The Sutton Leaseholders Association (SLA) is an organisation that is run by leaseholders for leaseholders.  The Association was formed in January 1996 to give leaseholders a voice as the housing service of the London Borough of Sutton was undergoing Compulsory Competitive Tendering which resulted in SERCo managing the housing service for several years.  The Association has maintained it’s work as the leasehold voice for council leaseholders since that time and continues with housing under the Arm’s Length Management Organisation of Sutton Housing Partnership. 

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   The SLA is run by a committee of leaseholders who are elected annually at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) by those leaseholders attending.  All leaseholders are invited to attend the AGM, and all are automatically part of the association as there is no membership requirements apart from being a leaseholder of a property where the council is the landlord.  The SLA currently has a committee of sixteen leaseholders of various demographics including locations within the borough, right to buy and open market purchases, and resident and non-resident leaseholders. The SLA covers approximately 1500 homes. 

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   The SLA meets on a regular basis, usually monthly apart from December and August, produces quarterly newsletters where Sutton Housing Partnership (SHP) mailouts facilitate this, run a dedicated mobile phone and email address so that leaseholders can contact the committee.  The SLA endeavours to provide advice and guidance to allow individual leaseholders to communicate with SHP to resolve their own issues although the committee will get directly involved if the matter appears to be wider than just the individual leaseholder or the leaseholder is struggling to either communicate with SHP or are not receiving satisfactory responses.  As a committee the SLA represents the leasehold position in discussions with both SHP, London Borough of Sutton and others by taking a borough wide view of subjects and issues being discussed. 

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   The SLA, whilst wishing to get a satisfactory outcome for leaseholders, considers its close relationship with tenants crucial and believes that only by working together can the best housing services that meet the needs of all residents become a reality.