Tenant Services Authority recruitment begins

Housing minister Caroline Flint has announced recruitment for the new Tenant Services Authority (TSA) is to begin.

The new body will give tenants in social housing a chance to reward successful landlords, and punish underachievers.

The minister called for two social housing tenants to come forward to apply for two of the four new positions on the board of the new TSA – which replaces the Office for Social Tenants and Landlords.

Following the recruitment process, the new body is expected to open for business at the end of this year.

"The new regulator will have wide ranging powers to affect change across the social housing sector and to ensure that the interests of tenants are protected," said Ms Flint.

"I want tenants to join the board of the new regulator to share their experience of social housing, to help reward the many excellent registered social landlords and to take suitable action against those who are not providing an acceptable level of service."

When created by the housing and regeneration bill currently before parliament, the regulator will be able to identify which landlords are providing a good service to their tenants and reward them accordingly.

It is hoped the new organisation will also cut red tape, reducing the number of routine inspections or the amount of paperwork land lords are forced to carry out.

The regulator will be able to demand action against landlords who provide a poor service, calling for compensation for tenants suffering poor service, or in extreme cases change the landlord altogether.

"The TSA will have a crucial part to play in ensuring that social tenants get a good deal and I would like to encourage people to join me in tackling this challenge by applying for board member positions," concluded TSA chair, Anthony Mayer.

Chris O'Toole