAS. As it is very important that we get your views on this Green Paper we will be giving a shopping voucher worth £10 to anyone who turns up.
The 5 key points in the Green Paper are as follows:
Ensuring that Homes and Safe and Decent
The emphasis on safety is very much based on the response to the Grenfell Tower fire echoing the Hackitt Review. It calls for better information for tenants and engagement with residents on safety issues.
The paper also calls for a review of the Decent Homes Standard, and points out that some safety measures applying to private landlords do not extend to social landlords.
Effective resolution of complaints
The Government is seeking views on how to ensure complaints are resolved swiftly and effectively, and whether landlords’ reporting of complaints handling can be improved.
Empowering residents and strengthening the regulator
The Government suggests league tables based on key performance indicators covering matters such as repairs, safety, handling complaints, engagement with residents and neighbourhood management. It calls for data on landlord performance to be made available and accessible to residents.
Tackling stigma and celebrating thriving communities
The most consistent theme raised by residents is the perceived stigma of being a social housing tenant. The Green Paper looks at ways of overcoming this and refers to a number of initiatives by housing associations including the ‘see the person’ campaign.
