From the Chief Executive: Remembrance of things past
I’d never seen so many sequins and pink cowboy hats in my life. Yes, I was heading for Wembley at the same time as the wonderful Shania Twain and some bloke called Harry Styles were playing. You might have heard of them. Why was I there? I was enroute to HQN’s Housing’s Next Generation competition […]
Talking heads: Preparing for Awaab’s Law phase 2
With phase 2 of Awaab’s Law due to come into effect from October, we asked a selection of housing leaders and subject matter experts to tell us how their organisations are preparing for this important but resource-heavy legislation. Aisha Akhtar, Head of Legal Services, The Guinness Partnership Phase 1 of Awaab’s Law, introduced on […]
News digest
Max Salsbury takes a look at some recent housing headlines Gathering the guilty As the ninth anniversary of the Grenfell Tower catastrophe passes, the likelihood of prosecution for those responsible looms larger. With a vast array of individuals from different institutions and companies seemingly culpable for the disaster that led to the wholly avoidable […]
Behind the headlines
By Lara Oyedele, CEO, Black on Board Ltd and past President, Chartered Institute of Housing Nigel Farage’s recent proposal to evict foreign nationals from social housing isn’t a serious housing policy. It’s a political dog whistle built on racism, xenophobia and the politics of division. It’s designed to provoke, divide and dominate the […]
The last word
A glimpse into the future By Richard Blakeway, the Housing Ombudsman Roof faults, like window disrepair, are an emerging concern in our casework. They present two systemic issues which landlords need to grasp: managing homeownership and planning major works. If unaddressed, these could become a driver of more complaints in future years. […]
CEO spotlight…
Carmel Chambers In the first of a new regular series, the Stockport Homes chief executive reflects on her life and career in housing. Tell us a bit about your early life Growing up in North Manchester to parents who both worked on the frontline and in public service has really shaped and influenced […]
A life in 15 questions
Orla Gallagher Chief executive, Housing Solutions 1 What do you do for fun? I’m very sociable, so I love spending time with family and friends. Living in West London means I’m lucky to have plenty on my doorstep – live music, comedy nights, museums and all the quirkier bits of London. I […]
Home lost, lives shattered: The Windrush housing scandal
Kehinde Adeogun, Director of Legal Services and Policy at the Black Equity Organisation The Black Equity Organisation is a Black-led civil rights charity that launched in 2022, as the UK’s first national, independent civil rights organisation. Our mission is to promote economic, legal, social and political equity for Black communities in Britain in order to […]
Temporary accommodation in the archives: What can we learn?
Dr Jessica Field is an independent researcher and Research Affiliate with the University of Manchester Temporary accommodation has hit headlines a lot recently, for all the wrong reasons: terrible conditions, prolonged stays, child deaths. People are calling this a ‘crisis’. Yet, the emergency framing suggests there was a past ‘norm’ of decent temporary accommodation (TA) […]
No more excuses: Rural affordable housing can be a story of renewal
David Barrowcliff, Head of Communications and Technology, English Rural The affordable rural housing crisis in England is often described as intractable. It isn’t. It’s serious, but it’s also solvable. In villages across the country, the right homes in the right places are already helping people stay close to family, work and support networks, while keeping […]
