Social housing tenants offered a new training scheme worth £500K

People who live in dangerous social housing conditions are to be offered a place on a watchdog-style training scheme that will empower them to hold their landlord’s accountable.  

The scheme, known as the Four Million Homes programme and was backed by £500,000 from government funding, provides free advice on addressing damp and mould issues, webinars on how to complain about anti-social behaviour and advice on how to set up a residents panel – a system which gives tenants a voice and ensures their concerns are heard.

Sessions are set to begin in May and will run over the course of 24 months. The training events will include face-to-face accredited training in Newcastle, Liverpool, Birmingham and London and monthly webinars.

Minister for Social Housing Baroness Scott said: ‘Tenants deserve better and this training programme will help people up and down the country demand a high-quality service from their landlord.

‘We are driving up standards in social housing through landmark legislation and making sure residents’ voices are heard with digital advertisement campaigns.

‘The Four Million Homes programme is the latest part of our plan to drive a culture change right at the very heart of the social housing sector.’

The training will be provided by the Confederation of Co-operative Housing (CCH) and Public Participation, Consultation and Research (PPCR) – organisations that help empower social housing residents.

CCH chief executive officer, Blase Lambert, said: ‘This programme is a catalyst for change in the social housing sector. It complements other government actions outlined in the Social Housing Regulation Bill and the Make Things Right campaign, leading to a better balance of power between landlords and residents.

‘All social housing residents need to understand their rights, know how to raise issues with their landlords and hold them to account, and be able to shape and improve the services they receive and the homes they live in.  This training programme will do that.’

Image: Matt Brown