Tenants qualify as housing inspectors

Published by Max Salsbury for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Education

Housing association tenants from across the East Midlands have achieved a qualification that will enable them to put their landlords’ services to the test.

A total of eleven tenants, from five local landlords, went ‘back to the classroom’ to pass their Level 2 Certificate in Housing Practice.

The course, backed by the Chartered Institute of Housing, ran over six months and included assignments looking at how social housing is provided and the role of customer care.

Now qualified, each student will be able to inspect and scrutinise the services their landlords provide - by sitting on scrutiny panels, boards of management or by taking part in inspections.

Among the students was 46-year-old Karen Slater from Belper, Derbyshire.

Karen, who is a Futures Homescape tenant, said: “With my youngest child starting school fulltime, I wanted to do something useful that would get my brain working. I used to work as a shop manager, but had taken time off to raise my children.

“I thought doing this course would give me something to get my teeth into and stretch me a bit. It was challenging, but was delivered at a good pace. And my fellow students were great - many of us are still in touch now.

“I feel really proud to have passed. I would like to go on to do the next stage of the qualification, and hope that it can lead to paid employment. In the meantime I am getting stuck in with the scrutiny projects at Futures Homescape as I put my new skills into practice.”

Landlords with students taking part in the course included Futures Homescape and Daventry & District Housing (both part of Futures Housing Group), Three Valleys Housing, Derwent Living and Three Oaks Homes (part of East Midlands Housing Group).

Sarah Whattam, community development manager at Futures Homescape, said: “The students should all be extremely proud to have passed the course. It represents a real commitment and we are delighted that so many have taken up the opportunity to learn new skills and gain a qualification.

“It means that they can work with us to ensure services meet the needs of tenants and communities, and scrutinise our work at the highest level. It also means that they have developed skills which we hope will stand them in good stead for future work and training opportunities.”