This article takes a critical look at tenant participation in the management of local authority housing estates. The perspective is that a practitioner in the field, somewhere between the tenant community and the local authority. The trend towards greater participation of tenants in estate management is part of a broader reform movement within local authorities aimed at providing a better, more responsive and efficient service to people. Reforms in country-wide planning and development and in the areas of the move towards "better local government". The article focuses on six grey areas in housing management reform and policy responses to them. But before looking at these grey areas, it is useful to begin by exploring the rationale for the meaning of housing management.