Inside Housing Management

Social housing failures fuel sexual exploitation Current safeguarding mechanisms don’t recognise that survival is not consent, writes Flo Beaney-Frade, a consultant in exploitation and modern slavery

Social housing failures fuel sexual exploitation

Rushanara Ali resigns from housing-related role for second time The minister for homelessness has resigned following reports that she evicted tenants so she could increase the rent on her near-£1m town house

Rushanara Ali resigns from housing-related role for second time

Fourth social landlord joins Future Homes Hub A Midlands housing association has joined the Future Homes Hub, which brings together organisations to develop sustainable homes

Fourth social landlord joins Future Homes Hub

Former prisons boss appointed chief executive of Homes England The former boss of the UK’s prison service has been appointed chief executive of Homes England

Former prisons boss appointed chief executive of Homes England

Government-backed advice service and BSR launch online programme for volunteer building managers The Leasehold Advisory Service and Building Safety Regulator launched free training to help building safety managers of high-rise blocks in England meet legal duties

Government-backed advice service and BSR launch online programme for volunteer building managers

Inside Housing Management Podcast: Rent arrears The Inside Housing Management Podcast is your on-the-go show covering the biggest stories and issues affecting workers at the forefront of social housing. In this episode, we discuss rent arrears – how are different organisations and their staff taking different approaches to tackling it?

Inside Housing Management Podcast: Rent arrears

Improving temporary accommodation? Start with fixing the five basics The homelessness emergency needs systemic solutions, but local action can improve conditions for people right now, says Albinia Stanley of the Better TA Alliance

Improving temporary accommodation? Start with fixing the five basics

Mansfield warns of ‘no win, no fee’ cold callers pretending to be council officers Mansfield District Council has claimed that “no win, no fee” solicitors’ representatives are gaining access to tenants’ homes by pretending to be council officers

Mansfield warns of ‘no win, no fee’ cold callers pretending to be council officers

Scottish government reveals details of multimillion-pound fund for homelessness prevention projects The Scottish government has revealed the details of a £4m fund for homelessness prevention projects

Scottish government reveals details of multimillion-pound fund for homelessness prevention projects

Manchester landlords partner with service providers to fund training and employment initiatives for young people Greater Manchester landlords have partnered with service providers across the North West to fund and deliver training and employment opportunities for young people

Manchester landlords partner with service providers to fund training and employment initiatives for young people

Solicitor told to pay tenant’s legal bill after ‘no win, no fee’ disrepair claim fails A housing solicitor has been ordered to pay a tenant’s legal costs after a housing disrepair case failed

Solicitor told to pay tenant’s legal bill after ‘no win, no fee’ disrepair claim fails

Social rents have fallen in real terms over past 10 years, report finds Social rents have not kept up with inflation and instead fallen in real terms over the past 10 years, according to new analysis

Social rents have fallen in real terms over past 10 years, report finds

The ALMO ‘supercharging’ its workforce with staff from social homes Stockport Homes describes how it has “supercharged” its efforts to hire staff from social housing backgrounds since joining the Greater Manchester Housing Providers’ 20% Movement

The ALMO ‘supercharging’ its workforce with staff from social homes

Lack of mental health support is crushing the homelessness sector The challenge of accessing mental health services for people experiencing homelessness strains overstretched organisations, writes Homeless Link’s Fiona Colley

Lack of mental health support is crushing the homelessness sector

MSP who has experienced homelessness joins Shelter Scotland committee Elena Whitham MSP has joined charity Shelter Scotland’s committee for an initial three-year term

MSP who has experienced homelessness joins Shelter Scotland committee

Scottish Housing Regulator flags rise in health and safety incidents Scottish social landlords reported almost 20% more health and safety incidents to the regulator this year compared with 2023-24

Scottish Housing Regulator flags rise in health and safety incidents

How we are tackling anti-social behaviour through community collaboration Mount Green Housing Association is using strong local connections to improve its anti-social behaviour practices

How we are tackling anti-social behaviour through community collaboration

Decent Homes Standard reform: what do the changes mean for social landlords? Imogen Farmer, solicitor apprentice, and Sarah Orchard, senior associate, both at law firm Bevan Brittan, explain what the Decent Homes Standard reforms mean for social landlords

Decent Homes Standard reform: what do the changes mean for social landlords?

The government must not lose focus on how homes will be professionally managed, not just built Good housing management is critical to the success of the government’s affordable housing drive, writes Perry Lloyd, chief executive of Pinnacle Group

The government must not lose focus on how homes will be professionally managed, not just built

Housing Management Matters campaign hits 50 backers Inside Housing Management’s Housing Management Matters campaign has hit an early milestone with 50 major backers

Housing Management Matters campaign hits 50 backers

Eyes on October judgment as lawyers argue over whether tenants would have withheld rent in Renting Homes (Wales) Act case Welsh social landlords have been told to expect the judgment on the landmark case in October, after hearings concluded yesterday

Eyes on October judgment as lawyers argue over whether tenants would have withheld rent in Renting Homes (Wales) Act case

Number of people living on streets of London soars by 26% The number of people living on London’s streets has risen by 26%, as homelessness charities call for a “joined-up” strategy to end rough sleeping

Number of people living on streets of London soars by 26%

Fees for new landlord database could ease burden on council enforcement staff Council enforcement staff members’ patch sizes could be reduced by a third if landlord registration fees for a new private rented sector database are brought in

Fees for new landlord database could ease burden on council enforcement staff

North West council set to bring management of its homes back in-house Cheshire West and Chester Council will take back control of its housing stock following demands from 75% of council tenants and leaseholders

North West council set to bring management of its homes back in-house

Housing management: a professional discipline and social mission Susan Faridi, chief executive of Eldon Housing and chair of Hornsey Housing Trust, explains why housing management is far more than a list of operational tasks

Housing management: a professional discipline and social mission

We have to stay in touch with what our frontline staff are facing A conversation with six of our resident-facing staff members highlights the biggest challenges they face, writes Sheron Carter, chief executive of Hexagon

We have to stay in touch with what our frontline staff are facing

Former Ipswich council tenant sentenced over false social housing application A former tenant of Ipswich Borough Council has been sentenced for fraud offences after giving false information to get temporary accommodation and social housing

Former Ipswich council tenant sentenced over false social housing application

Five councils rated non-compliant by RSH after failings on consumer standards Five local authorities have been rated non-compliant by the Regulator of Social Housing after “serious failings” on issues from repairs to data

Five councils rated non-compliant by RSH after failings on consumer standards

Government reveals approach for ‘careful’ dismantling of Grenfell Tower The government has published details on how it intends to dismantle Grenfell Tower in west London, eight years after the fire that claimed 72 lives

Government reveals approach for ‘careful’ dismantling of Grenfell Tower

Regulator appoints board members to non-compliant exempt accommodation provider The Regulator of Social Housing has appointed three board members to non-compliant landlord Ash-Shahada Housing Association

Regulator appoints board members to non-compliant exempt accommodation provider