THE States’ Tenants’ Action Group has been formally recognised by the Housing Authority. Stag aims to represent the interests of individuals and groups of States tenants and act as a consultative group on relevant issues.

‘This means that the relationship between the two bodies is now clearly established,’ said Stag chairman Walter de la Mare.

‘The authority can deal with an organisation that can act as a voice for the tenants and tenants now have an organisation that will speak on their behalf.

‘In the first instance we will steer people towards the Housing Authority and if not we can take up their cause. If people are nervous, it may be easier to come to us and we can relay their worries.’

Following input from the group, the authority has already agreed to review its rents and rebates policies. All tenants have been sent a circular canvassing their views.

Stag has also helped to set up neighbourhood watch schemes and has dealt with other social nuisance and privacy issues.

‘If anybody has complaints with housing or rents we will either take the matter up or, if it is not our region, put them into contact with the people who can help them,’ said Stag secretary Rod Hamon

‘Unfair rents or unfair treatment and people being unfairly evicted are issues, but we won’t get involved in neighbourhood squabbles and things like that.

‘We are a bit like a union representative, acting as a buffer between the two parties.’

Stag was set up last June and the existing committee is still looking for members. It has been working closely with the authority during the last few months and the committee was given guidance in drafting its constitution and mandate.

‘When I took over as president one of my aims was to improve the communications between the authority and its tenants,’ said Housing Authority president Deputy Bernard Flouquet.

‘While we still wish to retain and develop direct communications with our tenants on our estates, we welcome the establishment of Stag as a consultative body on general issues affecting our tenants and we are very keen to create an effective working relationship with them.’

He said that the authority praised the commitment of the Stag members to establish their organisation.