Independent help available for Housing Regeneration Programme Council tenants
Havering Council is providing an independent help and advice service for residents in the 12 areas within the Housing Regeneration Programme.
Deputy Leader of Havering Council and Cabinet Member for Havering, Councillor Damian White, said: “The Housing Regeneration Programme aims to provide around 3,500 new homes for Havering residents and it is important that such a programme runs as smoothly as possible.
“We are currently in discussions with tenants regarding where they wish to move to, when that will happen and how it will be managed. That is set out in the Local Lettings Plan available on the website but there may be some tenants who want to double check what we are saying and it is important they can turn to an independent, well-respected organisation for information and advice.
“Tpas has a long-established record of being an ‘independent voice of the tenant’ and we have decided to contract them to provide this service free of charge for tenants in the Housing Regeneration Programme areas.”
Tpas Chief Executive, Jenny Osbourne, said: “Tpas is an independent organisation that has been providing help and advice to tenants for more than 28 years.
“We are pleased to have been contracted to provide independent advice and support to residents affected by the Councils’ proposals for regeneration and development of housing across Havering.
“Our role provides a direct access and independently managed Freephone and email service specifically for all residents including, tenants, leaseholders and freeholders who are affected by the proposals.
“Our service will provide tenants with independent and qualified advice confidentially. Our reporting back to the Council will gather information about the type of queries we receive and help to inform decisions through the process but we will never disclose names and identities of those who contact us unless of course, tenants specifically ask us to.”
Tenants in those 12 areas can access the service via www.havering.gov.uk/TPASHelp or by Freephone 0800 731 1619.
More information about TPAS is available at www.tpas.org.uk
Havering Council Housing Services Local Lettings Plans can be viewed at www.havering.gov.uk/HousingRegeneration