Tenants' and Residents' Associations

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Being part of an organised tenants' and residents' association will give you a greater voice when talking about local issues with the housing and property services.

• What is a tenants' and residents' association?
• Find out if your street is represented by a tenants' and residents' association
• How to start your own tenants' and residents' association
• Contact us

What is a tenants' and residents' association?

Tenants' and residents' assocations represent tenants and residents living in an area by putting forward views and concerns about their housing, community and local issues to us. Associations are also involved in a wide range of issues from large-scale improvements and matters of policy, to organising social events for their members.

Usually tenants' and residents' associations are community groups made up of local people acting in a voluntary capacity to promote the interests of tenants and residents in their area. Find out more about the structure of tenant involvement in Renfrewshire here.

Tenants' and residents' associations can:

• provide a collective voice for tenants and residents in an area
• act as a focus for consultation and an organisation to lobby for changes
• develop extra services through self help schemes, such as pensioners lunch clubs, and
• offer advice to local people and represent individual tenants or residents when dealing with authorities.

Most tenants' and residents' associations hold regular (at least quarterly) meetings which are open to all tenants and residents within the area, but conduct their business through a smaller committee. Housing and Property Services can provide funding for running and administration costs.

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Find out if your street is represented by a tenants' and residents' association

To find out if your street is represented by a Tenants' and Residents' Association please follow the link below to our Registered Tenant Organisations Register (pdf - 291Kb)

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If your street is not already represented, why not read on to find out how you can set up your own!

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Why start a tenants' and residents' association?

There are a lot of reasons for tenants/residents who join together to form an association.

Here are just a few:

• Organise local people around issues that affect their community.
• Create a better sense of community in the area where you live.
• Have a representative voice.
• Provide the means for tenants to communicate with their landlord to influence a decision making that affects them and their neighbours' homes.
• Give accurate advice and information to tenants/residents.
• Campaign on certain issues, such as better play facilities or better housing conditions.

For further information about starting and running a TRA please follow the link below to our guide Getting Involved - A guide to starting and running a Tenants' and Residents' Association (pdf - 294Kb)

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How to contact our tenant consultation officer:
For further information regarding tenant participation, please contact our tenant consultation officer:

• Write to us or visit:
  Strategy and Development Section
  Housing and Property Services
  Renfrewshire Council
  Renfrewshire House
  Cotton Street
  Paisley
  PA1 1JD
• phone: 0141 840 3670
• email: tp.hps@renfrewshire.gov.uk

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