From the Chief Executive… A picture can speak a thousand words – especially to disbelieving boards
They say a picture paints a thousand words. So, why are there no photos in RSH inspection reports? Back in the day the Audit Commission shamed poor landlords with images of disgusting voids. Kwajo exposed damp and mould in his videos. It’s the best way to get the message across. When HQN was starting to […]
The last word
Why it’s time to talk about taxing rising land wealth By Hannah Fearn, freelance journalist specialising in social affairs The political crisis over inheritance tax for farmers passing on land to their descendants is a great example of how to be an effective lobbyist. The National Farmers Union (NFU) did a brilliant job […]
A life in 15 questions
Hayley Selway Chief Executive, Two Rivers Housing 1 What do you do for fun? I have two dogs: a bouncy German short-haired pointer and a yappy little miniature dachshund. I love spending time with them. 2 You have the power to change one thing about the social housing sector: what would it be? […]
Elevating community engagement: How a new code of practice can support social housing providers
By Melissa Lacide, Senior Engagement Officer The Quality of Life Foundation In today’s rapidly evolving housing landscape, effective community consultation and engagement aren’t just desirable – they’re essential. For social housing providers, meeting regulatory expectations while fostering trust with residents can be a complex balancing act. This is where the Quality of Life […]
Ombudsman corner
By Richard Blakeway, the Housing Ombudsman 2025 will be a year of change for the social housing sector. From its response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry to the Decent Homes Standard, there are several government announcements that we’ll have to wait and see what the impact will be. But one law we […]
Housing in Practice: Reaping the rewards of climate action
Neil Merrick reports on how a housing association’s tenants are helping to spread the word about energy efficiency, while enjoying lower bills. The tenant’s story For the past year, Alan Wright and his family have been enjoying the benefits of solar power. Since April, his monthly direct debit for electricity and gas has fallen […]
Talking heads: Housing predictions for 2025
Ahead of what is likely to be another significant year for housing in terms of development, decent homes, regulation, planning and renters’ rights, we asked some of the sector’s leading lights to gaze into their crystal balls and predict what’s in store for 2025. Helen Barnard, Director of Policy, Research and Impact, Trussell Trust […]
Supported living in crisis: The human and financial cost of a lack of investment
Graeme Jackson, Head of Investment and Development Advance Housing and Support Despite analysis by the Local Government Association showing that investing £1.6 billion in supported housing would reap savings of over £3.4 billion to the public purse, not to mention the human and social benefits of a successfully funded care sector, no additional […]
Polly Neate interview: “Social tenants should be given a national voice to influence government policy”
As Shelter chief executive for the last seven years, Polly Neate has seen firsthand the impact the housing crisis has had on the lives of millions of people. Under her leadership, the charity has successfully campaigned for new laws to improve conditions in social housing, the strengthening of renters’ rights and the prioritisation of building […]
Learning from the TSMs – reflecting on the first year of results
The scores are in and they are…okay. The Regulator of Social Housing expects the first year of tenant satisfaction measures to provide a ‘line in the sand’ for landlords to improve their performance, so what lessons have been learned ahead of the 2025 surveys? Neil Merrick investigates. For the past year or so, thousands […]