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A new pilot scheme has been launched to help give social housing tenants a stronger voice in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster. The scheme brings eight social housing landlords and their tenants together so they can debate fire and building safety issues.
Providing a Communications Platform for Tenants
The government is piloting the scheme to help give social housing tenants a platform where they can communicate worries and concerns to their landlords. Called the Social Sector Engagement Best Practice Group, the pilot is part of the government’s Social Housing Green Paper and the Building a Safer Future implementation plan.
The pilot scheme is being chaired by Victoria Elvidge. There are also two independent fire and building safety experts on the panel. Each landlord in the group is joined by a tenant from their housing stock.
Pilot Scheme to Run for Six Months
The pilot scheme will run for six months. At the end of the six-month period, the panel will report back to the government, which will take the findings on board and use them to develop future housing policies.
“Everyone deserves a safe and decent place to call home,” says Housing Minister, Kit Malthouse.
“As our Social Housing Green Paper and Implementation Plan set out, we are keen to pilot new and engaging options to ensure social housing residents are better informed on issues that matter most to them – none more so than their safety.
“This new group will see social landlords and their residents come together to explore new ways to trial this that will help inform wider reforms as we look to re-balance the relationship between landlord and residents.”
