Suzy Boardman from OHAL and Claire Pritchard from the council hosted a number of drop-in sessions in Kirkwall and Stromness to promote tenant participation and engagement. They were delighted with the response.

Claire Pritchard said: “It was great to meet and chat with so many of our tenants, we value their feedback, and these events were a great way for us engage with our tenants. There are so many benefits to tenant participation, including the increased sense of community it gives to tenants and other members of their local area.”

Suzy Boardman added: “We want to encourage more tenants to get involved in tenant participation. We are hoping to recruit new members to our Residents’ Panel. The Panel is run as a joint venture between the housing association and the council which gives members the opportunity to examine service areas and make recommendations for improvements.”

Tenant participation is a tenant-centred approach that includes informing, engaging, and consulting with tenants. It involves the collaboration between both landlord and tenants, with the aim of working together to continuously improve housing services.

Customer satisfaction is at the forefront of tenant participation, and it provides tenants with a means of sharing their thoughts and opinions with their landlord. Feedback is then used towards making any necessary changes and is given due consideration during any decision-making process.