Housing Quality Magazine March 2021 by HQN Limited

ISSUE 2: MARCH 2021 We speak to the inaugural Housing’s Next Generation winner The Housing Ombudsman kicks off his regular column Special pull-out: Evidence

Tackling climate change in social housing How can the sector get to grips with the issue?

HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

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CONTENTS 5 Welcome 6 News analysis 7 Life in 15 questions 8 In the frame 10 Evidence 20 Interview: Kath Menzies 24 Social housing going green

March 2021 Published by: HQN Rockingham House St Maurice’s Road York YO31 7JA

32 Comment: RHP 34 Comment: ICS 35 Ombudsman Corner 36 A day in the life 37 Resident’s view 38 The last word

Editorial: Alistair McIntosh Mark Lawrence Janis Bright Email: mark.lawrence@hqnetwork.co.uk Tel: 07523 920010

Advertising: All enquires to: hqn@hqnetwork.co.uk Tel: 01904 557150

Tackling the climate emergency With the country bound to a 2050 target of zero carbon, how can housing get ahead of the game?

History maker

The Ombudsman’s update

Evidence special

The very first winner of Housing’s Next Generation on what it meant to win and how the competition has made her more confident.

The Housing Ombudsman kicks off his regular HQM column with some learning from recent reports.

The latest roundup in research and policy from our friends at CaCHE and HSA.

EVIDENCE update The latest research and analysis – in plain English In this issue: 10 Welcome 10 Domestic abuse and housing policy 11 ‘Honour’ abuse, violence and forced marriage in the UK

Issue 29 | March 2021

12 The COVID-19 crisis response to homelessness in Great Britain: interim report 13 The role of PRS landlords in making a rented house a home 15 PRS Policy and research roundup

Welcome

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Last month the Commons Women and Equalities select committee warned that the government risks ‘turning the clock back’ on gender equality by overlooking the labour market and caring inequalities faced by women during the Covid pandemic. It was a reminder that even as we begin to see hope in emerging from lockdown and the worst of coronavirus, inequalities of many kinds remain and may have worsened. In this issue Meena Kumari and Dr Roxanne Khan outline an important new report on ‘honour’ abuse, violence, and forced marriage in the UK. The findings point to a lack of consistency and detail in police recording of ‘honor’ abuse and forced marriage. The past year has, however, seen substantial developments in domestic abuse policy in each of the four UK nations, not least with new bills in two parliaments. A research team from CaCHE is looking at if and how the experience of the pandemic has influenced developments at the

interface between housing and domestic abuse policy: Professor Annette Hastings reports. Since the onset of the pandemic last year homelessness has been seen by governments as a public health emergency – and they responded quickly. A new study by five leading academics in the field is examining the responses across England, Scotland and Wales, placing them in an international context. The importance of ‘home’ has been to the fore as the repeated lockdowns keep us in the house – but for some living in the private rented sector making a home can be especially difficult. Dr Kim McKee and Dr Steve Rolfe summarise findings from their evidence review regarding the role of PRS landlords in enabling tenants to feel at home. And continuing the theme of the private rented sector, HQN Associate Emma Lindley summarises a raft of recent studies on a variety of aspects of the sector. Janis Bright Editor, Evidence

HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE

Domestic abuse and housing policy Professor Annette Hastings from the University of Glasgow outlines a research project tracing policy change in the UK since Covid-19. In a year that’s not been short of news stories, the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown on those experiencing

MARCH 2021

domestic abuse has still been hard to miss, with the UN highlighting a shadow pandemic of domestic violence globally. Indeed the Office for National Statistics has reported that one in five of all crimes recorded in England and Wales during and immediately after the first lockdown involved domestic abuse.

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No guru, no method, no teacher We keep getting asked: what do we need to do about the Charter? The answer is pretty simple. It’s time to peer into the mirror; ignore that lockdown haircut; the person looking back at you knows what to do. Only a fool would think that the regulator can magic up a one-size-fits-all set of standards and inspection tests. Their first port of call will be to ask you what you’re doing. When they like what they see, they’ll turn that into the standard. As life moves on, the standard will shift. All down the line the pace will be set by the best landlords, not the regulator. That’s how it’s always been and always will be. It’s simple maths – landlords know their turf and, despite everything, enjoy resources that dwarf those of even the most generously funded regulator. Our friends at the regulator are smart and know this. Load the willing horses will be their cry! So, it’s over to you. What’s to be done? We’ve got to get a lot closer to residents. That’s what the Charter wants to see, and for better or worse we’re in this marriage from here till eternity. How are you shaping up? Do your staff have empathy with residents? What’s that first phone call like? Do you roll your sleeves up to sort out complaints, or lose them in a vortex of corporate processes? Do residents have any sway? Were they OK with the rent increase? Did you ask them? What do they think of the boss’s wage packet? I’ve heard parents at muchimproved schools defend the head’s pay. So, it’s not a crazy question. Will our pay seem fair to residents? Or

will they point to this, that and the next thing you’re not concentrating on? Lockdown has given me plenty of time to patrol my home turf. Old habits die hard. Some of the estates are tired, while a couple of landlords seem to have given up the ghost. Yes, I still read the noticeboards to check on estate inspections. They’re not happening. We’ve spent the last ten years obsessing about boardrooms and you can see the signs of neglect on too many estates. All too often, governance stops at the edge of the boardroom (or Zoom screen). It’s quite easy to talk the talk in the boardroom; changing things on the ground is so much harder. It’s time to get back to basics. Fix the estates to get rid of the signs of stigma. Plenty of our members have made a good start. But here’s the dilemma. There’s never enough money. So, how do you strike the right balance between building new homes and looking after those that you already own? Theoretically, it’s possible to do both. But not everyone manages this feat. Soon inspectors will be standing in my shoes and wandering around your estates. What mark will you get? Act now. Why would anyone in their right mind give you money to build new homes when you don’t love the ones you have?

Alistair McIntosh, Chief Executive, HQN

HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

News analysis The distant dream

We were once again reminded of the housing secretary’s view of homeless people last month, as Robert Jenrick said that homelessness is mostly caused by substance misuse. Not affordability of homes, the perilous nature of private renting or relationship breakdowns… substance misuse. It isn’t the first time he’s made remarks such as these, last year calling homelessness “more of a crisis of addiction and mental health than it is about housing”. That’s not to say, of course, that substance misuse doesn’t take place among the homeless community, as it does in most other strands of society, but to use it as a leading cause is disingenuous at best. But it should come as no surprise from a housing secretary who seemingly dismissed concerns of leaseholders and tenants trapped in flats that could go up in flames at any point, just because fires don’t happen often. Or from a housing secretary that, lest we forget, fast tracked through planning permission for his mate to save him £40m, taking that very same money away from communities that could have benefited greatly. Language matters.

Once again, we have seen a Budget with absolutely no new money for social housing. At a time when recovering from the pandemic is apparently the number one goal, the government has decided not to invest in a large scale council housebuilding programme. Jobs, greater security, less burden on the housing benefit bill. These are just a few of the numerous benefits of social housing. So how far does social housing have to sink before the Conservatives take action? Keir Starmer, the Labour Leader, said in response to the Budget: “If the government was really interested in tackling the broken housing market, it would have announced a new generation of genuinely affordable council homes. Instead, we have 230,000 council homes lost since 2010.” And he’s completely right. The number of social homes continues to fall and despite the best attempts by some local authorities to reverse some of the

Watch HQN TV for a weekly roundup of the housing news

Fearful of the incoming wave The country has been bracing for the end of the furlough scheme and the impact that it’s going to have on unemployment and Universal Credit claims. The evictions ban is also ending, which could see a huge spike in homelessness. A report by Peabody did nothing to dampen those fears. In a survey of 2,000 of their

HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

impacts of Right to Buy, it’s simply not working. If Sunak wants to create numerous jobs, bolster the supply chain and allow people to get off Universal Credit, he’d be better off rethinking his housing plans – because 95% mortgages and crippling debt for young people is not a sustainable model to achieve that. And with the Office for Budget Responsibility saying that the housing measures will only increase house prices, it seems the hope for new social housing remains a distant dream.

residents, Peabody found that 58% had either lost their job, been furloughed or were working less hours; 20% had taken out loans or used credit cards for essentials; and 25% said they were in a “desperate financial situation”. Housing providers have done an incredible job during the pandemic, but the hard work is only just beginning.

Picture by Harriet Pavey/ No 10 Downing Street

The importance of language

A life in 15 questions Clare Budden The Chief Executive of ClwydAlyn tells us about her most treasured possession, some things you may not know about her and what book she would recommend! 1. Tell us about your career and how you ended up in your current role I’ve worked in housing and local government all of my career – I’ve worked in three councils, two Liverpool housing associations, a stock transfer and a traditional. Along the way I’ve also gained lots of board experience including chair of a social enterprise and being a member of the Housing Action Group, established by Welsh Government, which produced reports on how to end homelessness in Wales. I’m also a member (and housing representative) of the Transformation Advisory Board, advising the CEO of the NHS in Wales on progress in, and plans to deliver, “A Healthier Wales”. I’m in my dream job now at ClwydAlyn and feel privileged to be a CEO. I chose to work in housing as I know how important a safe and secure home is; and how difficult life can be if you don’t have that. 2. Describe yourself in three words Not quite three words – I’m trusting, driven and ‘listen first’. 3. What would you change about yourself? If I could change one thing it would be to slow down more, especially in the current climate when I think we’re all experiencing challenges in our organisations (and personal lives); and I know my desire to improve at pace can be exhausting for my team to work with at times.

the challenge before moving to solutions is so important. 8. Most treasured possession My mother-in-law’s wedding and engagement ring. (Yes: mother-inlaw. Wasn’t I lucky?)

4. Favourite place on earth? I’m a proud Welsh girl and so my favourite place in the world has to be beautiful North Wales – I love spending time walking by the water and in the mountains. 5. Describe your home My home is always mad busy – I’ve got four grown up kids/girlfriends/ dogs – but it’s homely too! I’m lucky: I have a garden and live quite rural with loads of good walks right outside the door. 6. What makes you angry? Inequality! That’s why I’m passionate about tackling poverty, our core mission at ClwydAlyn. Our aim is to enable everyone in North Wales to have a great home, in the place they want to be; which they can afford to heat well; where they can afford food to stay healthy; can access the internet; and can have purpose through work/education or volunteering (just a few small goals!!). 7. Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Take time to really understand the problem you want to sort before starting – I’ve learnt through good advice and guidance that taking time to really understand

9. If you won £1m on the Lottery, what would you spend it on? I’ve never bought a ticket but if I did…maybe I’d buy all the kids a house (so they leave ours) and I’d also open a community pub/ café in our village to get people together. 10. Biggest achievement? Producing four fantastic people. 11. Biggest regret? Not being brave enough to set up my own business so far… 12. Most overused phrase? Dunno – you’d have to ask others. I’d like to think it’s ‘thank you’ (but we always want to believe we’re being the best we can be, don’t we?). 13. Recommend a book Most recently it’s Darren Mcgarvey’s Poverty Safari. My long-standing favourite is Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom. 14. The best piece of television in the last 12 months? Silent Witness. 15. Tell us a secret about yourself I don’t really have any! But lesser known things are that I’ve got a motorbike license and a tattoo! HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

In the frame

 Laptop love Beyond Housing

 Christmas charity Incommunities

The housing association responded to the call for new laptops for those most in need, funding 20 computers to ensure kids are able to carry on learning.

After encouraging supply chain partners to get involved, Incommunities raised £2,817 for mental health charity Cellar Trust.

 Special something Salix Homes Resident Keri Muldoon provided her neighbours with a Valentine’s gift, as the popular lollipop lady helped to lift spirits during the lockdown.

 Gifting grassroots Bourneville

 Laptop lifeline LiveWest

Village Trust Community groups in Birmingham and Telford working to help those hit hardest by Covid have been given a £17,500 funding boost by BVT.

A housing association has given £67,000 and 100 laptops to help disadvantaged children across the South West learn from home during the Covid-19 lockdown.

 Community care believe housing  Garden greats One Manchester Awarded £4,000 by their housing association, residents stepped forward to get involved on a local allotment in a bid to encourage others into gardening.

HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

More than 95 grants have been awarded to local community groups, supporting food banks, sports clubs and mental health projects. Grants ranged from a few hundred pounds to nearly £20,000.

 A lovely tree-bute Telford and Wrekin Council

 Newham nourishment Newham Council

A tree has been planted in a quiet place, so that people who want to remember those who sadly have passed away due to Covid-19 can reflect and pay their respects.

14,000 children were supplied with a healthy and nutritious meal every school day through the council’s Eat for Free scheme.

 Festive food Sovini Group

 Turfs up! Torus

Pine Court Housing, part of the Sovini Group, joined with other community groups to ensure that traditional Chinese food parcels were delivered to those who are vulnerable, ahead of Chinese New Year.

An estate is getting a new splash of colour, with Torus laying down 22 new planting beds. It’ll consist of shrubs, small trees, plus a mixture of wildflower planting and spring bulbs.

 Vaccination joy Anchor Hanover The housing association has been at the forefront of getting as many residents vaccinated against Covid-19 as possible, with many hoping that normal life can return soon.

If you’d like to be featured In the Frame, please email your pictures to mark.lawrence@ hqnetwork.co.uk

HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

EVIDENCE update The latest research and analysis – in plain English In this issue: 10 Welcome 10 Domestic abuse and housing policy 11 ‘Honour’ abuse, violence and forced marriage in the UK

Issue 29 | March 2021

12 The Covid-19 crisis response to homelessness in Great Britain: interim report 13 The role of PRS landlords in making a rented house a home 15 PRS policy and research roundup

Welcome Last month the Commons Women and Equalities select committee warned that the government risks ‘turning the clock back’ on gender equality by overlooking the labour market and caring inequalities faced by women during the Covid pandemic. It was a reminder that even as we begin to see hope in emerging from lockdown and the worst of coronavirus, inequalities of many kinds remain and may have worsened. In this issue Meena Kumari and Dr Roxanne Khan outline an important new report on ‘honour’ abuse, violence, and forced marriage in the UK. The findings point to a lack of consistency and detail in police recording of ‘honor’ abuse and forced marriage. The past year has, however, seen substantial developments in domestic abuse policy in each of the four UK nations, not least with new bills in two parliaments. A research team from CaCHE is looking at if and how the experience of the pandemic has influenced developments at the

HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

A research team from CaCHE is looking at if and how the experience of the pandemic has influenced developments at the interface between housing and domestic abuse policy over this past year. As a first stage, the team produced a review of the extent of the connections between the two policy areas in the period leading up to the Covid-19 pandemic. The review assesses the direction of travel in the four nations of the UK, noting an appetite for more connections to be made between the experience and routes out of domestic abuse, the operation of the housing system, and key elements of housing policy and practice. In fact, this year of the Covid-19 pandemic has coincided with substantial developments

in domestic abuse policy in each of the four UK nations, not least with new bills proceeding through parliaments in Westminster and Stormont impacting on England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, significant work involving government alongside organisations such as Scottish Women’s Aid continues following landmark legislation in 2018. Due to report in the summer of 2021, the research will engage with experts at the interface of housing and domestic abuse policy in order to understand whether and how the exacerbation of domestic abuse by the pandemic has influenced the nature and degree of connection with housing policy.

‘Honour’ abuse, violence, and forced marriage in the UK Meena Kumari and Dr Roxanne Khan outline an important new report from a multi-disciplinary research team. In 2014, IKWRO women’s rights organisation reported findings from Freedom of Information (FOI) requests that revealed 2,823 cases of ‘honour’ based violence and abuse (HBV/A) had been recorded by 39 police forces during 2010, and that only 20% of police forces were flagging HBV/A, thus providing the first national picture of this form of abuse. This report was the catalyst for our report ‘Honour’ abuse, violence, and forced marriage in the UK. Police reports (incidents and charges) and specialised training: 2018 and 2019. In 2020, a multi-disciplinary research team made up of academics, a specialist victim-led service, and a national training provider worked together to provide new information on the prevalence of HBA/V and forced marriage (FM) recorded by the police, and the scope of the training frontline staff receive in relation to HBA/V and FM-related crimes. The research team comprised of Dr Olumide Adisa and Dr Katherine Allen from the Centre for Abuse Research at the University of Suffolk, Dr Roxanne Khan from HARM (Honour Abuse Research Matrix) at University of Central Lancashire, Yasmin Khan from HALO Project, and Meena Kumari from H.O.P.E Training & Consultancy. The team submitted FOI requests to 49 police forces across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Of these, 38 forces responded.

Our findings suggest that at least 70% of police forces are flagging HBV/A and/or forced marriage (FM). However, only 15 police forces were able to provide full information on HBV/A incidents and charges – while the majority either had no information or partial information; thus good quality data remains a challenge. Our findings show that the results from the FOI requests are still concerning as it reflects IKWRO’s (2014) findings from seven years ago: that there is a lack of consistency and detail in police recording of HBA/V and FM, which is likely to impact on monitoring and evaluation, as well as the true scale of HBV/A and FM. The full report was published on 24 January 2021: the fifteenth anniversary of the ‘honour’ killing of Banaz Mahmod. A young woman living in London, Banaz was the victim of Britain’s most notorious so-called ‘honour’ killing. The police handling of her case was fraught with incompetence, oversight, error, and lack of cultural awareness. Numerous times, in the months leading up to her murder, Banaz reported her abuse to the police, even warning them that she would be murdered. She went as far as writing down the names of her killers. An investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) after her death found that two police forces had failed Banaz. ‘Honour’ abuse, violence, and forced marriage in the UK Police cases (incidents and charges) and specialised training: 2018 and 2019

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The Covid-19 crisis response to homelessness in Great Britain: interim report Five researchers from universities in the UK and Australia* report on their study of the responses to homelessness during the pandemic. At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic there were widespread fears that people experiencing homelessness, particularly those staying temporarily in communal accommodation or living on the streets, were at heightened risk of infection and potentially fatal outcomes. We consequently witnessed a shift in the framing of homelessness – it became a public health emergency. In February 2021, CaCHE published preliminary findings of a comparative examination of the responses to homelessness during the Covid-19 crisis across England, Scotland and Wales, placing these responses from Great Britain (GB) in an international context. The report focuses on the period from the start of the initial national lockdown in the UK (March 2020), until the end of the year (December 2020). The research methods include: an international literature review; documentary analysis of relevant GB policy, funding and legal responses to the pandemic; and qualitative interviews with policy makers and service providers in England (n=15), Scotland (n=8) and Wales (n=8). Additionally, the report utilises qualitative and quantitative data from the Crisis-funded Homelessness Monitor online survey of English local authorities, and 25 qualitative interviews with people who experienced homelessness during the pandemic, undertaken as part of a large-scale, mixed-method study of destitution in the UK, funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Effective response The overarching conclusion across all three GB nations is that the immediate crisis response to homelessness during the pandemic was swift and effective, with almost everyone accommodated safely, albeit there were particular challenges in housing those with the most complex support needs. The study documents the importance of five emergent trends during the crisis, including strong central government leadership, generally appropriate levels of funding, crucial changes to welfare and labour market policy, collaborative working between sectors and organisations,

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and a workforce that adapted and rose to the unprecedented challenges. Whilst there were similarities in the crisis responses of GB nations, and some of the trends were also evident internationally, there were also fundamental differences, particularly between Scotland and the rest of GB. The study highlights the central influence of the preCovid-19 context on the form of the emergency response. The distinctive position in Scotland, where the legislative framework confers rights to accommodation on all homeless households, meant far fewer additional households had to be temporarily accommodated and so there was less necessity for a large-scale emergency response of the form witnessed in England and Wales. Next steps Looking to the horizon and to the second phase of this study (January-June 2021), the research will explore ongoing responses, particularly in the wake of a second major period of lockdown which commenced in December 2020 and continued into 2021. The report will also examine any actions taken to address sector concerns relating to: the effectiveness of move-on provisions for people temporarily accommodated during the crisis; the potential increase in homelessness that may emerge from job losses and a recommencement of evictions; and the potential ‘path dependencies’ being created through major investment in congregate forms of temporary accommodation in response to the crisis. Crucially, and on an optimistic note, the next report will investigate what has been done to ensure some of the positive crisis policies and practices will persist and evolve to enable the sector to ‘build back better’. *The team comprises: Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick (Heriot-Watt University), Dr Peter Mackie (Cardiff University), Professor Hal Pawson (University of New South Wales), Dr Beth Watts (Heriot-Watt University), Dr Jenny Wood (HeriotWatt University)

The role of PRS landlords in making a rented house a home Dr Kim McKee and Dr Steve Rolfe summarise findings from their evidence review regarding the role of PRS landlords in enabling tenants to feel at home. In the context of Covid-19, we have all become more aware of the importance of ‘home’, as national lockdowns force us to spend more time in the house. We know from a range of research around tenant perspectives that making a home can be particularly difficult in the private rented sector (PRS) – factors such as insecure tenancies, issues with property quality and problems of affordability undermine tenants’ comfort, autonomy and self-worth. Moreover, there is a growing evidence base that the lack of a sense of home is detrimental to health and wellbeing. Addressing these issues is particularly important given the rapid growth of the PRS in the UK since the turn of the century, drawing in more low-income and vulnerable households, many of whom now stay in the sector for long periods. Whilst there has been a significant shift over the last decade towards greater regulation of the PRS and an emphasis on professionalisation, particularly in Scotland, legislation can only go so far. Hence, we set out to review the academic and grey literature regarding the impacts of landlord behaviour on tenants’ ability to make a home in the PRS across OECD countries. Alongside our report, we summarised the findings in a good practice leaflet, which highlights seven key areas

where landlords (and letting agents) can make a positive contribution. Investment in property quality, adaptations and energy efficiency Sadly, research on the experiences of tenants in some parts of the PRS shows that there are still too many properties which might be just about lettable, but are not really liveable. However, the evidence also shows that where landlords do invest in their properties, it can really help tenants to settle quickly and boost their wellbeing. Notably, there also appears to be a welcome shift towards concern for energy efficiency amongst tenants and landlords. Repairs Multiple studies highlight problems that tenants face in getting repairs done quickly or effectively, including evidence that some avoid making requests for fear of retaliatory eviction. Positive responses and good communication about repairs have been shown to improve tenants’ sense of home and also enable landlords to gain early warning of underlying issues. Discrimination in tenant selection Research has long highlighted the exclusion of some groups from accessing the PRS, such as BAME groups, migrants and those in receipt of benefits. Whilst blanket bans (like no DSS) are discriminatory and illegal, there are undoubtedly challenges for landlords in the financial delays involved with benefit claims, or the additional ‘right to rent’ requirements in England. Nonetheless, the evidence suggests that renting to people who find it hard to get a tenancy can be a good business decision and support is available to help landlords. Renting to families and pet owners Many landlords are wary of letting to pet owners or families with children, fearing damage to the property or problems with neighbours. However, the research shows that landlords who take the time

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to meet prospective tenants and understand their circumstances often gain real benefits in terms of tenants who stay longer. Personalising the property Even in the most difficult circumstances, tenants try to personalise their property in order to make it feel like home. Whilst no landlord is likely to let tenants repaint on day one, the evidence suggests that negotiating with tenants around which changes they can make is likely to keep them in the tenancy and may save landlords money in terms of refurbishment costs. Engagement with tenants The evidence shows that the way in which landlords and letting agents engage with tenants is a crucial factor, cutting across many of the other issues. Unfortunately, there are still landlords in the PRS who do unannounced inspections, or treat young tenants like children. Where landlords treat their tenants with respect and communicate well, taking into consideration tenants’ rights and cultural needs, the research shows that tenants gain a sense of control within their tenancy, helping them to feel at home.

to feel at home, often with direct benefits to themselves in terms of tenants who look after properties and remain in tenancies for longer. In the context of an expanding sector and the immediate challenges of Covid, landlords in the PRS can make a substantial difference for some of the most vulnerable households. The full review report is available here, alongside the guidance leaflet for landlords and letting agents and a short video providing a summary of the project. The review was funded by SafeDeposits Scotland Charitable Trust and conducted together with Dr Tom Simcock and Julie Feather from Edgehill University, and Dr Jenny Hoolachan from Cardiff University. This piece was first published on the Housing Studies Association blog

Tenancy length and rent stability

Unsurprisingly, tenants find it easier to develop a sense of home when they feel secure in their tenancy, both in terms of the length of the tenancy and the possibility of increases in rent. Even in Scotland where the Private Residential Tenancy has improved security, there are still significant concerns about lack of protection for tenants. From the perspective of landlord behaviour, the key issue is about clear and early communication regarding any change to rents or possible termination of a tenancy. This is even more important in the current context of a global pandemic, where mobility is restricted and the economy is experiencing a significant downturn.

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Clearly, all of these aspects of landlord behaviour need to be situated within a wider structural context – neither landlords nor tenants can directly influence factors such as welfare reform or economic changes that affect tenant employment and landlord finances. However, we argue that the evidence from our review provides valuable guidance for landlords and letting agents regarding ways in which they can help tenants

Become a member from just £25 a year and access these benefits plus reduced rates to our events. See www.housing-studies-association.org

HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

The Housing Studies Association (HSA) is a UK-wide membership organisation which brings together researchers, practitioners and professionals to promote the study of housing. HSA runs a programme of events including our annual conference and our public lecture on housingrelated themes. The Association also offers: • Events grant scheme enabling members to disseminate and discuss their work, • Seminar Series grant competition • Conference bursaries to early career and/or nonwaged housing researchers and practitioners • The prestigious annual Valerie Karn prize for best paper by an early career housing researcher.

PRS policy and research roundup HQN Associate Emma Lindley summarises recent publications that relate to the private rented sector. The private rented sector (PRS) is a well-researched subject area, by academics, trade bodies and think tanks. Here’s a summary of key pieces of research that have been published in recent months. Improving the PRS: A guide for councils

Consumer rights in the PRS

This guide published by the LGA was produced by three HQN Associates and is supported by a set of case studies and a toolkit. The guide considers the national policy context, the strategic role of councils, the role of consumer regulation, enforcement challenges, and, finally, a number of emerging issues that have been identified.

This report by the Smith Institute argues that the consumer protection that renters receive in the PRS compares poorly to much of what consumers expect in other markets. The authors considered established consumer outcome measures to assess the level of detriment and harm in the PRS: access, choice and competition, fairness, quality, value for money, safety, information and advice, complaints and redress, voice and influence, and externalities. The report finds a number of areas where the PRS doesn’t produce good outcomes for renters as consumers: renters are often constrained in their consumer choice; quality of rented housing varies significantly with some classed as unsafe to live in; basic information on important safety issues isn’t always provided; and there’s no accessible public register which renters can check to see if they are dealing with a landlord who has a good track record of treating renters fairly. The report makes a number of recommendations to government to address these matters.

Assessing compliance with deposit protection requirements Published by the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE), this briefing identifies what information is currently available that could be used to assess compliance with deposit protection requirements. The authors concluded that it isn’t possible to estimate the full extent of non-compliance with the requirements to protect deposits due to the limitations of the data available. Improving compliance with PRS legislation Also published by CaCHE, this research examines how local authority enforcement and regulation in the UK PRS could be improved. The findings are based on 70 in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and professionals from 13 UK local authorities. The research identifies four types of local authority approach to enforcement and concludes that there are significant limitations and challenges associated with relying either on light-touch or hard-line strategies. The authors recommend that the sector needs to re-think the way in which outcomes and impacts are understood, advising that the number of prosecutions or other formal activity are not appropriate measures of success and that the aim of regulation in this context is to improve standards by achieving compliance. The report makes a number of recommendations for local authorities and UK governments.

Private renters’ housing experiences in lightly regulated markets This is another piece of research published by CaCHE, which focuses on better understanding private tenants’ housing experiences in the UK and the growing diversity in terms of tenants’ profiles and their related experiences. The research considers how socioeconomic and demographic characteristics affect these experiences. The authors conclude that, as expected, household income is the key determinant of the quality of accommodation. However, there are other resources that influence outcomes, such as self-confidence and social and family networks. Poor housing conditions are a universal experience for all low-income households, no matter their demographic profile, and tenancy insecurity cuts across all socioeconomic and demographic profiles.

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Alternative approaches to resolving housing disputes

develop significant debts that will affect them for years to come.

This briefing from CaCHE examines three international case studies on the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to resolve housing disputes. The briefing highlights the benefits of multi-stage processes, self-help options, tailoring the approach and user-led design.

Coping with housing costs, six months on

The role and potential of alternative dispute resolution in the UK PRS Linked to the above briefing, this CaCHE report investigates the strengths and limitations of the ADR approaches already in operation in the UK. The report concludes that there are currently limited dispute resolution services available and a range of options should be introduced. The impact of short-term lets ARLA commissioned Capital Economics to research the potential impacts of the growth of short-term letting platforms on the PRS. The research found that almost 50,000 properties have already been made unavailable to long-term tenants in order for landlords to pursue shortterm lets. The authors estimate that between 80,000 and 470,000 more properties could become unavailable for long-term rental. Housing conditions in the PRS This House of Commons library briefing sets out the policy background on housing fitness and levels of disrepair in the PRS. It provides an overview of the current legal framework and an overview of the key gaps within this framework. Where now for the PRS? This short analysis from the London School of Economics estimates the possible impact on the PRS of Covid-19 and rising unemployment; looking at the scale of the current problem, the immediate and longer-term consequences for evictions and homelessness, and potential solutions. The authors estimate that there could be three times the numbers of formal evictions than before Covid-19 but that spikes are unlikely – rather there will be a slow burn that continues into 2022. Whilst some tenants will find cheaper, though perhaps poorer and/or more insecure, housing, others will

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This spotlight report from the Resolution Foundation sets out the findings of a survey conducted in September 2020 that explored the impact that housing costs are having on living standards during Covid-19. The survey found that renters have been hit the hardest: 12% of private renters are unable to cover their housing costs in full; 22% are cutting back on their spending to manage their housing costs; and 9% are running up debt to pay the rent. The research identified that the percentage of private renters claiming benefits to support their housing costs has increased from 12% to 16%, pre-Covid to September. Some 2% of private renters expect to be asked to leave their current tenancy due to their inability to pay their rent, and a further 4% plan to move to cheaper accommodation before they are pushed. Research on the impact of changes to the PRS tenancy regime in Scotland This research commissioned by The Nationwide Foundation focuses on the impact of the new Scottish Private Residential Tenancy and other recent legislative change in the PRS on: security of tenure, access to justice, affordability, landlord and tenant conduct, and the impact of these changes on tenants on a low income and/or in housing need. The research found that there is a lack of awareness amongst tenants of their tenancy rights, but that nonetheless there is a high level of confidence in their tenancy security, driven by affordability, trust in the landlord and secure employment. Landlords report concerns with the new tenancy type leading to higher churn in some markets and increased timescales to seek repossession for rent arrears. Journeys in the shadow PRS This research from Safer Renting at Cambridge House and the University of York, funded by Trust for London, explores the shadow PRS and identifies five types of criminal landlord behaviour. The research included a number of tenant experience case studies which revealed common themes in how regulation and enforcement activity fails to deter landlords and the obstacles faced by local authorities. The report

makes 12 recommendations to tackle the issues identified. The Covid-19 lockdown and the impact of poorquality housing on occupants in the North of England This research was carried out by a team at the University of Huddersfield, with funding from the institution, the Northern Housing Consortium and the Nationwide Foundation. The research looks at the impact living in poor-quality accommodation had on northern households during the first months of the pandemic, including on worsening poor conditions, under-reporting of repairs, a backlog of repairs, increased energy use and fuel poverty, and increased financial and tenancy insecurity.

• • • • • • • •

Regarding the PRS, the survey found: The proportion of households in the PRS did not change between 2018-19 and 2019-20 Overcrowding has reached its highest level in the PRS Private renters scored 2.9 out of 10 for feelings of anxiety 5% of private renters reported feeling lonely often or always 5% of homes in the PRS do not have an outdoor space and 28% share a space 23% of PRS homes do not meet the Decent Homes Standard The PRS has the highest proportion of homes with a Category 1 hazard; however, this has decreased from 28% in 2009 to 13% in 2019 38% of PRS homes have an energy efficiency rating of A – C.

Protecting rough sleepers and renters: Interim Report This report by the House of Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee recommends government takes three actions to protect renters based on the evidence presented to the Committee’s inquiry: 1. Amend the 1985 and 1988 Housing Acts to give judges discretion where a tenant is in rent arrears due to the coronavirus crisis and also to consider if a pre-action protocol has been complied with 2. Accelerate plans to introduce the Renters’ Reform Bill and abolish ‘no fault evictions’ 3. Ensure that the Local Housing Allowance rate is set at a level that reflects real market rents and ensures those in need are able to afford properties in their areas. How the pandemic is leaving private renters with unmanageable debt This research by Citizens Advice found that 1 in 3 private renters have lost income because of the pandemic and half a million people are behind on their rent because of it. 58% of those currently behind weren’t in arrears before the crisis. The average value of arrears is £730 and for a many a one-off loan or grant would resolve the issue. English Housing Survey 2019-20

Evidence newsletter editor: Dr Janis Bright www.hqnetwork.co.uk email: evidence@hqnetwork.co.uk  follow us on twitter @hqn_news

The EHS is a national survey by MHCLG of people’s housing circumstances and the condition and energy efficiency of housing in England. HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

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How can housing companies evolve with an external look at their marketing and comms? By Verity Calderbank

Whether it’s writing a customer newsletter, ensuring an innovative safety campaign is seen by all of your customers or building a community through Instagram – I would argue that marketing and communications activity is more important for housing associations and property companies, than any other type of organisation!

Why? Because homes are at the heart of people’s lives and people put a huge amount of trust and expectation onto landlords, property owners and housing associations. Marketing teams for these companies have a huge weight on their shoulders which becomes heavier by audiences that tend to be diverse in terms of income, age and cultural background and with so many new digital channels coming into play, there are growing expectations too. Teams delivering marketing for housing organisations face the most complex communications challenges of any sector and with so many skills required to do the job, it’s hard to find a ‘one size fits all’ in-house team that can ensure industry-leading output. With in-house Marketing & Communications teams working at capacity and at such a high level, it’s natural that issues arise. A recent survey from publication Marketing Week found that in-house teams can fall down for the following reasons: they are trapped in an echochamber with no outside perspective to innovate (37%), there are too many people being involved with no clear process (37%) and in-house teams have the ability to push deadlines back or miss them (35%)? So, what is the solution to this to ensure your marketing and comms are perfect? I believe that is an experienced external marketing team – external teams ensure contemporary campaigns, impactful logistics, while external teams will also produce and deliver on time and an outsider perspective is more likely to be ready to satisfy demands for information. I’m proud to be offering a solution with Home Marketing. We’re a team of of social impact marketers, delivering full-service marketing, pr & communications to local authorities, housing associations, partnerships and private companies in the place environment. The team acts as an affordable replacement for a unified in-house team or offer specific skills as a perfect addition. Best of all we’re community focussed and we help companies add into their CSR, we’re a not-for-profit but we also offer marketing-led social contribution support to a client’s community when they choose to work with us. We recently formalised our service under the name ‘Home Marketing’ because we’re poised for expansion. Currently delivering marketing for the likes of: Stockport Homes Group (our ultimate parent company), Shropshire Town and Rural Housing, Let Us: The Greater MCR Ethical Lettings Agency, Pure Innovations and Athena MCR – can we help your business next?

HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

WINNING WAYS After winning the inaugural Housing’s Next Generation competition, Kath Menzies speaks to Mark Lawrence about what it meant to her to win, her housing career to date and why other organisations should nominate their talented young professionals for this year’s competition.

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hen thinking back to Housing’s Next Generation competition, Kath Menzies says the whole thing was “exciting” but admits a lot of it was daunting. The Housing Services Officer from Link Housing Association won the inaugural competition, writing her name into the housing history books. Despite not being far into her career, she’s already travelled the length of the country experiencing different housing roles, as well as gaining experience in other sectors such as the police force. But she doesn’t believe this gave her an advantage in the competition. “Although I have experience around the country and can fit into different environments and am resilient to change, the competition was still a challenge and the topics we spoke about weren’t always directly relevant to my position. “And public speaking isn’t a strength of mine, I’d say. The first presentation and the final presentation were daunting, but I’m so glad I pushed myself to go and do it.” Starting her career in housing when she was just 16, Kath began as an apprentice and for the past seven years has changed job yearly, working in different temporary posts around the country, in both England and Scotland. She expands: “I am very driven. Since I started work I’ve volunteered on a charity basis; worked in the police for a few years; and did as much as I could to get as much learning as possible while I had no family connections.” When asked what drives her, she says passion comes from her upbringing: “I am driven by the desire to provide good customer service internally and externally. “I grew up in a family business, a guest house hotel, and we catered to homeless people at that time so housing has been a part of my life since I could walk. “My parents instilled into me at a young age that there’s a spectrum of people in life; some are dealt a good hand, and some are dealt a bad hand. There’s a different level of luxury in people’s lives and I’ve always wanted to see what I can do to help meet people’s needs.” Among her roles in housing, Kath has been part of the anti-social behaviour team “My parents instilled into me at a at Falkirk Council; relocated to London to be an anti-social behaviour officer at Poplar young age that there’s a spectrum HARCA; and moved to Scottish Borders of people in life; some are dealt a Housing Association where she was a housing officer. She kept this job title but good hand, and some are dealt a transferred to Stirling Council after that, bad hand. There’s a different level before moving back to London to join a private lettings firm. of luxury in people’s lives and I’ve She soon returned to social housing always wanted to see what I can do though, where she joined Mary Hill Housing Association, and then went on to take her to help meet people’s needs” place at Link Housing Association, where she still is now. She’s massively passionate about how beneficial the different experiences were, operating in different locations and with different pressures. “What’s great is that I could go to different places and compare how everyone else worked. I could take all the good bits and use them as learning for the next place. I’ve got lots of friends across Scotland and in England who I can contact for advice or help. “It’s really been an excellent way to learn as you’re pushed into new environments and every housing association is different; the way they operate; their pressures; and it’s a dead exciting way to keep bettering myself. I’d recommend it to anyone.” Looking back towards the competition, Kath says she learned about achieving things outside of her comfort zone and that “it’s worth pursuing things that may not necessarily be directly relevant to my day-to-day tasks”. She describes how it felt to be part of the competition: “I thought it was all really exciting. It HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

was new and there was an opportunity for learning; to meet new people that are of similar age and ambition. “The whole thing was exciting, whether it was finding out if you got through, what the next stage was, what the next topic was. I was thrilled throughout the whole thing, but it was daunting. You’re putting yourself open to the world for judgement. Would people vote for you in the blogs and agree with what we had written? “One of the questions was around have housing associations bitten off more than they can chew? Some people said they had; I said they hadn’t. So, you’re open to criticism and praise, and you don’t know how that feedback will come back.” And what about winning? How did that make Kath feel? “It made my 2020; it might have even made my decade! “In the final, I thought everyone gave really good presentations, so the bar was fairly even. I didn’t think it was easy to call. I knew that after my presentation I was happy with how it went, and the topic I presented on was strong. “My manager, my Head of Housing, and Chief Executive all gave me very positive feedback. So, I knew that after my presentation even if I didn’t win, I was really happy with what I had done – and to win on top of that, I was elated. “I was super pleased to win. Words couldn’t describe it. Whatever happened, I couldn’t have done better, and I felt I gave my best, which is all I can ask for. I was chuffed the judges also felt I performed well. “My organisation reacted very well, had emails from the Chief Executives, directors and we are now going to try and

“What’s great is that I could go to different places and compare how everyone else worked. I could take all the good bits and use them as learning for the next place. I’ve got lots of friends across Scotland and in England, who I can contact for advice or help”

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“I had a greater confidence in myself as my manager supported me, but then I gained confidence throughout the competition too as I progressed. I have come out of the competition a more confident, more ambitious housing officer than when I went in. I think that’s a really good quality of the competition” implement some of the ideas I presented on. I am going to start working on some projects that bring those ideas to life, which is really exciting.” And it’s clear that throughout the competition and after it, Link Housing Association have been supportive and invested in Kath, a bright young housing professional. What would she say to organisations thinking about putting someone forward for the competition? “Definitely put people forward. There’s a confidence that you can get in your staff from supporting them to go into the competition. “I had a greater confidence in myself as my manager supported me, but then I gained confidence throughout the competition too as I progressed. I’ve come out of the competition a more confident, more ambitious housing officer than when I went in. I think that’s a really good quality of the competition.” And finally, Kath ponders about her best piece of advice from all her travels in housing and the different roles she’s had. She takes some time to think before saying: “Take people’s experience now while they’re here. Learn from people who have gone before you. There aren’t many complications in housing that haven’t happened before or been seen by those who have worked in the organisation for longer. “As I travelled through these organisations, I took people’s experience and put it in the back of my mind so when I cross that bridge, there are always solutions to problems.”

If you’d like to nominate someone for Housing’s Next Generation competition, click here.

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TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE IN OUR SOCIAL HOMES There are, roughly, five million social homes in the UK, about one sixth of all properties. With housing responsible for about 14% of the country’s carbon emissions, this leaves the sector with no small responsibility in dealing with the growing climate crisis. Max Salsbury looks at what can be done, and what is currently being done, for the sector to get its house in order.

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s I prepared to write this feature, several things happened almost simultaneously: new US President Joe Biden recommitted to the Paris Climate agreement, following his climate changedenying predecessor’s decision to pull out of it; the government finally released details about the Future Homes Standard; the same government decided to grant permission for a new coal mine in Cumbria (with huge opposition); and catastrophic flooding struck across the north of England. What’s social housing’s role in this modern nightmare? Does it have a big part to play? Certainly. Housing hasn’t been slow to react and face the challenge. Councils have declared climate emergencies; housing associations have been building zero carbon homes and taking retrofitting action for some time. But the challenge is vast. It’s going to take time. It’s going to take commitment. And it’s going to cost money. Lots of money. On top of that, social landlords – and everybody else for that matter – need clear, committed, effective and, most importantly, financially-backed action from government. I spoke to several sector professionals about their organisations’ response to the crisis – and though things are certainly complicated, there’s plenty to be optimistic about. Stonewater’s Environmental Sustainability Manager, Adam Masters, explained how the social landlord already has a target to get all its homes up to EPC Band C by 2030, “roughly in line with what the government suggested within the fuel poverty strategy back in 2017”. However, Adam says they “appreciate that’s only a first step to get to net zero, so now we’re looking at our existing homes and what we think we need to do to get them to band B and then to net zero by 2050. We’re modelling to see how best to approach this.” And the work to tackle carbon is well underway. “We’re already installing a lot of air and ground source heat pumps and have in excess of 500 properties with them, and we’ve been rolling out shared ground loop heating systems. We’ve a large 60-property project as part of the Energy HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

Superhub Oxford where we’re combining heat pumps with smart thermostats that optimise customers’ heating in the most cost-effective way for them.” But Stonewater’s decarbonisation plans go beyond their own stock. Adam explains: “We own and manage around 33,000 homes. This includes homeownership and shared ownership properties whereby the homeowner is responsible for the energy efficiency of their home. As sector I think we need to look at those homes in our communities as we’re retrofitting our rented homes: how can we provide some kind of service to homeowners that live in that locality so we can support retrofit at scale across tenures? Social housing providers are well placed to do that. It’s a potential way to cost effectively decarbonise whole communities.” But what about the government’s belated and finally released update to the Future Homes Standard? Adam is upbeat: “We welcome the government publishing its response to the Future Homes Standard Consultation. This has provided us with more certainty so that we can start to develop our approach to meet the new standard.” Meanwhile at Cynon Taf in South Wales, they’re currently focusing on three main

strands as they move to tackle carbon. The provider is part of a consortium of South Wales housing associations which is looking at using a Welsh Government toolkit to survey homes and map out pathways to decarbonisation through retrofit. But CEO Victoria Slade says organisations must be mindful of “unintended consequences around fuel poverty and increasing bills”. She said: “A lot of us work in areas of low income so we’ve got to be super careful about bills, and there’s different strands of work going on around that, it’s not just technical stuff. “We’re testing the technical stuff. There’s some grant funding for it from the Welsh Government to help us pilot, test and learn. The fact it’s a consortium means we can share all that learning – but there’s also a tenant engagement pack that they’ve developed for us, so it’s not just about the fabric, which is important, it’s also about being cognisant around fuel poverty and engaging people in that process about their homes so they’re part of it, they’ve got a voice, they understand it, and whatever we fit they can make the best use of.” Victoria continued: “We’ve all run projects in the past, whether it’s air source or ground source heat pumps, where we just stick it in,

“it’s not just about the fabric, which is important, it’s also about being cognisant around fuel poverty and engaging people in that process about their homes”

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tick the box, and actually we don’t spend the time with tenants to make sure they understand. Very few people go back and evaluate.” The next strand Cynon Taf’s looking at is around raising carbon literacy within the organisation itself. Victoria said: “We’re part of another South Wales consortium, and we’re taking learning from the Greater Manchester carbon literacy housing partnership. That’s about making sure we have a board member champion who can deliver board training sessions; and staff members who are trained and can deliver staff training sessions, so we can start to green the organisation is terms of our everyday business activities. “But also so that as individuals we’re much better informed and we can start to make changes in our lives and have a good dialogue about that.” Cynon Taf’s third strand is much bigger. “We focused a lot on governance and strategic sessions last year around future generations and wellbeing – and that was trying to, in terms of our governance structures, get people to understand that future generations and climate is the lens through which we need to be looking at everything now, every decision. “That’s partly linked to understanding the

impacts of climate change and how that will translate from global to local; what it may look like; what it may feel like; what the very everyday impacts will be on people and their homes. “We did a follow up session on development to make sure that we are making the right development decisions – no flood plains because we know that river flooding is going to increase massively in the UK, so the real practical stuff like that. “So we’ve agreed that that’s the prism we’ll look at everything through; we know it’s linked to other things around making sure investment is targeted in the right way and the right time, and new build is in the right place and that it’s sustainable, and that we have sustainable supply chains, opportunities for a sustainable local economy and employment skills, education offers; it all links up and also a focus on tackling inequality and poverty because we also know that climate change will hit the poorest hardest and actually that’s only going to get worse.” And that’s not all Cynon Taf is doing to address the issue of carbon. Victoria adds: “Another thing that’s really new for us, and that’s only just getting going, is some work we did with a land economist, who’s done a lot of work with the IPCC, and the Welsh and

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UK governments. “He’s really interested in agroforestry and has introduced us to the concept of carbon sequestration. So rather than just offsetting we’re exploring a model that will allow us to actively draw down carbon and look at that in the concept of carbon trading for all the homes we own and manage, plus our organisation. “The model is based around active carbon drawn down through agroforestry which in turn provides opportunities for links to local social enterprises, not that we would own them or set them up but we could enable that to happen. “And that would be linked to things like community food production and food supply because we need to cut air miles – but we also have increasing threats to food security, which sounds very doom-mongery but it’s going to happen. The more sustainability we can build in now the better and it’s a good way to test if that’s going to work. It can also link then to

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agro-forestry in terms of future building materials, and that can provide training, employment skills and opportunities, using local labour and skills to do that.” And Victoria has a sobering observation on the state of play. “[Climate journalist] David Wallace Wells says climate change is so big it creates inertia, in terms of governments anyway, and Covid has probably made worse the ability of governments to work together on it. But there’s also inertia at a local level because climate change is too big to think about. “It’s tempting for organisations to think ‘we’ll wait for government; where’s the grant? where’s this, where’s that?’, and Wallace’s argument is that you can’t wait and you shouldn’t wait because morally it’s not the right thing to do – because the climate feedback loops and all the carbon we’re kicking out into the atmosphere, which has increased, we know, so much since industrialisation, is now already generating change that we’re seeing locally. So, we can’t wait, we have to act.” At 5,800-home Raven Housing Trust they are well on the way to figuring out the likely financial implications of tackling carbon emission. CEO Jonathan Higgs believes the organisation has “a good understanding” around costs of making stock more energy efficient, with

plans in place to cut emissions by 85%. He adds: “So, we talk about net zero carbon but, basically, it’s getting our stock carbon emissions down to a point where we think then the decarbonisation of the grid will take care of the rest. So, we’re not trying to cut it by 100%, we’re trying to cut it by 85%, and our expectation is that the grid will take care of the rest. “That’s quite a common assumption and it’ll be interesting to see how that’s borne out in practice.” And it’s not cheap. “We know how much it’s going to cost to get all out stock to that position: £104m – about £18,000 a home – and that took an awful lot of work and analysis. We made some assumptions, particularly around the efficiencies that the sector might reap as a result of everyone trying to do this all at the same time. What it costs today is not what it’ll cost us in the future. “So we’re in the process of shoehorning £104m that wasn’t in our business plan into our business plan while putting in health and safety costs, which we’ve estimated at being £10m, plus about £4.5m for digital transformation, and then out aspirations for development.” But there’s more to it than it seems. Not every property fits into the plans. “The particular balance we have to strike within the balance is that, at the moment, we’re assuming we’re going to improve 5,800 homes, retrofit the lot. We’re not, because when you look at

the cost of retrofitting some, they’re not going to be worth keeping; so, within this balance of strategic priorities there’s another calculation about which of our homes are we going to keep and which we retrofit. “A lot of work at the moment is on answering that question. The supplementary question that comes with that is: what about our residents? What are they going to think about the options for retrofit, disposals and demolitions, and development? There’s a broader conversation to be had with residents.” And like Victoria Slade at Cynon Taf, Jonathan sees this most pressing of issues through a global lens: “There’s an international, national, regional and local, very local conversation about what climate change means to individuals and to households and to communities, and we haven’t really started that.” Costs; unintended consequences; mindful development; viewing decision making around climate change through a local and global prism: dealing with carbon isn’t as simple as might it seem. But the housing sector, at least, seems to be heading in the right direction; embracing the challenge; and, most importantly, taking responsibility.

HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

ADVERTORIAL

The Resident Voice MRI Software has recently launched their Resident Voice initiative project, that will capture residents’ satisfaction with their landlords’ services and the communities in which they live. The Resident Voice Index will build tools and deliver insights for improving services for residents, which is now more important than ever following the legislative changes expected to be laid out in the wake of the Charter for Social Housing Residents. The Index will invite residents to have their say on what matters most to them and to their lives within social housing. HQN and MRI Software are joining together to create spaces for collaborative innovation and are excited to engage with HQN’s members on this journey. Working together, we will ensure that the Resident Voice Index best supports housing providers and that the needs of residents remain firmly in focus. This exciting opportunity comes at a time when a digital approach is increasingly front and centre of thinking within the sector. For Doug Sarney, Solutions Principal at MRI Software, “This is an opportunity to capture the mood of social housing residents, engaging with them about what their homes and communities mean to them and how their service provider can influence those feelings. MRI are in a position to capture these data and present information to the sector in a meaningful way, adding value to housing providers and supporting their work in building thriving communities.” Harnessing data to improve residents’ lives One of the most pressing challenges facing social housing providers is to leverage data to improve and add value to the services they deliver and thereby improve residents’ lives. Continuous self-reported metrics reveal the actions that are having an impact and where improvements can be made. This initiative will allow significant numbers, across the entire country to have their say in an anonymous setting. Harnessing the available data in the social housing sector will undoubtedly improve the lives of residents. Head of Business Development, Networks and Events at HQN, Jon Land believes that, “Data needs to be properly interpreted and analysed and put to a useful purpose. What we do know is that when you capture that data and work with it, the insights it can provide are genuinely transformative and MRI are leading the way on this.” It has been made clear in the Charter for Social Housing Residents that listening to the voice of the resident will become statutory practice in order to influence operations directly. To this end, the Resident Voice will deliver enhanced analysis and levels of insight beyond conventional customer satisfaction surveys. It will use every touchpoint to listen to residents and help transform the relationship that an individual has with their landlord. Looking to the future Dermot Briody, Executive Managing Director of EMEA at MRI Software, has given his view for how this initiative can build a better future for the sector: “We fundamentally believe in the power of technology to improve the lives and experiences of social housing tenants, and the launch of our Resident Voice Index is a perfect demonstration. Not only will we be capturing the mood of residents across the UK, but we can develop a deeper understanding of the factors and trends behind the results – and they in-turn can be used to elevate service provision.” “As an independent provider, we feel our platforms offer an ideal space for residents to express their views safely and freely. We are confident that their insights, qualified against the wealth of data captured in our own solutions, will create authoritative outputs.” As this project comes to life and moves towards a first set of results in the spring, MRI is continuing to engage with pioneering providers and industry leaders who want to be at the forefront of this exciting project – and invites those who are keen to get in touch. For more information on the Resident Voice initiative, please contact MRI Social Housing - socialhousing@ mrisoftware.com

HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

COMMENT

Health and safety must be everyone’s responsibility

Irusha Hewawasamge, Head of Health & Safety, RHP, talks about the importance of health and safety after RHP received a Five Star grading in their recent British Safety Council’s Occupational Health and Safety Audit.

of years this has involved promoting the importance of everyone remaining alert to any signs that our customers, employees or homes could be at risk. This could include signs of disrepair, potential hazards or safeguarding issues. We also run regular focus weeks to bring learning to life in a memorable and fun way with speakers, discussions, games and competitions. We carry out regular ‘Toolbox Talks’ which provide an opportunity to hear about any issues our colleagues might be having and answer their questions. External recognition provides an important benchmark These sessions are also a great opportunity for us to for us to let us know we’re on the right track. However, keep our ears to the ground and spot any emerging what’s more important is keeping our customers, their trends, allowing us to be even more agile when homes, and our employees safe. something does arise. A key part in achieving this has been making the For us, health and safety spans a range of shift between health and safety just being areas, including wellbeing, and we’ve down to a limited number of individuals, been working closely with our HR to creating a culture where every colleagues to introduce Mind individual believes they have a part Matters Champions – trained to play. mental health first aiders At RHP we very much have who are helping us to make a health and safety culture conversations around mental estimated cost of embedded within the health the norm and signpost injuries and ill organisation. We have a roleto support where needed. health from based training programme to help Fairly recently we moved current working develop leaders and employee’s towards a ‘Plan, Do, Check, Act’ conditions health and safety knowledge. (PDCA) model of managing health We carry out training throughout and safety. the year and deliver it to everyone from The PDCA model enables us to our executive group through to onsite (during continually improve our arrangements and non-Covid times) training to our caretakers and manage risks to our employees and others. We have scheme managers. an annual health and safety plan, which focuses on All new starters are expected to complete certain preventing work-related accidents and ill health. health and safety modules, instilling the importance With all that we do, we’re constantly working with for all of us. external bodies such as the British Safety Council, We’re proud this training empowers our people to HSE, London Fire Brigade and IOSH to make sure we make the right ‘in the moment decisions’ for them and keep up to date with the latest in regulations and our customers. developments. Instilling this mindset sets the expectation that it’s Whilst we’re proud of our achievements and how truly everyone’s responsibility to spot potential health empowered our people feel, we know the world of and safety issues and/or hazards. health and safety is constantly shifting and changes To support this, we also look to run regular so we’ll continue to evolve and check in with our campaigns to build awareness. Over the last couple colleagues to see how they best want to engage.

£16.2bn

HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

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COMMENT

Housing associations need to make customer service a boardroom priority Jo Causon, Chief Executive at the Institute of Customer Service, sets out why customer service is so important in social housing.

In 2019, we held an All-party Parliamentary Group meeting bringing together policymakers, the regulator and housing associations to understand what was required to drive forward a deeply ingrained culture of service, how this should be measured and how to shape the future orientation and purpose for such an important sector. Little did we know what the future would hold. Since the onset of Covid-19, the concept of ‘house and home’ has arguably never been more important – and it’s crucial social housing continues to find better ways to serve and satisfy customer needs. There’s no doubt the sector has faced significant challenges over the past few years. The tragedy of the Grenfell Tower disaster, combined with the ongoing impact of Covid-19, has placed intense pressure on every aspect of organisational operations. But I’m encouraged that in the midst of such tragedy and disruption, we’ve seen a greater focus placed on customer experience and relationships. Within our own membership we’ve seen a significant shift in mentality (although there’s still more to do) and a real desire to understand the underlying data behind the factors that influence customer satisfaction. Many of our housing sector members have put in place formal strategies for customer service, looking at benchmarking to help customer satisfaction levels become a key measurement criteria for business success. Government policy, too, has helped to drive a move in the right direction. The recently released Social Housing White Paper places an increased focus on resident needs – setting out, amongst other things, better communication between landlords and residents and tighter processes for complaints management, resident engagement and performance communications to ensure residents’ voices are heard.

HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

These moves are an indicator that the sector is moving away from the outdated idea that customer satisfaction is a matter only for customer service teams, and I’m pleased to see service increasingly being seen as a strategic imperative for the industry. Across all areas of our economy, strong levels of customer satisfaction are intrinsically linked to business performance – and as such, should be viewed as an imperative business priority, for which executive boards are called on to be committed and accountable. It’s clear there’s still much work to do. The results of our latest UK Customer Satisfaction Index, published in January, revealed the sector still lags behind in several areas, including speed of service/responses, keeping promises and organisational reputation.

“We must continue to push beyond the basics and the bare-minimum tickbox approach of years gone by”

This indicates that a trust problem still exists within the industry, which can have a knock-on effect (for example, greater reluctance to provide personal data) that can further strain the customer relationship. Yet we’ve also seen some real examples of great leadership, service excellence and employee engagement – as well as remarkable agility and innovation. Our challenge is to help replicate this across the whole sector. I believe excellent service will be central to navigating the ongoing challenges facing our country, and successfully rebounding from the economic challenges of the crisis. Whilst great strides have been made, now isn’t the time to take our foot off the pedal. We must continue to push beyond the basics and the bare-minimum tickbox approach of years gone by, and make customer service a core pillar of business activity. In doing so, we can increase satisfaction, boost productivity and drive better financial performance. We’re committed to working closely with government, the regulator and housing to help all providers improve their service.

Ombudsman Corner

By Richard Blakeway, the Housing Ombudsman This month we start regularly publishing our investigation reports, identifying the landlord in each case. With more than 2,000 formal investigations each year, this is a major step in transparency for the Housing Ombudsman. It’s also an opportunity to promote learning and demonstrate the difference complaints can make – both to the individual and service improvement to the benefit of all residents. Other ways we are promoting learning from our casework include special reports where we find severe maladministration, Insight reports and our series of Spotlight reports. Our latest Spotlight report focuses on heating, hot water and energy, drawing lessons from 211 investigations over 18 months. This report is timely – decarbonisation and plans to review the Decent Homes Standard could drive significant change amongst social landlords. Whilst our maladministration rate is similar to other casework, the distress and inconvenience caused to residents comes across strongly. Overall, we make 40 recommendations for improved practice, covering general repairs, district heating, gas safety, complaint handling and energy efficiency. The report identifies areas for collaboration between social landlords and residents. It also includes cases where we think landlords have responded well, as well as poor practice. Our investigations repeatedly found a failure to put things ‘right first time’, caused by missed appointments, sometimes exacerbated by poor recordkeeping, and operatives attending jobs without the right tools, parts or skills. Consider the experience of Mr F, an 89-year-old tenant, who lived with no hot

water for five weeks. Appointments were missed and the wrong parts were ordered. Until the Ombudsman’s intervention the landlord hadn’t considered replacing the boiler and our orders included work with staff on resident vulnerabilities. In this case the failures involved contractors working on behalf of the landlord – but where contractors are involved the responsibility and accountability rests with the landlord. Indeed, we are concerned at the number of cases where landlords are in a weak position to resolve issues with contractors. Contracts should be robust and monitored, and resident feedback used to evaluate performance and inform future procurement. Our investigation, following a complaint from Ms E, where 39 residents experienced a faulty biomass boiler over two winters, illustrates our concerns. Here we found the landlord’s contract with the provider included no penalties. The report also examines heat networks – or district heating – where our maladministration rate was 60%. The Energy White Paper encourages their expansion and, whilst offering benefits, they can present challenges, affecting hundreds of residents when something goes wrong. Now is the time to learn the lessons that other landlords and residents have experienced. This includes providing proper information at the outset of the tenancy or lease to avoid problems later; clear billing; and (again) robust contracts where the landlord isn’t the supplier. Indeed, as decarbonisation becomes a core part of social landlords’ planning, at the centre of decision-making should be the resident: ensuring they have reliable, cost effective and easy-to-use energy.

HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

A day in the life of... Gemma Jones Tenancy Sustainment Officer The Calico Group

Employee since: June 2009 Location: Burnley, Lancashire Previous employment: Neighbourhood Officer, Calico Homes

07:00 I wake up and enjoy my first coffee of the day. It takes me a little bit of time to wake up in the morning, so this helps! I let my dogs – Pearl, Ruby and Pixie – out into the garden and get their breakfast ready; and I will make mine later. 08:00 Before the pandemic, this would usually be my travelling time into work. Working from home, I now use this time to log onto my computer and check my emails and calendar for the day ahead. 09:00 I start my day by looking at the pre-tenancy checks sent in by the neighbourhood officer. Pre-tenancy checks involve making sure a customer applying for one of our properties has an income, and that the property they are applying for is going to be affordable. I also make sure they have furniture so they can make their house feel like home. 10:30

When I called one of the customers, she tells me she has fled a situation involving domestic abuse. She is with her child, has no furniture and is now staying with a family member. I make sure she is safe to talk and I reassure her that I can safely support her with her move. I provide her with information about SafeNet, our domestic abuse support service. We then have an open and honest chat about furniture and what support she needs. I complete a benefits calculation with her, which shows me she will be entitled to some help towards her housing costs. I also calculate what her monthly rent top up will be to make sure that it’s affordable.

11:30

I complete a form to apply for furniture for the customer I’m trying to support. As a responsible landlord, we don’t just provide the keys to the door; we want to make sure customers have everything they need to sustain their tenancy longer term too.

13:00

On my lunch, rain or shine, I like to get out in the fresh air and get away from my computer screen. I take my dogs out onto the park across the road so they can play and stretch their legs.

14:00

I pick up a referral for a customer who’s behind with his rent. He’s been furloughed and his wife has just given birth to their first child. Over the phone, I help them My apply for Universal Credit and we put an affordable payment plan in perfect working day: place for the rent arrears. He didn’t think he could apply for any help and tells me this is a big weight off his mind. This would be a day where I had a magic wand and I knew all of the I work thorough a list of new customers who have just moved answers! In my role, the level of support I into our properties and I give them a call. This is a proactive provide can be varied and complex as each way to make sure they’ve now physically moved in, rent is in customer and/or family has different needs. payment and they’re settling in well to their new home. The best feeling is helping customers work through their issues and feel like there’s a I try to wind down at this time. With my role now being light at the end of the tunnel; this could temporarily home-based due to Covid, it can be easy to give be anything from supporting with into the temptation to keep working longer than I should! My debts, applying for furniture partner and I like to cook different healthy meals each week, so or helping someone to I look at tonight’s recipe and we start prepping, ready for a quiet downsize. night in.

16:00

17:00

HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

Resident’s view How housing helped me through a difficult lockdown By Maureen Wilson

Maureen is 82 and lives in an extra care development, Dewley House, in Newcastle, owned by Leazes Homes and managed by Your Homes Newcastle. My experience of the pandemic has been hard. I feel like there’s light at the end of the tunnel now the vaccine is being rolled out, but it’s been a difficult journey for me – and, I’m sure, for many others – to get to this point. I moved into Dewley House in April 2020, right in the middle of the first lockdown. I couldn’t meet any of the other residents, so it was very isolating. Before moving, I’d spent a lot of time in hospital and then residential care, so it was already a bad time for me. I suffered with depression before the lockdown and this only made things worse – knowing I couldn’t socialise was very daunting, it made me go back into a dark place and my panic attacks started again. I used to have quite a lot of visitors. I have a lot of cousins and we were all brought up very close together. I’ve missed seeing them all so much; we talk on the phone, but it isn’t the same. I much prefer talking to someone face to face. It was much better when things relaxed a little in the summer; I sat in the garden and so did a few others. I got to meet people and socialise, still at a safe distance. I was still careful and only had one visitor from my family, but it was so nice to meet people for the first time and chat with them. Everything seemed to be getting better. I was just getting used to meeting and seeing people and it was all stopped. It was awful. I felt myself getting depressed again and was worried about going back into a dark place. I was staying in bed a lot more as I felt there was nothing to get up for. I was so down.

I did sit outside with people at a safe distance, but it wasn’t the same with the colder weather and fewer people would go out. So, throughout the latter part of last year and the early part of this one I’ve tried to keep myself busy doing other things – I enjoy jigsaws and rhinestone paintings – and I’ve also spoken to my supported living officer, Alison, about how I’m feeling.

“knowing I couldn’t socialise was very daunting, it made me go back into a dark place and my panic attacks started again” She has taught me some relaxation techniques to use when I feel a panic attack coming on and has walked with me in the garden a couple of times. She introduced me to another resident and we sometimes speak on the phone, but I’d much rather to be able to talk to her in person. Despite not being able to socialise with my new neighbours as I’d like to, I’m still relieved to be living here, particularly during such a strange time. I’m capable of doing a lot for myself but accept the fact I need help with certain things. While I’m still getting used to that, I’m very grateful for the care staff; they have been amazing and offered me so much support when I needed it most. Although it’s been a very low time for me, I’ve formed a new friendship with Dorothy and speak to her over the phone, so I’m looking forward to being able to socialise with other residents when this is all over. I think the vaccine is great. I’ve already had mine and hope everyone gets theirs. I just hope this is the answer for us to get some normality back. HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

The last word Why is it important for housing organisations to tackle loneliness? By Sarah Wallis, Support Manager, Poole Housing Partnership

“Nurturing and developing social capital within social housing has never been so imperative in a society with increasing rates of child poverty, worklessness and social isolation.”

HOUSING QUALITY MAGAZINE MARCH 2021

During lockdown many of us have experienced feelings of loneliness and isolation, giving us an insight into the experience of millions of people whose lives are adversely affected each year. Housing organisations have privileged access to a wide range of people; we’re not defined by age range or specific issues as other service providers are; we house everyone. It’s because of this that we understand, not only the loneliness felt by an isolated older person, but also by a young care leaver, a single parent, a couple whose children have flown the nest, a tenant in recovery from drug and alcohol issues. We also understand how this can develop into isolation which harms a person’s wellbeing, leading to physical and mental poor health, and how this, in turn, increases the demand on health and social services and places extra pressure on our housing function. Housing organisations are at the heart of communities and in a unique position to reach out and connect people. We’ve become intrinsic to the communities we serve, delivering quality, affordable homes and driving the development of strong communities, where each person is empowered to develop to their potential, building capacity and resilience in their communities. Nurturing and developing social capital within social housing has never been so imperative in a society with increasing rates of child poverty, worklessness and social isolation. These issues are reflected in our neighbourhoods by a decrease in the wellbeing of

tenants, and in our working lives by increasing anti-social behaviour and rent arrears. We need to shift our focus from firefighting to prevention, embedding positive strategies for tackling loneliness and isolation in our business plans. The impact of connecting communities and keeping them in touch with each other can be profound, often opening up a wealth of new opportunities and connections. Poole Housing Partnership has been working with the local University to support older tenants to become ‘digitally savvy’ and we’re looking at how Wi-Fi can be expanded into communal areas and tower blocks to start levelling the digital gap. Residents have set up a befriending service within our sheltered housing schemes, enabling them to reach out to each other, form new friendships, take up new hobbies online and build a caring community. Happier, healthier tenants make for happier, healthier communities, lowering levels of ASB and less call on a range of agencies, including housing. Assisting in delivery of this also ensures staff come to work and see the difference they are making, therefore building happier, healthier organisations. By making a strategic decision to tackle loneliness, we’re also committing to a set of values which will build capacity both within an organisation and throughout its neighbourhoods. The question then becomes not can you afford to do this, but can you afford not to?

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Housing Quality Magazine March 2021

Articles inside

The last word

Resident’s view

A day in the life

Ombudsman Corner

Social housing going green

Comment: RHP

Life in 15 questions

In the frame

Comment: ICS

Welcome

Interview: Kath Menzies

News analysis