Social Housing Quality Resident Panel

Housingthe Secretarymeasures Michaelset Goveout said:

Thisin governmentthe willsocial nothousing standwhite forpaper. anyThe tenantnew beingpanel mistreatedwill andbe wea areway actingfor totenants ensureacross theythe country to get theinvolved safein andour decentwork homesto theydrive deserve.up social housing quality.

ForThe tooResident long,Panel tenantswill havebe beensupported deniedby a propernational voicesurvey. –Around this5,000 endsresidents today.will Ourbe newasked residentsto panelshare willtheir ensureviews thatabout tenantstheir arelandlord’s atservices theduring heartMarch ofand reformsApril to2022. socialThe housing.

Isurvey lookwill forwardbe used to workingmonitor with the panelimpact toour drasticallyreforms raisewill thehave standardon of social housing across the country.residents.

Topics of discussion

Residents should live in good-quality homes and neighbourhoods and feel safe and secure. They should know how their landlord is performing, be treated with respect and have their voice heard, and if they feel their landlord does not provide this service, be able to make a complaint promptly and fairly.

AtThe Panel will discuss the firstmeasures meetingwe ofare already delivering to improve social housing quality, making sure this is the Residentexperience Panelof membersevery setsocial outhousing theirresident. prioritiesSome forof discussion,these whichmeasures includedinclude:

• Reviewing standards,the repairsDecent andHomes maintenance,Standard, which sets the transparencyminimum andstandard accountabilityof housing every social housing landlord has to meet regarding hazards, states of landlords,repair, facilities and energy efficiency.
• Ensuring residents know how to raise complaints areand handledhave byconfidence landlordsin andthe system.
• Reviewing the Housingtraining Ombudsman.and Thequalifications experienceavailable ofto residentssocial withhousing disabilitiesstaff.
• Delivering a new access to information scheme for social housing tenants of housing associations and complexother needsprivate wasregistered alsoproviders aof prioritysocial forhousing, theso panel.
  that information relating to landlords is easily available.

Wider issues which may impact on social housing quality, such as waiting lists, how much new social housing should be built and where this should be located, will not be discussed formally as part of this Resident Panel. We know these are important issues for many residents but want to ensure the Panel is focused on the specific measures we are taking to drive up quality. A full list of topics for discussion will be agreed in the first meeting.

Format of the meetings

The Social Housing Quality Resident Panel bringswill be representative of 250 social housing residents from across the countrycountry, together, who will meet quarterlyaround 3 times a year for the foreseeable future. We will hold at least 6 meetings.

Full meetings of the Panel will be supported by smallersmaller, focusfocused groupsdiscussions, which will follow up on points raised and onlineagree discussions.targeted actions.

Short surveys and questionnaires may also be used to gather views.

Questions and answers

WhoHow ismany onresidents thewill Residentbe invited to join the Panel?

TheWe Residentestimate Panelthat is made up ofto around 250 social housing residents fromwill acrossbe theinvited country to sharejoin theirthe viewsPanel, withalthough thethis governmentis anddependent ministers on our approach to driving up the qualitylevel of socialinterest housing.we Over 1,000 residents applied to take part.receive.

We

I’m havenot ensuredpart theof Panel has a broadtenant mixscrutiny ofpanel residents/ fromdon’t differenthave regionsany andexperience, typesdoes ofthat landlords.matter?

No. We want to hear from residentsa whowide arerange alreadyof engagedresidents, throughincluding resident associations, and those who are not,actively soinvolved thatthrough theretenant isscrutiny apanels, mixor ofother experienceforums, onand thethose panel.

Youwho canare findnot morecurrently detailsengaged onin theany membership of the panel.way.

Will theresidents panelbe meetpaid into person?join?

Currently,There theis plannedno activitiespayment for thetaking panelpart arein allour dueResident to take place online. We want the panel to be accessible to people regardless of where they live, or their other work and caring requirements.Panel.

Will you share my information with anyone else?

No. All information shared will be treated confidentially and we will ensure that you cannot be identified. The privacy notice sets out how we will protect your data, and how it will be used.

How havewill you chosenchoose which residents will join the Panel?

We havewill ensuredensure the Panel has a broad mix of residents from different regions and types of landlords. We also want to hear from residents who are already engaged through resident associations, and those who are not, so that there is a mix of experience on the panel.

Why are you not talking about wider issues, such as waiting lists or supply of social housing?

We know there are many issues social housing residents will want to raise. We want to focus discussion on measures which will directly drive improvements in social housing quality, to ensure discussions are focused and recommendations for the government are specific to this issue.

The

Will topicsthe forPanel future activities will be shapedonline byor thein Residentperson?

The Panel members. They will also be informedhosted byonline, whatso we have heard are important to residents throughfrom surveysacross andthe evidencecountry wecan havejoin. gatheredWe asunderstand partthat ofnot ourevery programmesocial forhousing reform.

Atresident thewill firsthave meetingaccess ofto the Residentinternet, Panel,so memberswe told us their top priorities were repairs and maintenance; transparency and accountability of landlords; and how complaints are handled by landlords and the Housing Ombudsman.

We will also focusplanning onways differentto partsvisit ofresidents thein ongoingtheir sociallocal housingareas qualityover programme at future events, looking at when ministers have upcoming decisions so that we can seek the Panel’scoming views to help shape those new policies.months.

Why is the Panel only open to residents in England?

Social housing is a devolved issue. Separate arrangements apply in the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Is the Resident Panel a national tenant voice?

We know that ‘national tenant voice’ can mean different things to people. The Resident Panel will have a specific purpose, which is to discuss our social housing quality programme and the measures within this. We want residents’ experiences and views to shape our approach to improving quality in social housing.

What is the long-term future for the Resident Panel?

We have madeanticipate athe commitmentResident toPanel 12will monthsrun offor activity.the Weforeseeable wantfuture, tohaving discusscommitted whatto worksat wellleast with6 themeetings Panelto membersdate. themselvesWe and will provide an update early next year about the long-term future of the Panel.

Can shared owners, leaseholders and residents of supported housing apply?

We will consider how to improve the quality of social housing for all residents of social housing, including those who rent, leaseholders, and shared owners. All social housing residents are welcome to apply.