Everyone who works in a Housing Association seems to be a bit overwhelmed at the moment. Whether they are grappling with building safety; reaching net zero, reviewing complaints or trying to avoid another maladministration ruling, – the demands they face are intense and varied. Looking at it with great empathy, but also with a little…
In relationships – at work and at home – a lot of emphasis is put on trust. Trust, openness, and a willingness to be candid or frank when there is a problem. We value authenticity in our friends and leaders. Even when there is bad new we prefer to know about it rather than being…
I have been researching and thinking about how Open Data could be really useful for the housing association sector. With Steve Dungworth and others, I have become convinced that there would be a huge benefit if social housing providers could get together and publish their key property information online. However, full disclosure, a few weeks…
Competition is a fundamental part of a capitalist economy. Several independent private companies offer products to consumers. Their objective is to make money from selling these products or services. The other side of competition is that consumers choose what they want from a wide range of options. Price is a key determinant, and prices arise…
We need a National Social Housing Database, combining Open Data with Technology Standards. Sector wide, and government-led, this would be the cheapest and fastest way to drive improvement in social housing, transforming the customer experience while reducing costs. This is not just a technology solution. It is a multi-level good governance opportunity. Regulator-set data standards…
It is commonplace to say our staff are our greatest asset. Or to use the cliche – residents at the heart of everything we do. And while I don´t decry either sentiment, our greatest asset is the most neglected – the houses we own. Our assets (another word for homes, but one that frames them…
Competition is a defining component of a capitalist economy. It has positive effects – encouraging companies to design new products, reduce prices and improve services. Unfortunately, it is also very wasteful – the wheel is reinvented several times before the optimum design is adopted. The Housing Association sector is considered to be outside or at…
“Legacy organisations grew all their people, processes and technology before the rise of the modern internet.” Professor Mark Thompson, “Digital Strategy and Leadership with Professor Mark Thompson“, YouTube At one point I was an early adopter. The first time I used a computer to produce publishable text, signaling the beginning of the end for hot…
It is self evident that any organisation that provides services must work out what their customers want. Over the years I have spoken to thousands of tenants, held large meetings, visited residents at home, read their letters of complaint, organised improvement plans and even changed the direction of the organisations I worked for. More than…
If you own your own home you will probably manage it yourself. You make sure your home is repaired when it needs it, you pay the mortgage, the insurance and any standing charges. You do the gardening from time and time, and stay cordial, if not friendly, with your neighbours. If you are a flat…