‘Fab five’ finalists get ready to take centre stage
The five finalists for the 2025 Housing’s Next Generation competition are getting ready to take centre stage at this year’s HQN annual conference. The ‘fab five’ have already navigated a series of difficult challenges to make it this far, including a semi-final day in London last month where they had to work with other […]
Housing in Practice: Tackling stigma by listening to tenants
In the latest in our Housing in Practice series, we explore how two local authorities working in partnership have found ways to reduce the stigma experienced by many tenants. Neil Merrick reports. The tenant’s story Just over a year ago, Paula Warren noticed a change of tone in an email that she received from […]
From the Chief Executive…“It’s not a good sign we’re getting instructions as basic as this from MHCLG”
“We can get there by bus from Killermont Street” – Roddy Frame. The housing sector is a rule taker, not a rule maker. Why do I say that? Well, we’ve a new Decent Homes Standard (DHS). Was it written by our leading lights? No. It’s been handed down on tablets of stone from the ministry. […]
Behind the headlines
By Neil Stubbings, Strategic Director of Place at Havering Council, and Hugh Jeffery, Regional Development Director at Wates Residential In May, planning permission was granted for a pilot scheme to install 18 high-quality modular homes on a site earmarked for future construction in Romford, Havering. This represents a bold step from Havering Council and […]
A life in 15 questions
Shauna Hutchinson HR Advisor, Sovereign Network Group 1 What do you do for fun? Music feeds my soul. I’m a sucker for a live R&B show. One of my favourite things is attending j’ouvert [joo-vay] events to get covered in paint and powder while dancing to soca music with my friends. Freedom, […]
The last word
‘Building new homes at hyper-speed comes with risk’ By Hannah Fearn, freelance journalist specialising in social affairs In 2008, just before the realities of the financial crisis unfolded and politics moved in a very different direction, the government signed off a bold television advertising campaign. Directed by This is England auteur Shane […]
Ombudsman Corner
By Richard Blakeway, the Housing Ombudsman Recently, while sipping my breakfast coffee listening to Radio 4, I was surprised to hear our service mentioned on Thought for the Day. Rev Lucy Winkett had picked up on the rise in complaints about antisocial behaviour (ASB). Within three minutes, she said so much […]
Placemaking study finds trust key to supporting communities
How do you gain the trust of communities that have been let down too many times before? That’s been a central question for the Placemaking project, which HQN researchers have been working on for the last two years. The project was commissioned by the Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA) of New South Wales, Australia, and […]
A life in 15 questions
Jeni Harvey Director of Communications and Marketing, Rochdale Boroughwide Housing 1 What do you do for fun? When I’m not at work, I’m usually found running – hills, roads, trails, I love it all. Running is my happy place; where I feel most relaxed and free, and where I do most […]
Navigating inspections – a step-by-step guide to the process
To break down the inspection process and the role HQN plays in supporting organisations, we talked to HQN’s consumer regulation leads, Lydia Dlaboha and Damian Roche. Can you give us a step-by-step guide to the inspection process, from the first call from the regulator to the publication of the C grading? Lydia Dlaboha (LD): […]