Community Involvement
» Tenant Participation » Strategy

Tenant participation is about tenants taking part in decision making processes and influencing decisions about housing policies, housing conditions and housing (and related) services. It is a two way process which involves the sharing of information, ideas and power. Its aim is to improve the standard of housing conditions and service’ (1999), The Scottish Office

The Tenant Participation Strategy was produced following the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. Under this Act we must publish a tenant participation strategy in consultation with our tenants and registered tenants organisation.

A strategy is an action plan that:

• outlines our commitment to involving tenants and tenants organisations in the decisions about their homes and communities.
• says how we will do this: and
• sets out a range of meaningful targets that can be measured and achieved by Linstone.

The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 placed a requirement on Linstone to develop a strategy for Tenant Participation – a document which commits Linstone to focus on people's rights and choices, and empowers them to participate in the decision making process of the organisation.

This strategy is an evolving document produced after consultation with tenants, residents and service users of the organisation. It requires to be reviewed and updated on a regular basis to take account of the changing needs of our service users.

Tenant Participation Strategy

Our strategy highlights how we will:

• Obtain and take account of the views of tenants and Registered Tenants Organisations.

• Notify tenants and Registered Tenants Organisations of matters of interest

• Provide information to tenants and Registered Tenants Organisations about any proposals in relation to policy, service or other housing matters and their likely effect.

Keeping You Involved

As a minimum Linstone will provide you with:

• a written Tenancy Agreement
• your entitlement to Right to Buy, and what this would mean for you
• information about our complaints procedure

At your request we can also provide you with information relating to:

• the terms of your tenancy
• our policy on setting rent and service charges
• all our policies
• our Tenant Participation Strategy
• our arrangements for taking decisions about housing management and services

We will regularly seek your views on items such as:

• Rent levels and proposed increases
• Policy and service changes
• Our performance

This will include explaining the likely effects and consequences of any proposals and we will take account of any views expressed before reaching a decision.

How You Can Become Involved

Linstone employs various methods to consult and inform with you. These include:

• Newsletters, letters and leaflets
• Tenants Handbook and Annual Report
• Website – www.linstone.co.uk
• Attending public meetings, focus groups and Tenants and Residents groups
• Surveys and questionnaires.
• Personal contact with staff
• Local Media

Equal Opportunities

The association also aims to encourage Equal Opportunities and eliminate any forms of discrimination. We attempt to ensure that tenants, residents and service users are not excluded from actively participating on the grounds of sex or marital status, race, ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation, age, or any other personal attributes, including beliefs and opinions, such as religious beliefs or political opinions.

All our documents can be interpreted into different languages or alternative formats, such as Braille.

If having read this section you are interested in receiving further information on any topic, wish to make a comment or would like details of groups in your area please contact your Housing Officer.

Additional Information & Advice:

For further information on Linstone's Tenant Participation Strategy, please download our Strategy Document below:

 Download Tenant Participation Strategy Document (225kb PDF)

The links below provide further information on the policies and services concerned with Community Involvement and Tenant Participation:

Scottish Executive
Communities Scotland
Tenants Information Service
TPAS - Tenant Participation Advisory Service