What Tenants Want - Trafford Hall

Last call for free and subsidised places available at Trafford Hall, Chester on the Welsh Husing Quality Standard.

Trainers: Engage Associates (Elieen Adams)
Date: 12th - 14thMarch 2007
Fees: Administration charge £10
Course content:

• The Welsh Housing Quality Standard and the implications for tenants and landlords
• Explains the stock options appraisal process
• Explores the options for ownership and management of council housing and the models which may apply
• Hear expert witnesses talk about their experiences
• Develop methods of judging the best options for tenants

For further information or to book a place please speak to Hayley Evans on 01244 300246 or email h.evans@traffordhall.com Please indicate that you heard of the course through the WTF.

What Tenants Want - Trafford Hall

Last call for free and subsidised places available at Trafford Hall, Chester on the Welsh Husing Quality Standard.

Trainers: Engage Associates (Elieen Adams)
Date: 12th - 14thMarch 2007
Fees: Administration charge £10
Course content:

• The Welsh Housing Quality Standard and the implications for tenants and landlords
• Explains the stock options appraisal process
• Explores the options for ownership and management of council housing and the models which may apply
• Hear expert witnesses talk about their experiences
• Develop methods of judging the best options for tenants

For further information or to book a place please speak to Hayley Evans on 01244 300246 or email h.evans@traffordhall.com Please indicate that you heard of the course through the WTF.

Positive about participation?- then get informed, get Involved!

Positive about participation?- then get informed, get involved! is the Welsh Tenants Federation project in partnership with the Inform 2 Involve initiative and Merthyr County Borough Council. The project aims to raise awareness of the need to get informed and involved in the housing led regeneration debate and offer support to tenants across Merthyr Tydfil to do so.

It has been widely acknowledged that Housing in Wales is facing the biggest change in 30 years. Tenants need to be a part of that debate, they need to ensure that what they want is delivered in any proposals that are offered. Merthyr Tydfil CBC will require more than 219 million to meet the commitments of its 30 year housing business plan with current and projected resources missing the Welsh Housing Quality Standard, which must be achieved by 2012. As a result, the option to transfer the stock has been proposed. Merthyr CBC and a panel of tenants have chosen Tact @ Dome to act as the independent tenants advisor to convey to tenants the options available to them.

In addition, the i2i team which aims to provide support to landlords to meet the welsh housing quality standard across the heads of the valleys area have produced a number of information booklets titled 'what tenants want' to assist tenants to make comparisons and ensure that they get the right answers to the critical questions they need to know.

The Welsh Tenants Federation aims to offer support to individuals who wish to get involved not just for the short term but for the long term, irrespective of whether tenants vote for, or against the transfer proposals. We ask the question - Are you positive about participation? If you are, then you need to get informed and get involved.

If you are positive about participation or wish to receive further information then contact Steve Clarke on 01685 723922 or email steve@welshtenantsfed.org.uk

Living without insurance

The Welsh Consumer Council are currently conducting a study into the barriers that some people face when taking out insurance. One of the areas they're focussing on is home contents insurance.
As part of the research they are looking for people who have had difficulty in obtaining home contents insurance over the last few years (eg. costs quoted have been too expensive or cover has been refused for some reason), or anyone who's had to deal with a particular situation/incident without home contents insurance cover.
They are also keen to hear tenants general views on taking out home contents insurance including opinion on 'insurance with rent' schemes.
If you know of anyone with a story to tell who would be happy to share their experiences and views please contact Lindsey Kearton (email: lindsey@wales-consumer.org.uk) Tel: 029 2025 5454 Ext: 225) by Friday 23rd February 2007.The information gathered will then be used as Case Studies in their final report. All answers will be treated in the strictest confidence and no individuals will be identified.

Comming of Age - TPAS Cymru/ Welsh Tenants Federation Joint conference Nov 2006

Once again the national joint conference hosted by TPAS Cymru and the Welsh Tenants Federation demonstrated that tenants remain committed to the principles of particiaption. The event, attended by more than 380 delegates from all parts of Wales focused on three main themes:

• Tenant Participation
• Modles of ownership and management of social housing
• The purpose of Social Housing

Tenant Participation - As the Welsh Assembly Government launched its consultation document on the National Resident Participation Stratgey, tenants across Wales demonstrated that they remain active and positive about their influence and role in the development of responsive housing services too communities. However, tenants stated that adequate, consistent and equitable resourcing was critical to their continued effective particiaption as well as a change in the culture of service delivery.

Social Housing - its purpose and need - Delegates and invited speakers were unanimous in their view, that social housing is both needed and wanted and that afordable housing needed to be built to take the pressure off traditional social housing models. Wales needs between 3-5000 new homes to meet the demand for rented homes provided by the registered social landlord sector. Also required, was an urgent modernisation programme to meet standards which Wales' tenants deserve.

Models for social housing and ownership - The three speakers outlined the connections between eonomic and social development and in particualr the need for an holistic approach to the problems faced by commuities in decline. The housing led regeneration potential in the Heads Of the Valleys (HOV) project, which is programmed to recieve more than 120 million of Welsh Assembly Government funding, was held up as an example of what could be achieved. The potential for the HOV to realise 60 million of social housing investment by 2012 was also relayed too delegates. The role of private sector investment, cannot be discounted from this process providing much needed affordable homes for people who are attracted back too regenerated communities.

Further information about the conference can be obtained from Steve Clarke, Policy & Projects Co-ordinator at the Welsh tenants Federation on 01685 723922 or email steve@welshtenantsfed.org.uk

Yes to transfer! - Yes! to decent, quality affordable homes

It has been a momentous week for change in Wales, with tenants voting yes to a registered social housing (not for profit) model, in both Monmouth and Rhondda Cynon Taff.
Chairman of the WTF Terry Hennegan, welcomed the decision stating, "While Monmouth was important, it was the Rhondda Cynon Taff ballot which was to determine the level of support for the policy of the Welsh Assembly Government, he added, the majority of tenants who voted, said Yes to transfer! And that's good enough for me".
Tenants can now look forward to the investment levels that is both long overdue and deserved in Wales. Assemmbly Member for Rhondda Cynon Taff, Leighton Andrews said, "I am pleased that the turnout was above 50 percent and that the eventual result was conclusive. Everyone has to accept this result as the democratic will of RCT tenants. All tenants need to understand that transfer will now unlock sustainable investment in the millions of pounds over the next 30 years".

Further information can be obtained by contacting Steve Clarke, Policy & projects Co-ordinator at the Welsh tenants Federation on 01685 723922 or mobile 07879815479 email steve@welshtenantsfed.org.uk

Gathering and sharing good practice

The Welsh Tenants Federation are keen to receive and promote your good news stories. You can do this in several ways. 1) Come along to regional meetings and inform other members of what you have achieved. 2) Telephone the national office and request a good practice form 3) Email a brief summary to enquires@welshtenantsfed.org.uk 4) You can telephone the national office where we will be pleased to record your success, send you a copy for confirmation and add it to knowledge base.

All the information received is stored at the national office and will be shared with other members. Remember your project or initiative may be considered for one of the categories of our good practice ‘Community Awards’ delivered annual at the Welsh Tenants Federation AGM conference event.