LJN Blog Posts

Early next year the National Federation of Tenant Management Organisations will be launching it's 1000 Communities campaign.

The aim is to let 1000 communities, where the local authority is the landlord, about their right to manage and to encourage more communities to consider if tenant management is for them.

Tenant Management Organisations (TMOs) are communities where local tenants and leaseholders have taken on some of the tasks normally associated with the lanldord. They range from a small block of flats with 24 homes to a borough wide TMO, Kensington and Chelsea.

But why would tenants and leaseholders give up their time for free to run a number of services that they already pay the landlord to do?

TMOs are generally more effective than the landlord. The formula for setting allowances mean that TMOs should receive the same money it would cost the council to run the same services, however TMO are generally able to do the same services at a lower cost.

To give an example a couple of years ago when the decent homes program was being done we agreed to let the council do it for us, and we would pay them. As they were paying for the scaffolding and would ensure the work was done to standard we were told it would be cheaper. A few months after all the work had been done we had not been invoiced and I wanted to know what the cost would be. I was invited to a meeting that was being held to discuss some of the issues and was told one of the councils accountants would be there and should be able to tell me. His reply was that he couldn't give me the figure as he was still attending meetings like the one we were at and his time would need to be added to the cost.

This was when I realised why it is that we were making savings on the services that we provided compared to the council. Savings that can be reinvested into the community.

Because TMOs are run by people living in the homes they serve they set their own service standards. So council tenants are often getting a better service for the rent they pay. Satisfaction rates are often a lot higher for residents living on TMO run estates. Three STATUS reports of TMO run estates in different parts of the country showed that TMOs consistantly out perform the council Landlord.

Unlike the council TMO staff tend to stay with the organisation far longer. They know who will be turning up to do their repairs, gardener usually have much smaller areas to tend and have more autonomy on what they can do and so take greater pride in what they are doing. Staff also know if they do not perform those responsibile for employing them will know, but more often than not will take ownership of their work and provide a service they can be proud of.

TMO homes and surroundings tend to be much better managed and in better condition. It is therefor not unusual to find a higher proportion of leaseholders on TMO run estates / blocks.

Most TMOs employ at least one housing professional to manage tenancy issues. These professionals often have fewer homes to manage and are able to get to know most, if not all, their tenants and not just the few who cause the most work for many housing professionals. It also means that they have the opportunities to work with tenants before problems become an issue. Residents expectations are much higher and more likely to complain so problems are resolved more quickly. As a result it is not unusual to find lower anti social behaviour problems, vandelism or graffitti.

Seven years ago we invited a number of agencies to an open event, including our local anti social behaviour unit. At the time my daughter was getting into music and were having issues with how high she would sometimes play it. So I went over with her to ask for advice. We came away with an agreement as to how loud she could play her music. Including being able to play it a little louder when she came home as it helped her to destress, but for a limited period. Stacey also accepted that on occassions she would need to lower the volume if our neighbour was ill. I jokingly said at the end I was happy as I was dad and could change the agreement if I wanted to. The woman we were speaking to told my duaghter if I tried to change the rules to call her, and gave her her business card with her number on it. It was something she never forgot and still sticks to the rules agreed when she was 12. That 20 minute conversation helped us to resolve a problem earlier on and helped to keep a peaceful and happy family life.

TMOs are much better with dealing with problems and potential problems informally in different ways rather than waiting for the problem to grow and much more confrontational measures are required.

Living on a TMO can have very possitive effects for the tenant than would be found on a normal council estate. One of our previous managers spent a lot of time at one point supporting a young tenant who was at university but was finding it hard and was seriously considering dropping out. She went on to complete her course and now has a good job.

It has given me the opportunity to retrain and learn new skills to improve my chances of becoming employed. Thanks to practical support from the TMO my daughter has been able to stay at University when her student finances were late coming through.

Some TMOs use part of their savings to provide funds to help individual tenants. We have a discretionary fund the manager can access to help tenants. Typically this can be used to help a homeless person to get some basics when moving into their first flat with us. Or help a tenant who doesn't have the money to make a hospital appointment or if there is something they need for an interview. I know of another TMO which has an education fund for families with children. This is available if a family cannot afford a school trip, or need help getting particular books. Both funds described above are undersubscribed, a far cry from the image of social tenants thinking they are entitled to everything they can possibly get.

Similar to co-ops it is not unusual for children whose parents are actively involved do well at school develop a sense of social responsibility.

I recently heard when the national conference was at Blackpool one of the executive members went with one of the children to buy 40 bucket and spades so that the children could build sandcastles. As the member went to pay the 12 year old told her to hang on, as they were buying 40 they were buying bulk and should get a discount. The 12 year old then negotiated a discount for them.

TMOs also have a possitive effect on the wider community.

As well as providing local employment most TMOs will look to use their purchasing power to support local businesses. or will favour businesses that either employ local people or provide additional services for local communities. So a company that encourages workers to volunteer in local communities are given preferences over those who do very little.

Despite the fact that TMOs are backed up by legislation as far back as 1992 there are only around 300 nationally. The highest concentration of these are in London, where many councils can see the benefits for themselves. Tenants remain council tenants and therefor we help to improve their overall figures.

Reaching a 1000 communities is an aspiration, but as a model for managing council estates there are few with such a good success rate.

To demonstrate the pure diversity of TMOs, WATMOS is a unique housing association based in Warsall, West Midlands. It is unique in that it was formed by 8 TMOs, each maintaining their own independance and character but with the freedom of being part of a housing association they control rather than the local council. Residents from two or three TMOs in Lambeth, London recently voted in favour for a stock transfer to WATMOS. This allows the TMOs to continue functioning without interferrance from the council, giving them greater autonomy.