Grenfell Inquiry

Earlier this month, the Grenfell Inquiry published their findings following a six-year investigation. The report’s findings are an opportunity for the Housing Sector to pause, reflect and make changes to ensure its safety procedures are robust and considerate of individual tenants.

As Head of Assets at Change Housing, I lead the delivery of the asset service to over 1,000 tenants across Change, Hilldale Housing Association and Quays Housing. We take this responsibility very seriously and have a zero-tolerance approach to all matters affecting tenant safety.

Hilldale and Quays provide Specialist Supported Housing and Temporary Housing to people who need additional support to live independently. This requires us to go above and beyond the basics of building health and safety compliance.

The inquiry’s findings are clear that the parties involved with the safety of the Grenfell Tower had failed the people they were responsible for keeping safe. Although we don’t manage high rise buildings within the group, many of the findings are applicable to all types of buildings, especially the importance of landlords having the trust of their tenants.

We are keen to understand how tenants feel about the relationship that they have with their landlord and have therefore completed their first set of Tenant Satisfaction Measures. ?Tenants reported an 85.9% satisfaction rating that their home is safe. Change Housing has been assessing this feedback and considering how we can improve for the tenants of both Hilldale and Quays. We consider communication with our tenants to be essential and that it’s one of our responsibilities to inform tenants how we are keeping them safe.

Over the last 12-months, we have introduced new systems to strengthen our data and reporting and as part of this have enhanced our safety reporting for each of our Boards. Our next step will be to make this reporting more accessible to all tenants, on a regular basis, through regular updates and online.

As an assets team, we work closely with our tenants, front line housing colleagues, support providers and, where appropriate, family members to understand our tenants’ needs. We emphasise the importance of ensuring correct data is held and we treat this as a responsibility for everyone across the group to collect and maintain.

We have hugely benefitted from a Health and Safety partnership with a retained external expert that we use as a “competent person” and have seen a significant increase in knowledge across colleagues who are responsible for tenants’ safety.? Our expert provides advice, training and policy and procedural support through their attendance at our Health and Safety Committee.

Lastly, in common with other housing providers, we will not forget the 72 people who tragically lost their lives in 2017 at the Grenfell Tower and we will continue to use the learning that has emerged from the Grenfell Inquiry, alongside best practice examples from the housing sector, to improve our services.

Simon Cooper

Head of Assets - Change Housing

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