Press Release

Top priorities for next three years outlined by TSA

Date: 5 February 2010      Ref: TSA 06/10

The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) has set out its priorities for the next three years – to work towards securing a fair deal for tenants, protecting the taxpayer and delivering modern and effective regulation.

Published in its draft corporate plan 2010-13 today, the TSA sets out its ambitions for 2013, which include:

• having more tenants satisfied with the services they receive
• all providers being well-run and well-governed so that they can provide quality services and value for money for the taxpayer
• being considered as a best practice regulator and judged on performance in a transparent way.

The plan also highlights key achievements during the first year of the TSA and details actions for 2010-11, including:

• identifying landlords that face the biggest challenges in delivering services – with an initial focus on repairs and maintenance and gas and fire safety
• targeting regulation where it will make most difference and freeing landlords from red tape
• targeting landlords where tenants are least satisfied with opportunities for involvement and requiring them to have action plans to improve involvement and scrutiny arrangements for the benefit of their tenants
• working with the boards of the larger housing associations to review executive pay arrangements.

Chief Executive Peter Marsh said, “In our first 14 months, we’ve developed a radically different approach to regulating social housing landlords who provide homes for more than eight million people.

“Now we’re setting out our key priorities for the next three years – how we intend to secure a fair deal for tenants, protect the taxpayer and deliver modern and effective regulation. This plan sets out our vision for social housing regulation – it’s a framework for action.”

Ends.

For media enquiries, contact the press office on 020 7393 2094/2118/2115 or by email pressoffice@tsa.gsx.gov.uk

Notes to editors:
1) The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) is the independent regulator for social housing. It launched on 1 December 2008 and currently regulates housing associations. From spring 2010, subject to Parliamentary approval, the TSA will also regulate other providers of social housing, such as local authorities and arm’s-length management organisations.

2) The TSA is consulting with social housing tenants across five million households and their landlords, as well as stakeholders, to develop new standards to improve services for tenants. The statutory consultation, which begun on 12 November 2009, will close on 5 February.