Landlords 'should prepare for more residents' associations'

Posted: 01 Jun 2010 18:19:09 GMT

Landlords could face an increase in the amount of tenants' associations, following comments from an expert.

Bob Smytherman, chairman of the Federation of Private Residents' Associations, is encouraging more people to become members in order to make their voices heard.

He said: "If you can articulate to your landlord very clear messages from an elected democratic process, it makes it then very difficult for a landlord to say 'no'."

Mr Smytherman added that this helps to get results because the message is being communicated with "one voice".

However, he was also keen to assure people that residents' associations are not always stuffy and burdensome and meetings can be turned into social occasions.

The Leasehold Advisory Service has produced guidelines, which set out what rights members of such bodies have.

These include being consulted on works proposed by the landlords, obtaining information about service charge amounts and being able to submit names of contractors to be included in a tender list.


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