The Better Social Housing panel, convened by the housing association sector and the Chartered Institute of Housing in summer 2022, has reported on its findings from a six-month consultation with residents and social housing providers.

The twin focus of the final report is not only social housing quality but also the culture and responsiveness of landlords to tenant’s concerns and complaints. The NFA’s Policy Director Chloe Fletcher was among those interviewed by the panel. 

“While our members are not part of the housing association sector, we very much support this timely focus on exactly what social landlords should be doing for their tenants – and, most importantly, how they should be doing it,” said Chloe.

“Going into the new year, we will be encouraging our members to use these recommendations as a benchmark against which they should review their own performance.

“Even in the area of tenant voice, which has been built into the ALMO model of social housing management since its inception two decades ago, it’s tremendously useful to see this new report’s explicit insistence on a respect for residents’ views and concerns that should be embedded in every aspect of the service their landlords offer.”

A key recommendation from the panel is that housing associations take the ‘more than housing’ approach to establishing a local community presence and fostering multi-agency working. ALMOs are, by definition, embedded in their communities since they are wholly owned by their local authorities, said Chloe Fletcher.

“However, in an era of cuts to public spending, we’re very glad to see social landlords being encouraged by this important new report to place more emphasis on community-based partnership working – hopefully this will inform the national policy agenda and support NFA members’ efforts to keep this approach alive,” she said.

The report also recommends that the sector –
• sets a new standard that defines what an outstanding maintenance and repairs process looks like;
• that social landlords across England carry out a thorough audit of all social housing;
• and that the sector professionalises the role of housing officer, creating a recognised programme of training and continuing development for those working in the sector.

Panel Chair Helen Baker, Chair of Shelter, will be a keynote speaker at the NFA Annual Conference next April. 

CIH members can join an online session on 14 December in which Helen will discuss the report findings with NHF Chief Executive Kate Henderson and CIH CEO Gavin Smart. Online registration is free to members [LINK] and the session starts at 15.30.