Harvest & the New TSA Regulations

The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) is the new Regulator or “watch dog” for Housing Providers, such as Harvest, in England. Following extensive consultation with tenants including our customers, a common set of Standards that Landlords must adhere to, came into effect from 1 April 2010.

These are:

• Tenant involvement and empowerment – which includes service standards around customer service, choice and complaints; involvement and empowerment; and understanding and responding to the diverse needs of tenants
• Home – which includes quality of accommodation and repairs and maintenance
• Tenancy – regarding allocations, rents and tenure
• Neighbourhood and community – which covers neighbourhood management; local area co-operation and how we deal with anti-social behaviour in our neighbourhoods
• Value for Money – how we have prioritised our expenditure in relation to each of the standards (and in the delivery of local offers where agreed with you), and in meeting other needs such as investment in new social housing provision. We also have to take into account how we have ensured that value for money has been secured and tested and plans and priorities for delivery of further value for money improvements are implemented. We must have arrangements for customers to influence the services delivered and the cost of those services that result in service charges to tenants.
• Governance and Financial Viability – this Standard makes sure that Housing Providers such as Harvest have the right leadership (via the various Harvest Housing Group Boards) and solid financial planning and business operations in place to ensure the success of our business and delivery of the services you expect.

The TSA are keen to ensure that Landlords work with their customers to develop, monitor and scrutinise the services on offer to ensure that you, the customer, are at the heart of services offered, decisions made about your home and the surrounding neighbourhood. – The TSA refer to this as “co-regulation”.

To find out more about the Tenant Services Authority click on the link below

http://www.tenantservicesauthority.org/