Resident Involvement

A tenants or residents association (TRA) is made up of a group of volunteers from a neighbourhood, block, or independent living scheme who have come together to represent the interests of that community.

There are lots of reasons for setting up at TRA, these include:

• Keeping residents informed about housing services and what’s happening in your community.
• Working with the housing teams to resolve local concerns and make improvements.
• Creating a sense of community.

Accreditation

We ask TRAs to undergo an annual formal recognition process with us. This is to make sure the group is representative of and accountable to its local community. Formal recognition can help build to trust and support for your group.

To become formally recognised by WHBC your TRA should:

• Have a constitution (list of rules for how the TRA will be run).
• Have a code of conduct (to set out how members are expected to behave).
• Elect a committee to include a minimum of a Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.
• Hold an Annual General Meeting that is open to all residents.
• Set up a bank account in the TRA’s name with at least two signatories from the elected committee.

If you would like to set up an accredited TRA, we can support with:

• *A modest grant to help you with running costs.
• A template constitution.
• Training for members.
• Help with finding a venue for your meetings.
• Promoting your meetings.

*For your TRA to be eligible for a grant from us, the Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and most committee members must be WHBC tenants or leaseholders.

Does a TRA have to be formally recognised by WHBC?

No, but some tenant groups may wish to have a more formal structure to show they are representative of their neighbourhood. This could also potentially give them more influence with the council.

Being a recognised TRA will mean that you will have access to:

• Small start-up grants to help with the initial costs of establishing your Association.
• Access to free training through WHBC.
• Ability to apply for grants to support the work of your Association.
• Free membership of tenant engagement experts Tpas for information and support.
• Practical support and advice from WHBC officers.

Getting started

If you are interested in setting up a Tenants or Residents Association, contact the Resident Involvement team.

Email: residentinvolvement@welhat.gov.uk

Phone: 01707 357 796

Other ways to get involved

You don’t have to be part of a TRA to get involved in shaping our housing services.

See our other involvement opportunities or contact the Resident Involvement team.