On show in Harrogate: Hull's tenant inspectors get the thumbs up.

Can do! team soar up the ratings

Hull Housing's tenant inspection scheme is highly rated by other local authorities.

In a fresh start for housing in the city, the authority went to its customers for help, appointing six of them as tenant inspectors from 90 applicants.

Their role was to carry out an assessment of every part of the service alongside independent consultants HQNS with the aim of bringing in a 'can do' culture. The scheme formed the core of Hull's stand at the four-day Chartered Institute of Housing Conference Exhibition at Harrogate in June.

The colourful stand attracted a lot of interest, and the three tenant inspectors present, Dorian Goring, Jenny Bateman and Mary Schofield, and the two housing officers told more than 800 people about the scheme. As a drawing card, the stand displayed an unusual collection of paint tins and contents. "It certainly attracted a lot of curiosity," said Jenny Bateman. "People are offering to let us come to talk to them."

The Housing Department's best practice manager Dave Salter said: "This is the first time we have had a stand at the exhibition, and I think it is something we should do every year. "We have spoken to a mixture of councillors, tenant representatives, other local authority staff and housing associations." Visitors heard that Hull's first tenant inspection had showed some good work as well as identifying areas for improvement. They were told tenant inspections would be crucial in Hull Housing's aim of achieving an 'excellent' rating by 2008.