The Week in Housing: the factors that will influence the future shape and purpose of social landlords
Good afternoon.
This week,?Inside Housing?chiefly explored the likely shape of the social housing sector moving forwards and the factors that are set to influence performance.
In every nation across the UK, the week involved debate, discussion and change that are about the future direction, purpose and influence of social landlords.
For starters, there were a series of stories about the investment needed to deliver new homes, with some experts suggesting that after a relatively slow period due to market volatility,?housing providers will have to “bite the bullet” on new bond deals in the coming months.
Elsewhere,?the boss of L&G Affordable Homes spoke out?about how he feels tax rules are stifling partnerships between for-profit providers and traditional social landlords.
The?collapse of Cheshire developer?Lane End Developments Construction?demonstrated the more immediate pressures that are affecting the speed and scale of the sector’s ambitions.
In Northern Ireland, there were huge concerns about the future ambitions of the sector to meet need, with the?Northern Ireland Housing Executive warning that a ￡7.4m budget cut would make it “virtually impossible” to prevent homelessness.
In Wales, the future of shape of the sector was very much on the table, with the?Welsh government launching a consultation on housing adequacy and rent controls. The green paper is seeking views on delivering a “right to adequate housing” and aims to get to the heart of debates about what the sector is there for and how its objectives can be achieved.
It was also a significant week in Scotland, with the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations’ annual conference marking the launch of?a new campaign to put housing at the heart of Scotland’s future. With the sector’s purpose and objectives not always clear to everyone outside the housing bubble, the campaign aims to show the value that social housing provides to society at large.
Questions about the shape and purpose of the sector were also under the microscope in a new research report from former Chartered Institute of Housing president Jo Richardson. Her work, part of her presidential Homeful campaign, looked at how the sector could end homelessness and?called on social landlords and tenants to form a coalition of the willing to help end homelessness for good.
In England, there were also significant stories from and about the Regulator of Social Housing. For starters, there were more stories about collection methods for the new tenant satisfaction measures (TSMs) and worries that?collecting TSM data solely online carries “heavy negative bias”.
More details are starting to emerge about initial performance, too, as we revealed that?one large council received a 26% satisfaction score for complaint-handling?after a TSM survey.
More widely, the week also brought the news that a well-known Yorkshire landlord had been downgraded by the English regulator to?non-compliant for governance and financial viability after breaching a loan covenant.
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Quote of the week
“We have to show the huge value to society that social housing provides, that it’s so much more than simply a roof over your head. Home is the basis for everything else – our health, our job opportunities and the childhoods we all deserve. Making sure that someone has a safe, warm and affordable home is one of the biggest differences we can make to people’s lives.”
Sally Thomas, chief executive of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations.
Martin Hilditch, editor, Inside Housing
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Chief Executive Officer
1 年Im meeting a woman this Wednesday that sleeps on the train every night, this is her accommodation.
Positive Psychology Coach at Character Matters
1 年Lots of ‘what’ we think & would like to see happening. But no ‘how’ we going to ensure it gets done. No ‘who’ is going to finance it, and no ‘where’ is it going to start & no when is it going to start. Haven’t we been here before folks? Don’t we need some action by the sector now to lead on this housing crisis? Can’t we start a ‘social housing has to be placed at the heart of all levelling up or whatever the next government’s placatory soundbite is likely to be ? Can’t we stop moaning & do some mobilising behind a radical programme of specific costed demands that might, just might, actually change things for the first time in post war UK for social housing? Or will we just huff & puff as before, go through a new housing minister every fortnight, have a few conferences, maybe even lobby some politicians and feel that’s the best we can do ? Hope not.