Tenant and Resident Associations

Tenant and Resident Associations (TRAs) are groups of tenants and leaseholders who work together to represent people living in a block, estate or neighbourhood.

What TRAs do

When Woking Borough Council formally recognises a TRA, it can work with us to improve the local area.

A TRA can:

  • collect and share residents' concerns
  • suggest improvements to housing services and local areas
  • work with housing staff and partner organisations
  • organise community activities and events
  • apply for council or external funding
  • help bring residents together

Benefits of forming a TRA

A TRA gives residents a stronger voice on housing and neighbourhood issues.

A recognised TRA can help residents:

  • influence decisions about housing services
  • access training, support and funding
  • build stronger community connections
  • get updates about work in shared areas
  • improve communication between residents and the council

How to form a TRA

If you want to start a Tenant and Resident Association, follow these steps.

Step 1: Define the area

Decide which block, estate or neighbourhood the TRA will represent.

Check whether an existing TRA already covers the area.

Step 2: Gather support

Speak to your neighbours about the benefits of forming a TRA.

Make sure everyone involved understands the purpose of the group and what committee members will need to do.

Step 3: Hold a meeting

Hold a meeting with interested residents to agree to form the TRA.

At the meeting you should:

  • adopt a written constitution
  • elect a committee
  • record the meeting minutes and attendance

Requirements for formal recognition

To be formally recognised by Woking Borough Council, your TRA must have:

  • a written constitution
  • a democratically elected committee
  • meeting minutes and attendance records
  • membership open to all residents in the area
  • a bank account with 2 unrelated signatories if you apply for grants
  • appropriate arrangements for data protection

Your committee must include:

  1. A chair.
  2. A secretary.
  3. A treasurer.

Sharing your constitution, meeting minutes and committee member names with the council is not a breach of UK GDPR.

We will keep this information in line with our privacy statement and use it to confirm that the TRA has been properly established.

How to become a recognised TRA

Email the following documents to resident.engagement@woking.gov.uk:

  • your constitution
  • minutes from the meeting where officers were elected
  • the names of elected officers

We will review your application and let you know if it has been approved.

Once approved, we will formally recognise your TRA and add it to the council's TRA webpage.

Benefits of being a recognised TRA

Recognised TRAs can access:

  • training and support for committee members
  • help with publicity and printing
  • support with organising and running meetings
  • attendance from housing officers at meetings on request

Support available

We can provide:

  • templates for constitutions and meeting papers
  • guidance for your first meeting
  • help with printing and promotion
  • training for chairs, secretaries and treasurers

Further information

For information about data protection, go to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) website and read its UK GDPR guidance.