A programme agreed between the National Tenant Organisations (NTOs) and Government will see tenants leading the development of a voluntary framework for local tenant panels working in partnership with landlords.

Aiming to produce a framework by the start of 2012 through funding from the DCLG's Tenant Empowerment Grant programme, the NTOs (CCH, TPAS, TAROE & NFTMO) are also planning to develop an voluntary accreditation system for tenant panels. Effective local tenant panels are particularly important in the context of local self-regulation of services between tenants and landlords. Supporting tenant panels or other groups are part of the form part of the DCLG's direction to the TSA for the new Involvement Regulatory Standard.


The NTO programme will particularly include consideration of existing models of tenant panel. Project organiser Nic Bliss said: "We know that there are many different approaches to tenant panels out there, and we are not intending to be prescriptive about how they should be set up. We want to hear from tenants and landlords about tenant panel arrangements from which others could learn."

(CD)