Hear the latest from our Tenant Scrutiny Panel as they hold a series of events over summer 2025
"Why We Got Involved – And Why You Might Want To As Well"
Paragon’s Tenant Scrutiny Panel Blog 2025
A few of us tenants recently got together to talk about our involvement with Paragon Housing — and we realised we all had something in common. None of us expected to get involved in tenant participation… but we’re really glad we did.
Whether it was joining a focus group, taking part in an estate walkabout, or helping with tenant scrutiny, we’ve all found different ways to have our say — and we’ve seen that it really does matter.
What is Tenant Participation?
To us, tenant participation means having a real say in what happens in our homes and communities. It’s about being heard, sharing your views, and helping to shape the services we rely on every day — like repairs, rent, and neighbourhood improvements.
And it doesn’t have to mean sitting in long meetings. Paragon offers loads of ways to get involved:
- Quick surveys (some only take a minute!)
- Digital focus groups or forums
- Walkabouts in your estate
- Tenant-only Facebook group
- Garden competitions and local events
- Scrutiny panels that look at how services are working
There’s something for everyone — whether you want to speak up, get stuck in, or just stay in the loop.
What We’ve Got Out of It so far .....
Here’s what we’ve gained from getting involved:
- Confidence. Some of us had never spoken in a group before — now we’re asking questions and suggesting ideas.
- Knowledge. We’ve learned about how things work behind the scenes — and how to influence change.
- Friendship. We’ve met neighbours we wouldn’t have otherwise — and found common ground.
- Real impact. We’ve seen our feedback make its way into actual decisions. That feels good.
Why You Should Think About It
We know not everyone has the time or interest to be involved all the time — and that’s fine. But even small actions, like filling in a survey or joining an online session, can help make services better.
This isn’t about ticking boxes. It’s about making housing services work for real people — people like us.
Want to Get Involved?
It’s easy to start. You can:
✅ Join the tenant Facebook group
✅ Keep an eye out for surveys or consultations
✅ Come along to a community drop-in
✅ Ask about joining a focus group or panel
More info is on Paragon’s website, or just give them a call and ask about the Menu of Involvement.
Together, we can build stronger communities — and make sure tenant voices are at the heart of every decision.
We did it. You can too.
