What is Meet and Greet?

Meet and Greet - Tenant Involvement in Lettings

What it is

Trained members of a Tenants & Residents Group welcome new tenants and give them useful community information at an accompanied viewing.

What it isn’t

Tenants will not play any part in selecting new tenants or vet their application in any way. 

Policy / Legal Framework

• ALMOs and RSLs will participate on a voluntary basis.

• Meet ’n’Greet is included in the Leeds City Council Lettings Policy as an option and a summary of the process will be included in the Leeds Homes Register application packs. Information can also be included on Leeds Homes / ALMO websites and inserted into Customer Information Packs distributed from the local housing office.

• In participating ALMOs & RSLs, Meet’n’Greet properties could be flagged in the Leeds Homes newsletter.

Benefits to the Housing Provider

• Meet ’n’ Greet aims to promote sustainability and tenant satisfaction.

• New tenants will get a first-hand guide to the local facilities and services, receive tips on local issues and an outline of the local priorities for neighbourly behaviour – all from their peers, trained members of the local tenants and residents association, so reinforcing the new tenant’s understanding of the tenancy agreement.

• This is a marketing tool for communities and a promotional opportunity for housing provider's tenant involvement strategy. It may provide a valuable contribution towards the National Standards on resident empowerment – particularly in evidencing the impact of resident involvement. 

Training and evaluation

• Participating tenants groups awill undergo a full training programme in partnership with Lettings staff from the housing provider. The training will deal with the operations and legal background of the Lettings policy, as well as issues of confidentiality, and data protection. The process will incorporate safeguards and declarations of interest to deal with situations where the applicant or their close family is known to the tenant reps.

• The scheme will be optional for new tenants. Information on the scheme will be included in the offer letters and participating tenants will be asked to feedback their views on the usefulness of the process.

• Detailed procedures will need to be agreed with each housing provider.

• Schemes will be reviewed in the light of tenant / staff feedback