Business

Radius puts tenants first with new industry accreditation

Supporting Communities chief executive Colm McDaid and its head of corporate services Sheenagh McNally present the Tenant Participation Accreditation award to Radius Housing chief executive John McLean and director of communities Loma Wilson. Picture: Kelvin Boyes/PressEye
Supporting Communities chief executive Colm McDaid and its head of corporate services Sheenagh McNally present the Tenant Participation Accreditation award to Radius Housing chief executive John McLean and director of communities Loma Wilson. Picture: Kel Supporting Communities chief executive Colm McDaid and its head of corporate services Sheenagh McNally present the Tenant Participation Accreditation award to Radius Housing chief executive John McLean and director of communities Loma Wilson. Picture: Kelvin Boyes/PressEye

RADIUS Housing has become the first housing association in the north to be awarded a Tenant Participation Accreditation, which recognises landlords who demonstrate excellence in tenant participation and provides an in-depth assessment of your engagement practices and activities.

The award, which follows an objective measurement of tenant participation activities, is made by independent tenant organisation Supporting Communities, which has developed the bespoke accreditation programme based on a model used in Scotland.

Supporting Communities use accreditation to help landlords raise the bar for tenant participation and exceed the minimum standards as set out in the Tenant Participation Strategy. It will also act as a benchmark against other landlords in Britain and Ireland.

Radius underwent a five stage process, which included 363 pieces of documentary evidence to show how they met the Tenancy Participation standards; two focus groups, including one with tenants, and an independent evaluation of the procedures and practices they use.

Sheenagh McNally from Supporting Communities said: “Radius Housing has made significant strides in engaging tenants over the last four years since the merger in 2017, and there are excellent examples of good practice throughout the submission that can be described as sector leading.

“As the first housing association here to put tenant engagement activities under the spotlight to be forensically examined, it has set the bar high for other organisations wishing to do likewise.”

Radius Housing chief executive John McLean said: “It's paramount tenants have a meaningful say in how we prioritise and deliver our services, which is why we embraced this process.”