Tenant Voice Programme

Connecting renters with local authorities so that issues are better understood, tenants’ voices are clearly heard, and local authority practice is improved.

Funding at a glance

Programme: Transforming the Private Rented Sector

Amount: £327,561 grant

Approved: 2018

Timescale: Seven years

Status: Funding in progress

Phase: Decent Affordable Homes Phase Three

Strategic purpose

To give tenants a stronger voice in debates about housing and the private rented sector.

Project description

The CFPT is one of the longest-running organisations working with private tenants and one of the few that focuses solely on this group. It began its work in Camden but now operates across multiple London boroughs.

In earlier stages of the tenant voice programme, CFPT saw significant success, providing greater access to information and advice, supporting tenants to speak up, and helping stakeholders recognise the value of listening to tenants’ voices. It worked with several local authorities to bring about change, including Islington Council, which committed to implementing a tenants’ charter. And it’s been playing an active role in PRS strategy forums in Westminster and Tower Hamlets. As a member of the Renters’ Reform Coalition, CFPT has also provided insight into the experiences of private renters living in areas experiencing some of the worst effects of the current housing crisis.

CFPT continues to support tenants vulnerable to harm in directly influencing power-holders, helping them know their rights, understand political processes, and speak with those able to implement change. The project also indirectly represents tenants by gathering evidence from them and relaying it to power-holders. Seeking to work with more local authorities due to housing issues being pushed outwards, CFPT will continue to collaborate with the four boroughs it currently works with and begin working with a further two.

Connecting renters with local authorities so that issues are better understood, tenants’ voices are clearly heard, and local authority practice is improved.

Funding at a glance

Programme:

Transforming the Private Rented Sector

Amount: £333,057 grant

Approved: 2019

Timescale: 5 years

Status: Funding in progress

Phase: Decent Affordable Homes Phase Three

Strategic purpose

To give tenants a stronger voice in debates about housing and the private rented sector.

Project description

Citizens Advice is one of the UK’s best-known charities. The Nationwide Foundation funds the national charity, which operates 259 independent offices throughout the UK. The organisation supports tens of thousands of renters each year, and renters’ rights are one of its primary focuses, so it has an in-depth understanding of renters’ experiences.

Its work as part of the tenant voice programme has had a significant impact, empowering tenants, supporting them in having their voices heard at the national government level, and improving recognition among stakeholders of the importance of listening to tenants’ voices. Highlights include two policy reports produced during the pandemic that were promoted within the national government and several direct meetings with decision-makers, such as a roundtable with the Department for Levelling-up, Housing, and Communities (DLUHC).

Looking ahead, Citizens Advice will continue playing a role in helping exert influence, targeting issues that currently have political attention, adapting to a changing political landscape, and promoting tenant voices when opportunities arise. It will continue building on its relationships with several government departments – including DLUHC, the Treasury, and Number 10 – and playing a key role as a member of the Renters’ Reform Coalition. It’s also working alongside a national polling company to generate quantitative and qualitative data on tenants’ experiences.

Using a community organising model to bring together and empower tenants across the West of England Combined Authority.

Funding at a glance

Programme: Transforming the Private Rented Sector

Amount: £185,698

Approved: 2022

Status: Funding in progress

Timescale: 2 years

Phase: Decent Affordable Homes Phase Three

Strategic purpose

To give tenants a stronger voice in debates about housing and the private rented sector.

Project description

Shelter is a well-known national housing charity that has been operating since the 1960s. Alongside its national campaign work, Shelter runs 11 local hubs and additional services in Wales and Scotland.

So far, Shelter has seen success in supporting tenants to know their rights and speak out about their experiences in the private rented sector. It’s done this by community organising in the Bristol area and creating a ‘manifesto for change’ to influence local government. It’s now looking to build on its community organising work, maintaining its core group of tenants but also expanding to engage more diverse groups. And it will help tenants hold power-holders accountable for previous commitments while pushing for further ones.

Elevating the voices of Greater Manchester’s tenants through the creation of a tenant-led housing manifesto.

Funding at a glance

Programme: Transforming the Private Rented Sector

Amount: £318,793

Approved: 2019

Timescale: 6 years

Status: Funding in progress

Phase: Decent Affordable Homes Phase Three

Project description

GMTU is one of seven projects we fund as part of the tenant voice programme. It advocates for the rights of tenants in Greater Manchester by engaging with tenants as members of the union and working with them to deliver change.

So far, GMTU has been successful in supporting tenants to speak up, work together as a group, and see the value in being part of a tenant movement. It’s established itself as a key stakeholder and local representative group and secured policy commitments from the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, and ongoing agreement that tenants will be involved in developing private rented sector policies in the area. GMTU is also a key member of the Renters’ Reform Coalition.

Currently, GMTU is continuing to build on and develop its earlier work, maintaining existing groups, expanding to new areas, and mobilising local groups to influence local, regional, and national government. It will continue to engage and empower tenants, helping tenants support each other through Advice Assemblies, which will act as a lasting structure for tenants to share knowledge and work together to know and use their rights. It will also establish Renters’ Forums in different areas comprised of tenants and acting as a forum for consultation and engagement on local private rented sector policy and practice and coordination of campaigning and influencing work.

Strengthening the voice of private renters in Northern Ireland.

Funding at a glance

Programme: Transforming the Private Rented Sector

Amount: £246,710 grant

Approved: 2019

Timescale: 5 years

Status: Funding in progress

Phase: Decent Affordable Homes Phase Three

Strategic purpose

To support tenants, landlords, and letting agents in knowing their rights and driving positive change in policy and practice.

Project description

Housing Rights is a leading housing advice project in Northern Ireland. It seeks to deliver frontline support and drive systemic change in two ways: first, by advising both tenants and landlords/letting agents, and second, by using its strong relationships with the government of Northern Ireland to push for change in policy and practice. It previously secured two changes in private rented sector policy and practice in Northern Ireland – directly ensuring tenants’ voices contributed to key legislation.

Housing Rights will build on its work and expand the range of tenants vulnerable to harm that it engages, making sure it hears from a variety of vulnerable renters, including young people, minority ethnic communities, LGBTQ+ people, and single parents. It will continue to influence the implementation of key legislation, focusing on the cost-of-living crisis and the Private Tenancies Act.

Supporting private rented sector tenants in London to have their stories heard.

Funding at a glance

Programme: Transforming the Private Rented Sector

Amount: £246,713

Approved: 2019

Timescale: 7 years

Status: Funding in progress

Phase: Decent Affordable Homes Phase Three

Strategic purpose

To give tenants a stronger voice in debates about housing and the private rented sector.

Project description

Z2K is one of the seven projects we fund as part of the tenant voice programme. It’s a small but well-established London charity that focuses on fighting and preventing poverty through casework and campaigning and amplifying the voices of people on low incomes. More recently, it’s been focusing more on supporting service users to shape services and lead policy and campaigning work.

We previously supported Z2K in their tenant voice and campaigning work, which was part of a broader project to help homeless and vulnerably housed tenants access the private rented sector and work out how they can have their voices heard.

Going forward, Z2K will adapt its focus, aiming specifically to influence changes to policy and practice in the borough of Westminster, targeting powerholders in Westminster City Council and looking to take advantage of opportunities presented by Labour’s taking control of the council for the first time – as the private rented sector is already on the council’s agenda. Z2K continues to support tenants to influence policy and practice, creating more opportunities for them to do so on their own terms.

Empowering tenants to speak out and exercise their rights.

Funding at a glance

Programme: Transforming the Private Rented Sector

Amount: £236,854 grant

Approved: 2019

Timescale: 5 years

Status: Funding in progress

Phase: Decent Affordable Homes Phase Three

Strategic purpose

To empower tenants and help them understand how to bring about change.

Project description

Living Rent is one of seven projects we fund as part of the tenant voice programme. It’s a tenants’ union, founded in 2015, that supports renters in Scotland. Its core aim is to promote tenants’ ownership and leadership. It focuses on areas in Edinburgh and Glasgow but has groups in other parts of Scotland. Living Rent has been successful in supporting tenants to understand their rights and responsibilities, feel confident in exercising them, and feel empowered to speak out about their experiences. It’s previously seen success in getting the Scottish Government to listen to tenants’ concerns.

Living Rent is currently extending its activities to new areas of Edinburgh and Glasgow and linking local community work with national campaigning through the National Campaigning Steering Group. It plans to focus its work specifically on tenants from minority ethnic backgrounds. And it’s also continuing to develop a steering group, supporting 30 private tenants to plan and deliver national influencing and campaigning.