ABSTRACT
This chapter examines with reference to a case study of internal provision of housing management services in a metropolitan authority in the north of England, the impact of contractual governance with particular regard to the tenant interests of collective participation, accountability, quality, and redress for poor performance. The Secretary of State determined by statutory instrument in 1994 the housing management functions that could only be carried out by local authorities provided they had previously been subject to competitive tendering. Legislation requires tenants to be consulted in the making and managing of compulsory competitive tendering housing management contracts. In order to assess the effectiveness of the new system of contractual governance, it is necessary first of all to identify the various dimensions of the tenant interest in housing management. Tenants have a strong interest also in the accountability of the council landlord and the client and contractor parties directly involved in housing management provision.
