Author Description

Tenant Management Organisations (TMOs) are tenant-controlled organisations, which provide a varying range of management and maintenance services to tenants under a Management Agreement with their landlord. TMOs are performing better than their host local authorities and compare favourably with the top 25% of local authorities in England in terms of repairs, relets, rent collection and tenant satisfaction. Contrary to the views of most observers, TMOs are not a "soft touch" on either rent collection or tenancy management. 77% of TMO tenants were satisfied with their TMO overall compared with 67% of council tenants in the Survey of English Housing (2000/01). Lack of knowledge of the tenant management option and hostility from local authorities, are two of the barriers to TMOs' extent and effectiveness. More guidance is needed about training for TMO activists.