Last year I reflected on how I had spent the year since leaving Notting Hill Genesis. NED roles. Travelling. Learning Spanish. Consultancy. Writing and Research. In that post, I said I wanted to learn more about Housing Associations, the problems they faced, and their views on technology. The conversations that followed were rich, challenging, nuanced…
So the Prime Minister said, when reacting to the Darzi report on the critical state of the NHS. Starmer suggested that as “working people can’t afford to pay more, so it’s reform or die”, questioning the effectiveness of public investment in the health service. The relatively poor health of our population could be addressed by…
Social landlords, during past decades, engaged in sensible commercial activities such as building homes for sale or market rent, to make profits or surpluses. This meant they had substantial reserves enabling them to borrow money comparatively cheaply, and as a buffer to help deal with unforeseen circumstances. Today the reserves are being used up to…
During my career in social housing I worked with some incredible tenant board members such as Shaun Lansfield, Ben Middleton, Mary Burke, Alistair Moss, Annabelle Louvros, Imani Douglas Walker, Stephen Bitti, Linde Carr and Arike Oke. I had so much respect for each of them – all of whom became friends. They vigorously participated in…
Social landlords and tenants are in a long-term relationship underpinned by a clear legal contract. The tenancy agreement, and the Landlord and Tenant acts which lie behind it explain very clearly the obligations and rights of the two parties. In summary, the landlord provides a home which must be safe and of a satisfactory quality,…
Concern for the environment is a key part of the government’s agenda, but there is a conflict with the strong drive to deal with the pressing housing emergency and build, build, build. Replacing 1.5mn social homes lost through Right to Buy will take decades and will demand time, money and innovation. So one really useful…
These days, I give advice to companies as a way of making a living. One of the best, and simplest pieces of advice I can give is to simplify. As someone who loves ideas, enjoys discovery, experimentation and debate I actually enjoy complexity, connection and lateral thoughts that seem to pop up continually in my…
The Green Belt. Or the Nation’s landbank, as I see it. During the 1930s, the Green Belt was designed to prevent urban sprawl, protect the countryside, and provide opportunities for the public to enjoy trips to the country. The 1947 Town and Country Planning Act formalised the policy. Its aim was to create some delineation…
The “Rethinking Repairs and Maintenance” report, produced by the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and National Housing Federation (NHF), has been published to help housing providers deal with the dire state of their repairs service. The new guidance has six key themes – improving cultures and behaviours, inclusivity and tackling discrimination, structuring engagement, involving colleagues,…
The Open Data Exchange now exists. Let me explain why. Housing associations have a headache. And it looks like this: 1. Tenant dissatisfaction. This is not simply feeling bad because we are continually disappointing those we serve, but it invites regulator action, which is the only guaranteed terminal event for Associations. 2. The main cause…