Tenant and resident associations (TRAs) are groups of people living in the same area who join together to put forward their views and take an active part in improving their local community.
What are the benefits of a tenants and residents association?
- Tenants and residents making decisions as a group about what is best for the estate and the community
- Having a representative voice when dealing with your landlord or other agencies
- Increasing the sense of belonging and pride in your community
- The tenant and resident association will receive an annual grant of between £500-£800
- The opportunity to apply for funding for social events and community projects
- The opportunity to meet your neighbours and make new friends
Why set up a tenants and residents association?
Setting up a tenant and resident association is one of the best ways to promote your housing and community interests.
There are many reasons why you may want to start a tenant and resident association, including:
- Promoting the interests of all residents in the community
- Working with your landlord to improve housing conditions and services received
- Working to improve the local environment
- Organising social activities
- Improving community spirit.
Key voices
A key voice is a representative for a smaller estate or community.
On small estates or groups of street properties one or two residents are often keen to get involved but there are not enough people who are interested in getting involved to form a tenants and residents association. Where this is the case up to two residents can be elected by their neighbours as a key voice.
The community investment team will contact the key voice on a regular basis to discuss their views on services and local issues.
Key voices will be encouraged to:
- Produce quarterly newsletters on behalf of their estate/community to keep residents informed of their work
- Organise social activities and meetings
- Improve community spirit.
Special interest groups
These groups work in a similar way to the associations but are made up of residents who have the same needs as each other in some way.
Funding surgeries
Funding surgeries give residents, resident associations and community organisations an opportunity to find out more about the funding and support available to them.