Community Cashback
THE BIG SOCIETY AT WORK
putting power in
people's hands
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Summary
What is Community Cashback ?
 Key features
 Will it work?
 Community Cashback programme
 Help to get started
 Case study
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What’s it all about?
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Based on principles of Tenant Cashback
Incentivises tenants who wish to play a bigger
role in their local community
Enables tenants who group together to
manage small-scale local services and budgets
in order to deliver better services
Re-investing any savings back into the
community
What is Community
Cashback?
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Tenants’ group takes control over local
communal service provided by landlord e.g.
cleaning, concierge, gardening, one off
repairs/works
Landlord pays tenants’ group what it would
normally cost to provide service
If tenants’ group does it cheaper – they can
invest surplus into community project or
improving the service
Key features
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Recognised/formal and ad-hoc tenants groups
Services costing less than £170,000 pa
Tenants may provide service themselves, through
contractor or own staff
Landlord and tenants group enter into a community
cashback agreement
Consultation and planning
Budgeting and financial control
Equalities, health and safety, insurance
‘Horses for courses’ approach
Does it work?
Based on Local Management Agreement
model
 In Westminster since 1987
 About 50 agreements
 Led to several TMOs
 Unique, ‘middle way’ approach
 Partnership approach
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Community Cashback
Programme
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Department of Communities and Local Government
initiative
TPAS and NFTMO delivering Community Cashback as
part of national programme to inspire and empower
tenants – Tenants’ Central
Promoting nationwide – to landlords and tenants
Help to get started
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A comprehensive, easy to use Community Cashback
toolkit (online)
Full suite of model documents
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Technical support and advice to get you started
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CC Agreement, constitutions, contracts, consultation,
specifications and much more
Guide TMO network and the NFTMO
Grant available of up to £3,000 for developing a CC
project to cover start up costs
Application forms and info available online now at
www.tenantcentral.org.uk/community-cashback/
Case Study – Russell Chambers
Residents’ Association (RA)
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RA signed CC agreement 01July 2013 with
Camden Council, London
Providing caretaking and cleaning services to 3
blocks – 36 homes
Less than £10,000 per annum
RA employing own local cleaning contractor
Russell Chambers RA
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New RA set up specifically for CC agreement
Adopted model constitution
Set up bank account and took out public
liability insurance
Adapted model documents – specification,
contract
Agreed health and safety requirements
Worked closely with the Council
Plan to invest savings in:
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Painting of stairwell walls (each three years)
Cleaning and re-painting of base of outside railings
(each three years)
Painting of the front doors (each three years)
Steam clean of basement area (once per annum)
Checking roof after rains to ensure drains are not
blocked and rainwater is draining away (after heavy
rains)
Washing down of entrance archway (twice per annum)
Contacts
www.tenantcentral.org.uk/communitycashback/
 www.nftmo.com
 www.tpas.org.uk
 www.communities.gov.uk
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