Statutes

International Union of Tenants

Statutes of the International Union of Tenants

Valid as of 19 April 2023

1. Name

The International Union of Tenants, hereafter referred to as IUT, is an international organisation composed of national – and regional – tenant organisations whose activities include objectives as mentioned in § 3.

2. What the IUT is

IUT is a non-governmental organisation.
IUT is a democratic, non-party political organisation and against any discrimination based on ethnic origin, gender or on religious grounds.

3. Objectives

The objective of the IUT is, through co-operation between its members, to safeguard the interests of tenants and to work for the right of everyone to both good quality housing, security of tenure and a good residential environment at a cost which tenants can afford; while also ensuring resident democracy.

4. Activities of IUT

IUT seeks to pursue its objectives by:

I: Global activities

Organising international meetings, courses and conferences.
Facilitating personal contacts between members of the organisation.
Encouraging the establishment of national tenant organisations where needed.
Participating in the work of intergovernmental organisations, supranational organisations and relevant civil society organisations, by promoting, encouraging and representing the interests of tenants in the world.
Taking other actions that will further promote the objectives of the IUT.
Disseminating information about housing and tenants and relevant topics.

II: Organising the tenants’ interests, through;

having national and regional organisations as members (Board Members, Members and Associate Members ).
having as Associated partners; national or regional institutions and organisations.

5. Membership of the IUT and partnership

Membership of the IUT shall be open to all national and regional tenant organisations and partnership to institutions and organisations according to 4.II.B. In countries with more than one national or regional organisation, and where the organisations fulfil the criteria for membership, all are eligible for membership of the IUT. Before the IUT Board approves an application, existing member/members from the specific country, should be given an opportunity to make a pronouncement.

I. Conditions for membership and partnership

There are three kinds of memberships and one kind of partnership in the
IUT:

Board members
Members
Associate members

Associated partners

1. To become a Board Member of the IUT, the applying organisation should;

have a democratic structure,
accept the statutes of the IUT,
state its intention to play, as full as possible, a part in the international work of the IUT,
represent tenants on national or state level, [1]
pay an annual membership fee and contribute to the upkeep of the organisation.

2. To become a Member of the IUT, the organisation should;

have a democratic structure,
accept the statutes of the IUT,
represent tenants on, regional or national level,
pay an annual membership fee.

Members who fail to pay the annual fee become, after the Board so decides, Associate Members.

3. To become an Associate Member of the IUT, the applying organisation or institution should prove itself to;

have a democratic stature
accept the statutes of the IUT
be a national or regional organisation
work for the benefits of tenants
have an interest in the problems of tenants
If the Board so decides in the future, pay an annual membership fee

To become an Associated partner of the IUT, the applying organisation or institution should prove itself to;

have an interest in the problems of tenants
if the Board so decides, pay an annual partnership fee.

II. Application procedure

Any organisation or institution wishing to join must apply in writing. The application will be dealt with at the next following Executive Committee meeting. The Executive Committee decision of approval means that the organisation or institution has been accepted as a provisional member or associated partner. Such a decision requires a two-third majority. A final decision on membership shall be made at the next following Board meeting; such a decision requires a two-third majority (abstentions
not counted).

III Suspension of membership or partnership

All types of membership may be suspended by a two-thirds majority decision of the Board if the organisation in question has acted contrary to the principles of the Statutes. The Board shall consider cases of “enforceable events”. A proposal to such an effect may be announced by the Executive Committee in such a time, that the member may lodge an appeal against such a decision by submitting a written statement to the Executive Committee within two months from the date when the member received the proposal from the Executive Committee.
Membership may be suspended if a member has received financial contributions from, or via, the IUT, and has failed to satisfactorily report in due time to the IUT Executive Committee on the expenses, or has been found to have misused all, or part of, the financial contribution.
A proposal of suspension under A) and B) should be announced by the IUT in such a time, that the member may lodge an appeal against such a decision by submitting a written statement within two months from the date when the member received the proposal from the Executive Committee.
The next board meeting must give a final ruling on decisions of this kind (5:III: A-C).

6. The Executive Committee

The Executive Committee (EC) of IUT shall consist of the President, the two Vice Presidents, the Secretary General and the Head of liaison office to the EU. The Executive Committee has a quorum if more than half of the number of members are present.

The President, and if not present the Vice Presidents, are responsible to the Board for the work of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is responsible for the IUT budget decided by the Board.

It is the duty of the Executive Committee to deal with the current business of the IUT between Board meetings, inter alia: in-between Board meetings; make decisions in matters that are delegated by the IUT Board, or otherwise decided by the IUT Board;

The Executive Committee represents the IUT. The Executive Committee shall propose a yearly work programme and a budget to the Board, and present the financial reports to the Board.

The Executive Committee make their own rules, which must operate within these statutes.

7. The Board

The Board is the highest level decision making body in the IUT. Members of the Board are the President, the Vice Presidents and representatives (one per member) for members that pay the stipulated annual fee for Board members.
The Board shall afford the members an opportunity of discussing matters jointly concerning them. The Board decide upon a yearly work programme for the IUT.
The Board decides the disposition of earnings, the IUT budget and the membership fees.
The Board delegates the implementation of the budget to the Executive Committee
The Board meets at least twice annually at the proposal of the Executive Committee. The Board determines the time and venue for the meetings.
The Board decides the time and venue of the World Conferences.
The Board has a quorum if more than half of the number of members are present. Every present Board member, representing their organisation and the President, the Vice presidents, working in the general interest of the IUT, has one vote. When voting is even, the President, or, in her/his
absence, the Vice President who has held this post the longest of the two Vice Presidents, has the casting vote. No Board Member may vote unless the stipulated membership fee for the membership has been paid.
Each member organisation will itself be responsible for the costs of its representative’s or representatives’ participation in a Board meetings and other meetings. IUT pays the costs for the President and Vice Presidents. Other expenditure will be defrayed by the IUT.
The Board may establish ad-hoc Committees or working groups.
The Board shall no later than one year (two board meetings) before the next World Conference appoint a Nominations Committee consisting of three members from the Board, which shall advise the Board of the nominations at the Board meeting approximately 6 months prior to the
World Conference.
An extra convened Board meeting can be requested if at least one third of the Board so request. The request must be in writing and stating the reasons. If an extra convened Board meeting is requested, the Board is obliged to issue a notice within two weeks, and the Board meeting
must then be held no later than six weeks after the notice.
The Board shall at the Board meeting before the World Conference
a. deal with the Executive Committee’s report on operations and financial statement,
b. deal with the Auditor’s report,
c. decide on discharging the Executive Committee from liability. The President and the Vice President have no vote on this issue,
d) Propose an overview budget until the next world conference
e) Decide on changes to the statutes (a 2/3 majority is needed),
f) deal with proposals from Board members and members,
g) deal with requests for membership
h) Propose a President and two Vice President(s) to serve for the next
three years.
i) The Board shall on the Board meeting before the World Conference
j) elect a President and two Vice Presidents for the next three years

8. The World Conference

The World Conference is held every three years and it has the following tasks in particular:

To adopt resolutions and other policy proposals submitted by the IUT Board.
To examine and adopt the IUT Board´s activity report of the work done by IUT since the last World Conference.
Share experiences and information from tenants’ movements all over the world to strengthen their work and enhance the situation for tenants.
To approve the composition of the Executive Committee (President and Vice-Presidents). The President and Vice Presidents and the Executive Committee are appointed by the IUT Board following consent by the World Conference.

B. Deadlines

The Board decides the dates for the World Conference after consultation with the member in the country in which the World Conference shall be held.
Invitations to the World Conference shall be sent to every member at least six months prior to the World Conference.
Proposals from Board Members and Members (motions) shall be submitted to the Secretary General at least two months before the World Conference
Members shall inform the Executive Committee of the number of delegates they propose to send no later than two months before the World Conference
The IUT Board proposes an agenda for the World Conference

C. World Conference Presidency

The President of the IUT shall chair the World Conference. In his or her absence one of the Vice-Presidents or a moderator appointed by the Executive Committee shall preside.
The Secretary General of the IUT shall be the Secretary General of the
World Conference, assisted by the Head of liaison office to the EU
No Member/Board Member may vote unless the stipulated membership fee for the membership has been paid for the whole of the last two years of operations.
A decision of the World Conference requires a simple majority. When voting is even, the President or, in her/his absence the Vice President, has the casting vote.

D. Composition, voting procedures, etc

The World Conference is composed of delegates representing member organisations on the basis of their paying membership.
Each Member of the IUT has the right to send 1 voting delegate.
The IUT Board members have the right to speak and to vote
Delegates shall have the right to speak and to vote.
Delegations may be accompanied by advisers, who may take the floor on behalf of their delegations but may not vote. Delegations may also be accompanied by persons who may act as secretaries or interpreters.
These persons will have neither the right to speak nor the right to vote.
Associated Partners have the right to participate in the World Conference and to address the World Conference.
Representatives of governmental or civil society organisations and other guests with which the IUT maintains friendly relations, may be invited by the Executive Committee to attend the World Conference and shall be allowed to address World Conference.
Members of the Executive Committee, the Board, Members, and Associate Members who are not members of a delegation shall have the right to attend the World Conference as observers and take part in the
debates, but shall not have the right to vote.
No member organisation may vote unless the stipulated membership fee for the membership has been paid for the whole of the last two years of operations.
Member organisations shall select their delegates with the aim of actively promoting and achieving gender parity.
A decision of the World Conference requires a simple majority. When voting is even, the President or, in her/his absence the Vice President, has the casting vote as in 7 (G) above.

E. The costs

The expenses of delegations and representatives at the World Conference shall be borne by their respective organisations if there are no other instructions from the Executive Committee.

9. Tenant Council

Between the World conferences the Board has the right to call together a “Tenant Council” meeting. The Board decides the venue and agenda. The Tenant Council’s composition will be specified by the Executive Committee.

10. Membership fee

The Board determines the necessary membership fees to carry out the work of IUT. The membership fees should be payable as a fixed sum per calendar year in the currency decided by the Board. Membership fees shall be payable by members upon their acceptance as Board Members or Members.

Invoices for membership fee, for the current year, should be sent out not later than 31 March. Membership fees should have reached IUT by the latest of 30 April, operative year.
Any Board Member who has failed to pay full membership fee by 30 April, operative year, will be asked to present, at the next following Executive Committee meeting, reasons why the payment is delayed. The Executive Committee then recommends possible measures by the Board.
Any Member who has not paid the membership fee by 30 April, operative year, will remain as an Associate Member until the full fee has been paid.
Supplements payable because of an increase in the amount of the fee shall be paid within six months after the decision of the Board.

11. Auditing

The Auditors (for each of the offices) shall submit their report based on the Executive Committee’s report on operations and financial statement to the Executive Committee in sufficient time for distribution to the Board meeting prior to the World Conference

12. Dissolution

A proposal for dissolution of the IUT shall be supplied to the Executive Committee by not later than June 30 of the year before the Board meeting prior to the World Conference. The same period shall apply for such a proposal from the Executive Committee. A decision on dissolution requires a four-fifths majority among the Board members. Only the IUT’s own assets may be claimed for settlement of its obligations. In the event of liquidation, the assets of the IUT will accrue to the member in the country where the Secretary General has her/his location.