14 September 2012
NFTMO Publishes Review of TMOs and Allocations

The National Federation of Tenant Management Organisations (NFTMO) has published a review of the important but complex issue of TMO involvement in the allocations of homes in their management.

Of all the decisions to be made by housing managers, the most important and often the most controversial are decisions about who gets to live in the housing. This is particularly true when the supply of rented housing is nothing like sufficient to meet the needs of people needing to be housed.

The publication’s author, Liz Michael says “TMOs are localism at work - volunteers working to together to create communities that people want to be a part of - their involvement in allocations has to be a part of that process.  The review seeks to give TMOs and their landlords the information they need to make this involvement work within the parameters of the legislative framework”

The review demonstrates how tenant involvement in decisions about allocations is neither new nor untried. Some early management co-ops were allocating homes nearly 50 years ago. An option for local authority TMOs to take on the allocations function has existed in the statutory ‘modular management agreement’ since the mid-1990s. Twenty years on, however, there is considerable confusion amongst tenants and landlords about the legality, practicality and wisdom of delegating allocations functions to a tenant led organisation.

 “In this review the NFTMO aims to throw some light on the topic” says NFTMO Chair Nick Reynolds. “We hope it will enable tenants and landlords to discuss aspirations and options with better information about the relevant law and current practice around the country.  We think this publication is well timed in view of the Government’s drive towards localism and community involvement in public services.”

You can view and download a PDF copy of the review HERE