Tenant and Resident Associations (TRAs)
Tenant and Resident Associations (TRAs)
Tenant and Resident Associations (TRAs) are formally organised groups from a housing estate or block. They raise issues that are important to council tenants and leaseholders and are consulted on issues affecting their block or estate.
Advantages of a TRA
Some advantages of starting a TRA include:
- being recognised as a formal body by the council and housing-related services
- having access to all levels of the council
- getting access to grants to support activities
- joining a District Management Committee (DMC), with access to funding opportunities
- keeping informed about developments on the estate
Express interest in setting up a TRA
Contact the Tenant Participation Team to express interest in setting up a TRA [email protected].
A Tenant Participation officer will work with tenants and leaseholders to gain wider interest in the TRA and agree a plan. If there is interest, an initial meeting can be arranged and a committee can be democratically elected. At least 14 days notice will be given in advance of the meeting.
Register a new TRA
To register a TRA, you must:
- have the support of tenants and leaseholders in the area you wish to represent
- write a constitution to govern how your group is run
- make sure that the membership of your group is representative of the area
- have a council-tenant majority on your committee. This is required for DMC voting in Gospel Oak and Kentish Town
How to register a TRA
You must upload evidence of how your TRA meets the requirements. You can use the following example documents or submit your own:
- annual accounts (XLSX)
- attendance list
- independent observer form (doc)
- constitution (doc)
- code of conduct (doc)
- equalities statement (doc)
- annual general meeting minutes
If you need help registering your TRA contact the Tenant Participation Team at [email protected].
Planning and developing your group
You may find the following documents helpful when setting up your TRA:
- model constitution (doc)
- code of conduct (doc)
- equal opportunities statement (doc)
- committee skills information booklet (doc)
- income and expenditure sheet (XLSX)
Our quality framework guide (PDF) explains how to develop your group, plan activities and assess training needs. The quality framework self-assessment (PDF) includes questions to help identify your strengths and areas for improvement.
If you achieve a high score, you may wish to share your experiences with other groups. Send your completed self-assessment to the Tenant Participation Team at [email protected].
Training and capacity building
We can provide a range of training courses and workshops. To find out more, contact the Tenant Participation Team at [email protected] with your requirements.
Apply for financial support
Once your TRA has been set up, grants are available to help with running costs. Read the grant information (PDF, 75KB) and application forms for:
- start-up grants (doc)
- revenue grants (doc)
- special projects (doc)
- computer loans (doc)
Funding is also available from your local District Management Committee.