Tenants Groups in Sheffield
Tenants Groups In Sheffield
Sheffield currently has 76 Tenants and Residents Associations, covering the majority of the city. They are known as TARAs for short.
Use the links below to find information about local TARAs in each area of the city:
A recognised TARA is a group of volunteers organised under a constitution that meets the requirements of the Tenant and Resident Association Recognition Policy agreed by Sheffield City Council (new window) and adopted by Sheffield Homes. The policy is currently being reviewed.
A constitution is the set of rules that a group agrees to work to. You can find out more under How to Start a Tenants Group.
Representatives of Tenants and Residents Associations are represented on a variety of Area and City Wide Groups.
Each TARA works with a Tenant Liaison Officer (TLO) based at the Area Office. Regular meetings are held to solve problems and to plan how to improve tenant involvement. Most TARAs have their own premises, which are provided rent free.
TARAs hold regular general meetings to which all levy payers are invited. If you are not a levy payer, think about signing up. It’s only 10p a week, added to your rent account. If you are not a tenant but live on the estate or in an ex council property covered by a Tenants and Residents Association, you can join by paying £5 a year membership fee.
TARAs also produce at least two newsletters a year to tell you what is going on in your neighbourhood.
Sheffield Homes is affiliated to the Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) www.tpas.org.uk (new window)
How To Start A Tenants Group
You might want to work with Sheffield Homes officers and other tenants to help shape decisions. You can do this by joining your local Tenants and Residents Association (TARA), or starting a new one, if there isn’t one in your area.
You are automatically a member of your local TARA if you pay the tenants levy, a voluntary contribution of 10p a week you pay with your rent. TARAs receive funding through the levy to work with Sheffield Homes on issues they are concerned about and to organise activities to improve their area or estate. If you become involved in your TARA you can also get involved in Local Housing forums or meetings and city wide groups that influence Sheffield Homes services.
The Community Engagement Team will give you all the help you need to get a group up and running. We’ll tell you how to
- Raise interest among people in your area.
- Identify your group’s aims and objectives.
- Hold a first public meeting to recruit members.
- Apply for cash grants.
- Set up regular meetings with local housing staff to discuss local spending priorities.
- We’ll also explain how your group can get formal recognition from Sheffield Homes and so qualify for funding and the right to regular involvement.