Tenant Participation Strategy
Listening
Informing Responding
Design by Comm Div. DCC FA/4/17
DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL
www.dundeecity.gov.uk/housing
Tenant Participation Arrangements in Dundee City Council’s Housing Service
Working Together
Contents page
Introduction 2
Principles Behind the Strategy 2
Aims of the Strategy 3
Commitments and Standards of Service 3
Equal Opportunities 5
How We Involve Tenants in Shaping the Housing Service 6
How We Developed the Strategy 6
Development of Tenant Organisations 7
Consulting and Giving Information 8
Working with the Dundee Federation of Tenants’ Associations 9
Involving Tenants and Other Service Users in Scrutiny 9
Resources for Tenant Participation 11
Tenant Participation Strategy Action Plan 12
How the Strategy will be Monitored and Reviewed 13
Calendar for Participation 19
Making a Complaint 20
Glossary of terms 21
Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
2 Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
Introduction
Tenant Participation is about tenants taking part and influencing decisions which will have a direct effect on the housing services they receive. Tenant participation is about two way communication, consultation and participation which involves the sharing of information, ideas and power.
The aim of this document is to build on the achievements already made in tenant participation and the Strategy is intended to be a working document which sets out how we will continue to develop tenant participation throughout Dundee.
This Strategy sets out opportunities for tenant involvement and includes objectives and an action plan for the period 2016-20. The Strategy contains information on the ways tenants can get involved in working with the Council to shape and develop the housing service.
Principles behind the StrategyThe Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 sets out the legal requirements for tenant participation in Scotland. The Council, as a landlord has a number of legal duties regarding tenant participation. They are: • To develop and implement a tenant participation strategy. • To maintain a register of tenant organisations and to set up arrangements for the registration of tenant organisations. • To consult with registered tenant organisations and individual tenants on a range of issues – housing policies (changes to policies and procedures), housing conditions and other related services e.g. anti-social behaviour, environmental issues.
In addition to the duty for participation, the Government has given guidance to social landlords on the principles for good participation. These are set out in the National Strategy - ‘Partners in Participation’. These principles are: • Tenant participation requires a culture of mutual trust, respect and partnership between tenants, councillors and housing officers working towards a common goal of better housing conditions and housing services. • Tenant participation practice should be seen as a continuous process where information, ideas and power are shared, common understandings of problems are strived for and a consensus on solutions is worked out. • Good tenant participation allows all parties to contribute to the agenda. • All participants need to have all the information needed to consider the issues properly; that information requires to be clear, timely, accessible and to take account of equal opportunities concerns.
3Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
• Processes of decision making should be open, clear and accountable. • Adequate time should be given to tenant representatives to consider the issues properly. Tenants should have the opportunity to work out a common view in advance of meeting landlords’ representatives. • Good tenant participation requires the landlord to recognise the independence of tenant organisations. • Good working relationships evolve gradually and are flexible to adapt to local circumstances. • Tenant organisations require adequate resources for organisation, training and support. • Tenant participation must meet the requirements of the legislation surrounding equal opportunities. Good practice in participation removes barriers to effective participation arising from ethnicity, geographic location, and special needs language differences, learning difficulties, age, sexual orientation or disability.
Aims of this StrategyBy delivering this Strategy the Council will: • Develop a range of opportunities for people to get involved, which reflect local circumstances and allow people to participate effectively. • Build and develop an agreed programme of scrutiny activities with people who use our services. • Ensure all tenants, staff and all other people who use our services, will be given access to adequate levels of training and support that will enable them to participate more effectively. • Continuously develop ways of improving communication and information sharing to meet the needs of all. • Regularly monitor and review this strategy to ensure it continues to be effective.
Commitments and Standards of Service for Tenant ParticipationTo deliver these aims and the principles of good tenant participation the Council will abide by a set of commitments to the way we deliver our services. The Council expects that RTO’s will also meet certain expectations in joint working to develop a spirit of trust and partnership. Over the period of this Strategy the Council will review standards for housing services including any local outcomes and “Codes of Practice” together with tenants’ representatives.
4 Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
When engaging in Tenant Participation the Council will: • Involve its tenants as partners in considering matters affecting their communities and recognise their collective concerns. • Continue to support Registered Tenants’ Organisations (RTO’s) and encourage new tenants groups. • Maintain a register of tenant organisations which meet the criteria set by the Scottish Government and who have successfully applied for registration. • Ensure that all tenants’ groups are kept informed and updated on issues which affect them. • Consult with tenants to assess and agree the level of resources that are committed to implement the Tenant Participation Strategy. • Acknowledge the importance of independent advice to tenants and agree with tenants’ arrangements for resourcing this advice. • Recognise and respect the rights of RTO’s to be independent of the Council. • Provide training opportunities for staff, elected members, tenants and other customers to develop the skills necessary to assist partnership working. • Ensure that all printed information sent to our tenants is clearly written in “plain English” or meets the individual’s needs on request. • Continue to improve communication by providing better information and listening to tenant’s ideas and views. • Hold a register of interested tenants who can be contacted to participate in working groups, surveys or other consultations. • Support tenants and other customers to scrutinise the Council’s performance against the Scottish Social Housing Charter outcomes.
The standards of service which individual tenants and RTO’s can expect of the Council are: • When a tenant or RTO writes to Neighbourhood Services, a full reply will be given within ten working days. • If the information requested is not readily available, an explanation will be given within five working days. A full reply will then follow within a further ten working days. • If we cannot give a date by which the information requested will be provided, an explanation will be given within five working days. • All written replies will name the person who is dealing with the enquiry. • When invited to a meeting, Neighbourhood Services will confirm who will attend. • Those attending will be expected to know any details of the subjects to be discussed and be able to explain what influence tenants’ views will have on Council decisions. • When inviting tenants to meetings the Neighbourhood Services will provide written details of the time, place and purpose of the meeting 10 working days in advance (or less, if agreed by the appropriate tenant representative and the department).
5Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
CUSTOMER CHARTER OUR PROMISETOYOUDUNDEE CITY COUNCIL
www.dundeecity.gov.uk/customercharter
In addition to this the Council will abide by its Customer CharterWe will:- • be open and honest and explain our decisions • deal with your enquiry promptly and explain reasons for any delay • provide choices around how you access our services • give you the information you need about our services • listen to what you have to say • treat you with respect and courtesy • aim to get things right first time • apologise to you when we get things wrong and then put things right.
We expect that Registered Tenants Organisations will: • Work as partners with the Council on matters affecting their communities. • Try to make information available to all tenants in the areas covered by their organisations. • Aim to represent the views and interests of Council tenants and communicate issues of concern. • Identify resources needed, including training for Council tenants. • Be accountable to the Council for the use of the funds it provides.
Equal Opportunities
Dundee City Council recognises the importance of equality of opportunity for all of its citizens. The Council aims to achieve equality of opportunity by ensuring commitment to the provision of accessible services taking account of the diversity of groups and individuals. Registered Tenant Organisations are also required to promote equal opportunities in their written constitutions.
The Council wants people from different backgrounds and with different experiences to get involved in the decision making process. Similarly, the Council promotes participation free from prejudice and bias with regard to ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, geographic location, special needs, language differences, learning difficulties or disability.
The Council will ensure that everyone who wants to get involved can get involved and will make events and activities welcoming and safe. It also addresses issues of accessibility with regard to information, publicity, venues, transport, caring responsibilities and other obstacles as budgetary constraints allow.
When working with tenants we will: • promote and encourage the full and active involvement of all tenants in tenant participation
6 Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
• support and advise any tenant who encounters barriers arising from ethnicity, special needs, language difficulties, age, sexual orientation or disability • provide on request, translations of publications produced for tenants or in another format which meets tenant’s needs • provide on request language and British Sign Language translators at tenant’s meetings. • promote good practice amongst staff by providing equal opportunities training
How We Involve Tenants in Shaping the Housing Service
How We Developed the StrategyBetween November 2015 and March 2016 the Council consulted with tenants to review the Tenant Participation Strategy. A number of individuals and representatives of RTO’s and the Dundee Federation of Tenants’ Organisations (DFTA) attended a consultation event in November 2015 and tenants and RTO’s responded to on-line and paper surveys about what they thought should be addressed by the strategy. The main issues highlighted in these consultations were:
• The need to engage with hard to reach groups. • A need to review and revise the written and electronic information on Tenant Participation. • Ensure that information is effectively communicated to RTOs, ‘Interested Persons’ and the DFTA. • Produce a Calendar of tenant participation opportunities. • Improve use of social media to promote tenant participation. • Investigate the opportunities for producing newsletters. • Provide feedback on the outcomes of consultations and how changes are being made as a result. • Ensure that council offices are used to advertise Tenant Participation. • Give better information on planned improvements to Council houses. • Promote tenant participation by attending: community events, supermarkets, shopping centres, hospitals, libraries etc. • Develop training for tenants. • Arrange study visits/shadowing to allow tenants to learn from each other and see how other groups work. • Have more joint working with local housing associations and their tenants. • Arrange free use of photocopiers/printers in council buildings for RTO’s. • Review the funding allocated to the DFTA and RTO’s
Where appropriate we have addressed these issues in the Action Plan for this Tenant Participation Strategy.
7Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
Development of Tenant Organisations
Dundee City Council and the DFTA will actively encourage the development of tenant organisations. Groups will be provided with support and guidance by council staff. Groups will be encouraged to register with the Council and it will try to address the issues which tenants raise.The Council will support tenants in attending regional and national conferences where possible.
Training and Development of ParticipantsThe Council will work together with tenants to identify their training requirements. The Council will identify and evaluate training providers, both in-house and external. Tenant groups and people who take part in scrutiny activities will be provided with information on training opportunities. Taking part in conferences and seminars run by, for example, the Tenants Information Service (TIS), Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS), Scotland’s Housing Network (SHN), are also recognised as an important part of individual development so the council will continue to support tenant attendance at these functions.
Registration of Tenants GroupsThe Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 sets out criteria which tenant groups must meet to be accepted as a registered tenant organisation. The Council has produced a leaflet and an application form to be completed for registration and these are available from any Council office and the Council’s website.
In brief, groups will need to: • Have a publicly available constitution. • Have a formally elected committee. • Operate within a specific area and have a defined membership. • Have appropriate accounting records and an annual financial statement to its annual general meeting. • Demonstrate that it can represent the views of its members who are Council tenants in its area of operation.
The Council will encourage tenant organisations to apply for registered tenant organisation status. The legislation allows the Council to refuse to register a tenant group or remove it from the register. A group may appeal against the Council’s decision. A copy of the Register of Tenants Organisations is available on the Council’s website.
We recognise that some tenant organisations may not wish to register. Where appropriate, we will consult with non registered groups, but these consultation arrangements will not be bound by the commitments set out in our strategy and the statutory provisions of the Act. Members of such groups who are council tenants will maintain their rights to be consulted as individuals.
8 Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
Consulting and Giving Information
We will ensure that tenants have the opportunity to have a say in how the housing service should be delivered. We will ensure that tenants are kept updated on service changes and on how their views have been taken on board.
We will also ensure that tenants are kept fully informed about proposals or projects which may directly affect their home or local environment. We provide tenants with the opportunity to indicate whether or not we have adhered to these commitments through customer satisfaction surveys and by monitoring complaints.
We will keep tenants informed about day to day services. This information will be provided using leaflets, posters, social media, the council’s web page and tenant’s handbooks issued to new tenants at tenancy agreement signings.
We will also keep tenants informed through focus groups (groups of service users coming together to discuss specific service delivery issues) consultation events and by issuing surveys.
Registered Tenants’ Organisations representing an area affected by a major repair and improvement project will always be provided with information about the project. This may include the following information unless agreed other-wise by the Council and the RTO: • Details of any project planned for their area over the course of the coming year • Details of any changes to the start date of any project planned for their area • A briefing from the appropriate housing officer on how the work will be carried out before it starts on site • A briefing from the appropriate housing officer prior to any public meeting • Regular updates on the progress of projects • Reasons for any withdrawal of a project originally planned for their area.
Tenants directly affected by a major repair or improvement project will always receive information about: • The amount of work that will take place and the level of disruption that it will cause • The expected start and completion dates • The contact person in the housing department • An emergency contact number where necessary.
We will, where possible, offer design choices to tenants and RTOs on projects. We will ensure that any meetings required to reach an agreement will provide tenants/RTOs adequate time to consider the issues properly.
9Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
Working with the Dundee Federation of Tenants’ Associations
The Council recognises the Dundee Federation of Tenants’ Associations (DFTA) as the largest representative body for tenants groups in the city. The Council will provide funding and support to the DFTA to help it to be an effective voice for tenants. Regular meetings will take place to ensure that officials, tenants’ representatives and councillors work together in partnership to deliver the Tenant Participation Strategy.
The Council will meet with the DFTA quarterly. These meetings provide opportunities for tenants to bring forward concerns or proposals on issues which they feel are not, or cannot be met through established decision making processes. The agendas for these meetings are determined by tenants’ representatives.
Involving Tenants in ScrutinyThe Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 requires Scottish Ministers to set standards and outcomes which social landlords should aim to achieve and to publish these in a Scottish Social Housing Charter. It is the responsibility of each landlord to meet the outcomes and standards set by the Charter.
The Scottish Housing Regulator’s (SHR) approach to monitoring landlords’ achievement of the Charter Outcomes emphasises the importance of tenants being involved in the scrutiny of landlords’ performance. This is firmly rooted in the principles that a landlord should: understand its tenants’ priorities and needs; involve them in setting policies, objectives and standards; involve them in the implementation of decisions; and then support them to hold the landlord to account.
To meet the requirements of the SHR, Landlords must demonstrate that they: • Have agreed their approach with tenants. • Ensure that it is effective and meaningful – that the chosen approach gives tenants a real and demonstrable say in the assessment of performance. • Publicise the approach to tenants. • Landlords must have regard to a range of other service users who are not tenants, including: - Homeless people - Owners - Gypsies/Travellers who use sites provided and managed by councils and RSLs.
For each year ending on 31 March, social landlords must report their performance in achieving or progressing towards the Charter outcomes and standards to their tenants and other service users. They should do this as soon after the end of the reporting year as is practicable and reasonable, but no later than the October of each year.
10 Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
Sunday 13th April 2014, 1-4pmQueen’s Hotel, 160 Nethergate, Dundee DD1 4DU
We will:• provide info on the work of the Scrutiny Steering Group• launch the new proposed scrutiny framework• recruit new Scrutineers.
Launch of the proposed
Refreshments
will be
provided after
the meeting
If you would like to attend the event please contact the Tenant Participation Team: Phone 01382 307330 or 307431Text 07539 242 303Email [email protected]
Further info: www.dundeecity.gov.uk/housing/sshc
To reserve
your place contact
the Tenant
Participation Team by
Monday 7th April
Joint event
with Dundee
Federation of
Tenants
Associations
Scrutiny Framework
To meet the requirements of the SHR that we involve tenants and other service users in the scrutiny of housing services we have consulted widely. Between June and November 2013 we consulted on what service users considered the most important services were, how they would like us to report performance information, how they would prefer to be involved in scrutiny.
To follow up the consultation we held a further consultation event on 30th January 2014. At this event workshops discussed the outcomes of the consultation and options for scrutiny. There was a broad agreement for some sort of scrutiny panel together with a range of other scrutiny activity. It was agreed to set up a steering group of tenants and other service users to develop a model for scrutiny in Dundee. During February and March 2014 a Steering Group consisting of 13 Tenants and other service users met to draft a scrutiny framework.
Scrutiny PanelThe Scrutiny Steering Group recommended that the scrutiny framework should centre on a Scrutiny Panel which oversees and directs other scrutiny activity such as Tenant Led inspections and Mystery Shopping. The panel has now been constituted and consists of 16 members drawn from: • DFTA • RTO’s who are not affiliated to the DFTA • Home owners to whom the council provides a factoring service • Minority Groups (who are tenants or service users) • Open nominations – anyone who: - Is a tenant (but not DFTA Committee or an RTO who is already represented) - An applicant on the housing list (including Common Housing Register) - Is a factored owner
The main remit of the Scrutiny Panel is to agree a programme of scrutiny activity over the year and to recommend areas for improvement for the Council to implement.
Scrutiny ActivitiesTenants have expressed an interest in a wide range of methods to scrutinise services. These include Tenant Led Inspections, (which the Council has been using for several years now) and Mystery Shopping.
11Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
Resources for Tenant ParticipationThe Tenant Participation budget is made up of two elements: direct Council expenditure to implement the tenant participation sections of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 and; Grants to Tenant Associations (registered with and/or supported by the Council).
Staff within Housing and Communities will have responsibility for liaising with tenants groups and to help tenants and staff get the most from the tenant participation strategy. Support and advice may include: • Helping RTOs to prepare and adopt a constitution which complies with statutory criteria forming part of the Housing (Scotland) act 2001 • Helping RTOs to draw up and submit an application to be included on the Council’s register • Helping RTOs communicate with /obtain the views of their individual members. • Support and encouragement to take part in “Community Planning”.
Direct ExpenditureThe Council (Direct Expenditure) budget will pay for the following: • The costs of producing, printing and posting information to tenants. Information will have clear tenant participation content/input. • The costs of promoting and developing tenant participation generally within the City. This includes support from staff: facilities; advertising or promotional activities to encourage new groups and/or individual tenants to become involved in tenant participation activities. • The expenses involved in running tenant participation working groups set up by the Council, including joint tenant/officer groups, tenant scrutiny and training for those involved.
Tenants are not expected to be out of pocket as a result of participating. The following expenses can be claimed by tenants: • Travel and subsistence expenses incurred by tenants where they have been invited to attend meetings by the Council. • Travel and subsistence expenses of tenants attending conferences where attendance has been agreed with the Council and they are representing Dundee’s tenants. • Reimbursement of other expenses incurred by individual tenants (e.g. telephone and stationery costs) in contributing to general tenant participation initiatives where their contribution has been previously agreed with the Council and the tenants cannot reclaim these expenses from tenant organisations.
12 Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
Grants to Registered Tenants OrganisationsFunding will be awarded on the basis of applications received from each association. These bids will be assessed and a grant will be paid if required criteria are met.
The funding is intended to be a contribution to the costs of running tenant organisations. It is not necessarily intended to cover all running costs. It is assumed that associations will pursue other sources of funding e.g. local fundraising, donations, and grants from other bodies. An organisation’s bid should cover all planned expenditure for the forthcoming financial year and only in exceptional cases will further bids be considered during the same financial year.
Tenant Participation Strategy Action Plan
The Strategy Action Plan has been set out using the Scottish Social Housing Charter’s Outcomes and where relevant Charter Indicators, these being:
ParticipationSocial landlords manage their businesses so that: tenants and other customers find it easy to participate in and influence their landlord’s decisions at a level they feel comfortable with.Charter Indicator: Percentage of tenants satisfied with the opportunities given to them to participate in their landlord’s decision making processes.
CommunicationSocial landlords manage their businesses so that: tenants and other customers find it easy to communicate with their landlord and get the information they need about their landlord, how and why it makes decisions and the services it provides.Charter Indicator: Percentage of tenants who feel their landlord is good at keeping them informed about their services and decisions.
Value for Money for Rents and Service ChargesSocial landlords manage all aspects of their businesses so that: tenants, owners and other customers receive services that provide continually improving value for the rent and other charges they pay. Social landlords set rents and service charges in consultation with their tenants and other customers so that: • A balance is struck between the level of services provided, the cost of the services, and how far current and prospective tenants and other customers can afford them • Tenants get clear information on how rent and other money is spent, including any details of individual items of expenditure above thresholds agreed between landlords and tenants.Charter Indicator: Percentage of tenants who feel that the rent for their property represents good value for money.
13Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
EqualitiesSocial landlords perform all aspects of their housing services so that every tenant and other customer has their individual needs recognised, is treated fairly and with respect, and receives fair access to housing and housing services.Charter Indicator: Ethnic origins and disability details of service users, staff and for RSLs only, governing body members.
Each of these outcomes has a set of actions which the council intends to take to achieve the desired outcome a measurement of our success.
How the strategy will be monitored and reviewed
The Action Plan on pages will provide the main means of monitoring and reviewing the Tenant Participation Strategy. The Council’s Lead Officers will meet with the Housing Best Value Review Group, the DFTA and the Scrutiny Panel regularly to review the progress of the Action Plan to ensure that the strategy is achieving its aims. The progress of the strategy will also be discussed at tenant events in order to include as many tenants as possible in the process.
on 3 proposed options For information please visit theHousing web page (below) or pick upa post card at council offices,libraries and community centres.
Have Your Say and be entered into our Prize Draw.To find out how to Have Your Say on the Rent Options we
are consulting on for 2016/17 visit:www.dundeecity.gov.uk/rentconsultationTerms and conditions apply - visit www.dundeecity.gov.uk/
by emailing: [email protected] texting: ‘RENTOPTION 1, 2 or 3’ to 07539 242 303by going online: web address belowRent increase consultation 2017/18
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Consultation closes 31 December 2016
Rent Increase
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*subject to terms & conditions
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14 Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
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arr
ange
men
ts f
or T
enan
t Le
d In
spec
tion
s (T
LI’s
) an
d M
yste
ry S
hopp
ing
tog
ethe
r w
ith
tena
nts
repr
esen
tative
s ev
ery
2 ye
ars
Rev
iew
TLI
’s in
201
7 &
201
9Rev
iew
Mys
tery
Sho
ppin
g in
201
8 &
202
0
Dev
elop
an
E-Le
arni
ng t
rain
ing
mod
ule
on T
enan
t Pa
rtic
ipat
ion
for
staf
f to
coi
ncid
e w
ith
the
laun
ch o
f th
e ne
w S
trat
egy
Com
plet
e th
e M
odul
e by
Jan
uary
20
1610
0% o
f st
aff
com
plet
ed t
he t
rain
ing
mod
ule
15Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
Dev
elop
the
DFT
A a
nd R
TO’s
to
max
imis
e th
eir
enga
gem
ent
with
a w
ide
rang
e of
ten
ants
by
givi
ng g
uida
nce
and
tr
aini
ng c
over
ing:
• Con
stitut
ions
• Com
mitte
e ro
les
• Fi
nanc
e•
Cod
es o
f co
nduc
t•
Dev
elop
men
t pl
ans
• Com
mun
icat
ion
and
soci
al m
edia
.•
Info
rmat
ion
Tech
nolo
gy
Num
ber
of t
enan
ts r
ecei
ving
tra
inin
g/br
iefin
gs
per
year
Con
sult o
n po
licy
deve
lopm
ents
and
giv
e RTO
’s a
min
imum
of si
x w
eeks
to
resp
ond.
Num
ber
of C
onsu
ltat
ions
car
ried
out
per
yea
r.N
umbe
r of
RTO
’s r
espo
ndin
g to
con
sultat
ions
Purs
ue m
ore
join
t w
orki
ng w
ith
loca
l Hou
sing
Ass
ocia
tion
s to
;•
Sha
re g
ood
prac
tice
• M
ake
best
use
of re
sour
ces
• W
iden
opp
ortu
nities
for
par
tici
pation
Num
ber
of J
oint
act
ivitie
s co
mpl
eted
per
ye
ar.
16 Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
Ou
tcom
e
Tena
nts
find
it ea
sy t
o co
mm
unic
ate
with
the
ir la
ndlo
rd a
nd g
et t
he in
form
atio
n th
ey n
eed
abou
t th
eir
land
lord
,
how
and
why
it m
akes
dec
isio
ns a
nd t
he s
ervi
ces
it pr
ovid
es.
Mea
sure
men
t
Ch
arte
r In
dic
ator
No.
3:
Perc
enta
ge o
f te
nant
s w
ho fee
l the
ir la
ndlo
rds
is g
ood
at k
eepi
ng t
hem
info
rmed
. T
his
will
be
mea
sure
d th
roug
h a
surv
ey e
very
3 y
ears
.
Act
ion
s M
easu
rem
ent
Rev
iew
and
rev
ise
the
writt
en a
nd e
lect
roni
c in
form
atio
n on
Ten
ant
Part
icip
atio
n an
d th
e op
port
unitie
s fo
r in
volv
emen
t to
ens
ure
that
the
y ar
e:
• Acc
essi
ble
•
Easi
ly u
nder
stoo
d
• Ta
ke a
ccou
nt o
f dy
slex
ia,
non
Engl
ish,
sen
sory
impa
irm
ent.
Num
ber
of joi
nt r
evie
ws
unde
rtak
en w
ith
tena
nts’
rep
rese
ntat
ives
per
yea
r
Rev
iew
Sta
ndar
ds o
f Ser
vice
and
any
“Cod
es o
f Pr
actice
” fo
r te
nant
par
tici
pation
tog
ethe
r w
ith
tena
nts’
re
pres
enta
tive
s By
Dec
embe
r 20
17
Dev
elop
and
kee
p up
to
date
an
‘inte
rest
ed p
erso
ns’ d
atab
ase/
mai
ling
list
(in
acco
rdan
ce w
ith
Sco
ttis
h
Gov
ernm
ent
Req
uire
men
ts)
Rev
iew
the
inte
rest
ed p
erso
n’s
data
base
an
nual
ly.
Invi
te R
TO’s
to
shar
e th
eir
deve
lopm
ent
plan
s w
ith
the
loca
l are
a ho
usin
g m
anag
er/L
ocal
Com
mun
ity
Plan
ning
Pa
rtne
rshi
ps t
o im
prov
e co
mm
unic
atio
n an
d pa
rtne
rshi
p w
orki
ngPe
rcen
tage
of
RTO
s sh
arin
g D
evel
opm
ent
Plan
s ea
ch y
ear
Prod
uce
a Cal
enda
r of
Ten
ant
Part
icip
atio
n O
ppor
tuni
ties
Prod
uce
Cal
enda
r by
Mar
ch e
ach
year
Impr
ove
and
expa
nd u
se o
f so
cial
med
ia t
o pr
omot
e te
nant
par
tici
pation
Num
ber
of “
frie
nds”
on
DCC T
enan
t
Part
icip
atio
n Fa
cebo
ok.
Num
ber
of f
ollo
wer
s an
d “t
wee
ts”
on t
witte
r ac
coun
t
Prod
uce
a qu
arte
rly
sum
mar
y re
port
of
all t
enan
t in
volv
emen
t w
here
RTO
s/te
nant
s ha
ve c
ontr
ibut
ed t
o im
prov
emen
ts
in t
he s
ervi
ce a
nd d
istr
ibut
e to
RTO
s an
d to
the
wid
er t
enan
t m
ovem
ent
via
the
web
site
Q
uart
erly
Rep
orts
pro
duce
d in
Jul
y, O
ctob
er,
Janu
ary
and
Apr
il.
Inve
stig
ate
the
oppo
rtun
itie
s fo
r pr
oduc
ing
new
slet
ters
tog
ethe
r w
ith
othe
r co
unci
l ser
vice
sBy
Oct
ober
201
7
17Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
Prov
ide
feed
back
on
the
outc
omes
of
cons
ulta
tion
s an
d ho
w c
hang
es a
re b
eing
mad
e as
a r
esul
t.Ann
ual u
pdat
e in
the
Cus
tom
er R
epor
t
Ensu
re t
hat
Cou
ncil
offic
es a
re u
sed
to p
rom
ote
and
adve
rtis
e Te
nant
Par
tici
pation
Out
com
e of
mys
tery
sho
ppin
g on
fro
ntlin
e se
rvic
es.
Mee
t w
ith
tena
nts
grou
ps t
o gi
ve t
hem
info
rmat
ion
on p
lann
ed im
prov
emen
ts t
o th
eir
hous
es
Num
ber
of m
eeting
s he
ld p
er y
ear
S
urve
y Reg
iste
red
Tena
nts’
Org
anis
atio
ns a
nnua
lly t
o as
sess
the
ir s
atis
fact
ion
with
supp
ort
give
n by
the
Cou
ncil
% o
f RTO
’s w
ho a
re s
atis
fied
with
supp
ort
give
n by
the
Cou
ncil
Ou
tcom
e
Soc
ial l
andl
ords
set
ren
ts a
nd s
ervi
ce c
harg
es in
con
sulta
tion
with
the
ir t
enan
ts a
nd o
ther
cus
tom
ers
so t
hat:
•
a
bala
nce
is s
truc
k be
twee
n th
e le
vel o
f se
rvic
es p
rovi
ded,
the
cos
t of
the
ser
vice
s, a
nd h
ow f
ar c
urre
nt a
nd
pro
spec
tive
ten
ants
and
oth
er c
usto
mer
s ca
n af
ford
the
m
•
ten
ants
get
cle
ar in
form
atio
n on
how
ren
t an
d ot
her
mon
ey is
spe
nt,
incl
udin
g an
y de
tails
of
indi
vidu
al it
ems
of
exp
endi
ture
abo
ve t
hres
hold
s ag
reed
bet
wee
n la
ndlo
rds
and
tena
nts.
Mea
sure
men
t
Ch
arte
r In
dic
ator
No.
29
: Pe
rcen
tage
of te
nant
s w
ho fee
l tha
t th
e re
nt
for
thei
r pr
oper
ty r
epre
sent
s go
od v
alue
for
m
oney
. T
his
will
be
mea
sure
d th
roug
h a
su
rvey
eve
ry 3
yea
rs.
Act
ion
s M
easu
rem
ent
Wid
ely
adve
rtis
e an
d co
nsul
t on
the
ann
ual r
ent
incr
ease
Nov
embe
r to
Jan
uary
Ann
ually
.N
umbe
r of
res
pons
es t
o co
nsul
tation
.
Impl
emen
t th
e ‘G
uida
nce
on t
he O
pera
tion
of
Loca
l Aut
hority
Hou
sing
Rev
enue
Acc
ount
s (H
RAs)
in S
cotlan
d’
incl
udin
g th
e ro
le o
f te
nant
scr
utin
y in
the
run
ning
of
hous
ing
serv
ices
.Rev
iew
the
m
etho
dolo
gy f
or in
volv
ing
te
nant
s in
HRA d
ecis
ions
in li
ne w
ith
new
gu
idan
ce b
y D
ecem
ber
2017
Rev
iew
the
fun
ding
agr
eem
ent
betw
een
Dun
dee
Fede
ration
of
Tena
nts’
Ass
ocia
tion
s an
d th
e Cou
ncil
to im
plem
ent
an
outc
ome
base
d co
ntra
ct.
By
Oct
ober
201
7
Agr
ee a
nnua
lly t
he b
udge
t fo
r Te
nant
Par
tici
pation
and
the
res
ourc
es a
lloca
ted
to t
he D
FTA a
nd R
TO’s
.By
Oct
ober
ann
ually
18 Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
Ou
tcom
e
Ever
y te
nant
and
oth
er c
usto
mer
has
the
ir in
divi
dual
nee
ds r
ecog
nise
d, is
tre
ated
fai
rly
and
with
res
pect
, an
d
rece
ives
fai
r ac
cess
to
hous
ing
and
hous
ing
serv
ices
Mea
sure
men
t
Perc
enta
ge o
f co
mpl
aint
s re
late
d to
equ
aliti
es
issu
es, re
spon
ded
to in
ful
l eve
ry y
ear,
that
w
ere
reso
lved
by
the
land
lord
and
th
e
perc
enta
ge u
phel
d.
Act
ion
s M
easu
rem
ent
Incr
ease
eng
agem
ent
of h
ard
to r
each
gro
ups
(hom
eles
s pe
ople
, gy
psy
trav
elle
rs,
hear
ing/
visu
ally
impa
ired
, ph
ysic
al/
lear
ning
/men
tal h
ealth,
min
ority
ethn
ic g
roup
s in
ten
ant
part
icip
atio
n ac
tivi
ties
by
:
• Con
sultin
g w
ith
repr
esen
tative
gro
ups
(whe
re t
hey
exis
t) o
n po
licy
chan
ges
•
Con
sult w
ith
resi
dent
s on
Gyp
sy T
rave
llers
site
rega
rdin
g sa
tisf
action
•
See
k ou
t re
pres
enta
tive
s fr
om h
ard
to r
each
gro
ups
on a
ny f
orum
s or
wor
king
gro
ups
(e.g
. Scr
utin
y Pa
nel,
Te
nant
Led
Ins
pect
ions
)
• H
ave
a pr
esen
ce a
t co
mm
unity/
cultur
al e
vent
s to
pro
mot
e Te
nant
Par
tici
pation
Num
ber
of C
onsu
ltat
ions
Perc
enta
ge s
atis
fied
Rep
rese
ntat
ion
on G
roup
s
Num
ber
of e
vent
s at
tend
ed
Ensu
re t
hat
sign
age
in o
ffice
s ad
vert
ise
tran
slat
ion/
inte
rpre
tation
ser
vice
sO
utco
me
of m
yste
ry s
hopp
ing
on f
ront
line
serv
ices
.
19Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
Cal
end
ar f
or P
arti
cip
atio
nEv
ery
year
the
re a
re c
erta
in im
port
ant
deci
sion
s w
hich
the
Cou
ncil
mus
t m
ake.
The
se a
re r
egul
arly
tim
etab
led
to
mee
t th
e Cou
ncil’
s re
quirem
ent
to s
et it
s bu
dget
s. T
here
are
opp
ortu
nities
for
ten
ants
to
part
icip
ate
in t
hese
de
cisi
ons
and
be in
form
ed o
f ou
tcom
es.
The
Cal
enda
r be
low
set
s ou
t th
ese
tim
esca
les
and
oppo
rtun
itie
s fo
r
part
icip
atio
n:
Ap
ril
May
Jun
eJu
lyA
ug
ust
Sep
tem
ber
Oct
ober
Nov
emb
erD
ecem
ber
Jan
uar
yFe
bru
ary
Mar
ch
Pol
icy
Ser
vice
Pla
n is
Agr
eed
DFT
A/R
TO’s
are
co
nsul
ted
on
Prio
rities
for
nex
t ye
ar’s
ser
vice
pla
n
Ren
tsRen
t co
nsul
tation
sta
rts
Ren
t co
nsul
tation
cl
oses
Ren
t In
crea
se
Agr
eed
Inve
stm
ent
Pla
ns
DFT
A a
nd R
TO’s
co
nsid
er p
rior
itie
s fo
r m
ajor
rep
air
and
impr
ovem
ent
prog
ram
mes
Tena
nts
repr
esen
tative
s an
d th
e Cou
ncil
agre
e th
e dr
aft
capi
tal p
lan
and
agre
e ar
rang
emen
ts f
or g
ivin
g in
form
atio
n or
fur
ther
par
tici
pation
of
tena
nts
Cap
ital
Pro
gram
me
is a
gree
d
Rev
iew
Scr
utin
y Pa
nel
Ann
ual P
rogr
ess
Rep
ort
Scr
utin
y Pa
nel a
nd t
he
coun
cil d
raft
the
ann
ual
Cus
tom
er R
epor
t
Cus
tom
er R
epor
t is
Pu
blis
hed
The
Scr
utin
y Pa
nel
agre
es it
’s a
nnua
l Scr
utin
y Pl
an
The
Cou
ncil
su
bmits
the
Ann
ual R
etur
n on
th
e Cha
rter
SH
R P
ublis
hes
La
ndlo
rd R
epor
t
Tena
nts
and
Res
iden
ts p
artici
pate
in t
he d
esig
n of
the
3
year
ly s
urve
y of
ten
ants
and
res
iden
ts.
Sat
isfa
ctio
n Sur
vey
is c
arried
out
an
d re
port
ed
20 Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
Making a Complaint
We do our best to get things right first time. If you are not happy with the service you receive, the quickest way to sort things out is to contact the staff responsible for the service and give them a chance to put things right.If, after speaking to them, you are still not satisfied, you have the right to make an official complaint using our Complaints Procedure. Any member of staff can show you how to submit a complaint. You can also contact Customer Services or visit the Council’s websitewww.dundeecity.gov.uk/complaints
If you are still dissatisfied after going through our Complaints Procedure you can report this to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. Any complaint for the Ombudsman can be sent free of charge (i.e. no stamp is needed) to:Freepost SPSO
Where you believe that the Council has made a significant performance failure, a complaint can be made to the Scottish Housing Regulator:https://www.scottishhousingregulator.gov.uk/what-we-do/raising-concerns-about-landlord
Councillors SurgeriesAll councillors have regular surgeries which any tenant or tenant representative can go along to. These surgeries provide opportunities for tenants or their representatives to put their concerns on council housing issues directly to their local councillors, particularly where they feel all other avenues open to them have not provided them with satisfaction.
Who to contact • West District Housing Office 01382 307301 • East District Housing Office 01382 307401 • Lettings Centre 01382 307400 • Housing Repairs 01382 434343 • Antisocial Behaviour Advice Line 0800 169 3845 or 01382 307342 • Homeless Advice Line 0800 633 5843 or 01382 432001 • Housing Investment Unit 01382 434848
21Dundee City Council Tenant Participation Strategy
Glossary of TermsConstitution – The written rules which a tenants group uses to run its business.
AGM (Annual General Meeting) – The yearly meeting which a tenants’ group holds to elect it’s chairperson, committee and to report on it’s achievements and finances.
Capital Expenditure – the money which the council spends to improve or build houses.
DFTA – The Dundee Federation of Tenants’ Associations – the body which represents Registered Tenants’ Organisations in Dundee.
Direct Council expenditure – the money which the council spends on tenant participation itself (that is not including grants to the DFTA and RTO’s).
Equal opportunities – it is illegal to treat someone less fairly because of:, age, sex, race, disability, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or religious background.
Financial Year – the year running from 1st April to 31st March.
Housing Revenue Account – a separate account held by the council for the money collected from council house rents and spent by the council on repairing, maintaining and improving council housing.
Indicator - Something that provides an indication, especially of trends.
Legislation - The act or process of making laws.
Mystery Shopping – tenants using the council services to collect information about how good the service is.
Outcome – the change or difference made as the result of an action.
Representative – people who are chosen to speak on behalf of other tenants or customers
Register of Tenants Organisations – A list of tenant groups held by the council which is available on it’s website.
Registered Social Landlord – a Housing Association which is registered with the Scottish Housing Regulator.
Resources – the money, people or property which the council or another body can use to do its business.
Revenue Expenditure – the money which the council uses to pay running costs e.g. office costs, staff wages, repairs.
RTO – a registered tenant organisation (tenants association)
Scottish Housing Regulator – a non government body which protects the interests of tenants, homeless people and others who use social landlords’ services.
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman – an organisation which deals with the final stage of complaints about councils, the National Health Service, housing associations, colleges and universities, prisons, most water providers, the Scottish Government and its agencies and departments and most Scottish authorities.
Scottish Social Housing Charter – a government statement of the standards and outcomes that tenants and homeless people can expect of social landlords.
Scrutiny – giving tenants the ability to hold their landlords to account by working in partnership to achieve better performance and improved outcomes
Social Landlord – a landlord who manages non commercial housing, usually a local authority or housing association.
Tenant Led Inspection – an assessment of the council’s housing service and agreed with the Council but led by a group of tenant volunteers.
Tenant Participation - tenants taking part in decision making processes and influencing decisions about heir housing and related services.
Tenant Participation Strategy
Listening
Informing Responding
Design by Comm Div. DCC FA/4/17
DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL
www.dundeecity.gov.uk/housing
Tenant Participation Arrangements in Dundee City Council’s Housing Service
Working Together