Membership is open to all social housing residents and anyone can apply for a panel place, even if they have no previous experience of this kind of role, by answering the simple questions on this online form.
Changes are already underway to strengthen regulation of the sector, improve the Housing Ombudsman Service, and empower residents so that they know their rights and how to exercise them. The NFA recently published a plain English residents’ guide to these changes that also includes a checklist of questions tenants can put to landlords to check the quality of their work. (Download the guide here)
In January, when NFA Policy Director Chloe Fletcher appeared before the parliamentary Select Committee investigating the regulation of social housing, she urged the government to find a permanent way to keep policymakers in direct touch with tenants.
“Throughout the many consultations that followed the tragedy at the Grenfell tower, successive ministers and their teams have made tremendous efforts to include residents in these processes,” said Chloe.
“The NFA and its members have very much wanted to see this continue, and it is heartening to see that the respect and attention given to tenants’ views and experiences will continue in a more formal way. The way the new panel is being put together should also guarantee that a broad range of tenants’ views will feed directly into national policy and decision-making.
“So we enthusiastically welcome today’s announcement.”
The additional measures announced today by DLUHC also include a commitment to publicise the shortcomings of failing landlords more widely and to make sure all residents have access to a factsheet that clearly explains the role of the Regulator of Social Housing and Housing Ombudsman Service.