Resident Associations
If you have an issue with a property management company, it is likely that as an individual you question whether your grievance has been taken seriously by the management company.
That is why TTAS recommends that Residents Associations are formed, so that you can have your voice heard.
What’s a Residents Association?
A residents association is a group of people living in an area, street or block who come together to take up issues of common concern i relation to their housing, community and general environment.
Most property management companies will listen to grievances that are raised via Residents Association when compared to those of an individual.
Why set up a Residents Association?
There are many reasons why people decide to get together and form a Residents Association:-
- To campaign for something e.g. better services, play facilities, a meeting place etc;
- To campaign against something e.g. the closure of local facilities, the effect of any new housing;
- To arrange social activities and events;
- To keep people in the area informed of all the issues that affect them;
- To get involved with what other groups may be doing;
- To have a representative voice with your landlord and to use the group to talk through ideas and plans from and to your landlord;
- To obtain funding in the form of grants.
What are the benefits of a Residents Association
- To give you a greater voice than you would have as an individual, when talking to your landlord, council.
- To keep you informed and to give you a voice
- To become involved with the wider community and found out about new initiatives and opportunities that may affect you in some way
The Residents Association
The Residents Association will consists of a committee and the offices of the committee will be made up of:
- A Chairperson who guides the association to achieve its aims and chairs the meetings of the association;
- A Secretary, who prepares agendas, keeps records and keeps members informed;
- A treasurer who has overall responsibility for the association’s finances.
Once a Residents Association has been created, it is essential that you inform your property management company or landlord of this fact and advise all residents to channel any grievances via the Residents Association.
The primary reason for this is because the Residents Association will then be able to keep track of these complaints and progress them further at a later stage if necessary.
