Tenants watchdog to start in April

Councils are set to be regulated by the new housing regulator, the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) from April 2009, instead of having to wait for additional legislation.

The change follows government assurances that an amendment to the housing and regeneration bill will be tabled in the bill's third reading on 17 July.

The amendment, proposed by Local Government Association president Lord Richard Best, will see all social housing tenants, regardless of landlord, have the same rights to complain about poor service.

Lord Best was articulating the views of a coalition including the LGA, Chartered Institute of Housing , the National Housing Federation and the National Federation of ALMOs .

Long delays avoided

Had the bill been passed without this amendment, it would have required additional legislation in the next parliamentary session to bring councils under the TSA's remit. 

Lord Best said: "Without the amendment, council tenants living in the same street or block of flats as their housing association neighbours would have been denied equal rights and made to feel like second-class citizens.

"All tenants should be given greater choice, protection and influence over how their homes are managed, regardless of who their landlord is."

The new regulator will have the power to impose a wide range of penalties and sanctions on failing social landlords, including the right to trigger a change of management. It will also publish league tables comparing social landlords.