WIFTRA
Western Isles Forum of Tenants and Residents' Associations
Documents
- Chair's Report
- Conference Report 2010
- TPAS Conference Report
- Tenant Participation Strategy
- Glasgow View
- Regional Study Visit
- Regional Study Visit 2
- Isle of Barra Healthy Eating Report
- Accounts (Members Only)
- Minutes of Meeting 02-11-11
- Governments Housing Strategy
- See How HHP Spent Your Rent 2009-2010
- DWP Impact Assessment of the Welfare Reform Bill
- Charter Response
- Letting Standard Report
- Human Rights Guidelines
Follow us on twitter
our areas
- Stornoway, Lewis
- North Lochs, Lewis
- South Dell, Ness
- Leverburgh South Harris
- Tarbet, North Harris
- Tong, Lewis
our friends and colleagues
The role of the forum
The aims of the Forum are:
· To promote support and encourage the development of Tenants & Residents' Associations throughout the Western Isles.
· Bring together Those Associations to pursue common action and goals.
· Present and promote the interests of its members through active campaigning and information sharing.
· Pioneer whenever possible new forms of Consultation and Participation.
· To liaise and participate with Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar, Hebridean Housing Partnership, other authorities and agencies in pursuit of tenants and residents' interests. More...
We are also actively working with The Scottish Government to introduce the Social Housing Charter. You may have had a questionnaire through your door asking your opinion of housing services. The results of this survey were included in the Charter Discussion Document our response can be found - here.
Hebridean Housing Partnership's Annual Rent Consultation 2012-2013
January marks the start of the rent consultation process, with this year being the first without the rent guarantee. For the past five years HHP have increased our rents by November's RPI +1% (Retail Price Index or the headline rate of inflation) last year saw an increase of 5.4% with this years November RPI being 5.2% this would see an increase of 6.2%. The Western Isles Forum have concerns that this increase on top of the increase in household fuel would have a great impact upon the affordability of rents in the Western Isles.
You can see how HHP use your rent money by viewing the annual report - here.
DWP Welfare Reform Bill
The Welfare Reform Bill has passed the latest stage in the House of Commons, the impact of this bill on tenants throughout the UK is worrying many charities such as Shelter and Inclusion Scotland. The chair of the forum sent an FOI request to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) asking for the impact assessment papers supplied to the Social Security Committee in support of the bill on the changes to Local Housing Allowance (LHA) and Housing Benefit (HB). The reply can be found here. The Forum do not support the changes to LHA and HB as it adversely affects the poor and the disabled.
The Western Isles Forum have concerns regarding the equalities impact of this Bill which will go to Report Stage on the 13 June. The final vote takes place on the 15th June.
To see the Committee notes being used by MP's at this time click HERE.
Kevin paterson - Chair
Kevin is Chair of the Region 9 Glasgow and Western Isles National Tenant Engagement Committee. He is also a tenant representative for North Lochs and a member of Hebridean Housing Partnership's Board of Management. He is also an active member of The Scottish Governments Housing Policy Advisory Group.
Kevin is responsible for supporting all the Registered Tenant Organisations and Village Voices throughout the Western Isles if you are interested in joining us or forming a tenant or resident's group press the contact button. Contact
Recent activities - Isle of Barra trip
Kismul Castle Caslebay
Members of the Forum visited Barra as a follow up to our Healthy Eating in Barra Report. It was also an excellent chance to meet some of the residents and to look at the issues affecting som eof our most remote residents. See the report HERE.
Tenant participation
“Tenant participation is the
active, constructive and informed involvement of tenants
leading to plans and decisions which will enable your
landlord to provide services of a kind and quality which
meet your changing expectations.”
High fuel prices not only exacerbate fuel poverty they affect the price of everything in our shops and public transport.
The Western Isles Forum supports Erica Macdonald'sSTOP
OVER CHARGING THE ISLANDS AND HIGHLANDS FOR FUEL
Some say, vehicle fuel is a luxury, a choice. I say it is a necessity. In fact it is a tax on life. Even if you don't drive yourself, you are utterly dependent upon those who do, people who deliver everything you need. Public Transport fares have already had to be raised by an inflation busting 10% across the Western Isles, taxi drivers and delivery companies are also under pressure.
Above John Maciver Operations Director at HHP sets out HHP's vision, as a community based Housing Association.
Tenants Conference2011 Uist 3rd September Balivanich Community Centre
The HHP - WIFTRA.org Tenants Conference tooke place on Saturday 3rd September 2011 at Balivanich Community Centre. There were presentations from HHP and FES, and a range of information stalls. Lunch was provided and a free raffle draw was run. The conference was open to all HHP's tenants and their families in Uist. The conference was chaired by WIFTRA.org's chair Kevin Paterson and there was a question and answer panel at the end. See Report.
The Forum have produced a report into HHP's Letting Standard in Stornoway
This report is WIFTRA’s response to the increasing concern about the
quality of the letting standard of houses being let to tenants
within the greater Stornoway area.
Copyright © Kipper Paterson, Designed by Alpha Studio