Housing co-operatives bring 4 main benefits to their members:

financial:

• tenants control their rents (within their co-op's financial framework),
• tenants control service charges,
• tenants control Value for Money (i.e. the balance between the quality and cost of a service),
• tenants control rent arrears,
• any surpluses made by the co-operative can be used by the co-op to improve the co-op's housing.

quality of service:

• tenants control the quality of repair service by choosing the contractor who carries out repairs,
• tenants control the quality of management because managers are directly accountable to them.

social:

• housing co-ops build communities where people know and assist each other,
• housing co-ops can reduce vandalism and anti social behaviour,
• housing co-ops often organise other services for members, such as child care and social activities.

personal:

• housing co-ops give members the opportunity of using skills which would otherwise go to waste,
• housing co-ops create opportunities for people to develop new skills which are useful in other walks of life,
• housing co-ops reduce dependency and give people a stake in where they live.

It is because housing co-operatives generate these benefits that they enjoy a wide spectrum of political support from all political parties.