Housing needs of the North represented at Number 10

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Housing remains high on the government agenda this week as they hosted a roundtable at Number 10 for government officials and key representatives from the housing sector.

The meeting was attended by a small group of developers and builders, modular construction specialists, the Chartered Institute of Housing, National Housing Federation, Local Government Association,  members of the G15, and the Northern Housing Consortium (NHC), alongside Melanie Dawes, Permanent Secretary DCLG; Sajid Javid, Secretary of State; Gavin Barwell, Chief of Staff and Alok Sharma, Housing and Planning Minister.

The discussions covered topics such as planning, skills shortages, and modern methods of construction (MMC), all of which were focused on the question: what do we need to do more to increase housing supply?

Tracy Harrison, Deputy Chief Executive, Northern Housing Consortium said:

“The NHC was delighted to have the opportunity to specifically represent the views of the North at a meeting which otherwise could have been dominated by London and the South East.

We were able to highlight the key opportunities in the North and emphasise the commitment to development from our Northern members, our history of innovation and collaboration in the North between local authorities and registered providers, and our excellent supply of developable land.

We also shared the challenges we face: low land values and the high cost of bringing that land to market. We highlighted the need for support with land remediation and land assembly costs through upfront investment and patient capital.”

She continued,

“We believe local authorities can play a key role in development but we have to address the loss of capacity and skills. There are real opportunities to rebalance the economy and build the kind of housing markets that will support a Northern Powerhouse.”

Other key topics discussed around the table included; the argument for government to make a commitment and set targets around MMC, pressure for councils to be able to borrow against their assets, flexibility required around programmes and policy to enable localised solutions and the need for pathways to ownership through different tenures.

The NHC was delighted to see Gavin Barwell at the meeting who understands these issues and the challenges highlighted in the NHC Commission for Housing in the North report. The NHC will continue these discussions when it meets with Alok Sharma at the landlord and tenant engagement session it is hosting in York next week.

 

Key contacts

Claire Henderson, Communications Manager, Northern Housing Consortium, Claire.henderson@northern-consortium.org.uk  01915661032

David Hetherington, Marketing Officer, Northern Housing Consortium, david.hetherington@northern-consortium.org.uk 0191 5661038

 

About the Northern Housing Consortium

The Northern Housing Consortium represents the views of housing organisations in the North of England. We are a membership organisation made up of local authorities, ALMOs and associations that provide social housing for tenants.

Not only does the NHC bring its members together to share ideas, we represent their interests and ensure they are heard at a regional and national government level.

Download the Commission for Housing report

Ministerial Visits with Alok Sharma MP

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Alok Sharma MP, Minister of State for Housing and Planning, is meeting with tenants across the country. The NHC is hosting one of these sessions on Thursday, 26th October in York. A second session, hosted by Community Gateway Association, is taking place on Thursday, 9th November in Preston and the details for both are below.

NHC Session
26th October
Priory Street Centre, 15 Priory Street, York, YO1 6ET
The visit will take place in two sections (these timings are subject to change):
–

1:30pm – 2:30pm
Q&A with the Minister, NHC members (Registered Providers and Local Authorities)

3:00pm – 5:00pm
Q&A and roundtable discussions with tenants from across the three Northern regions


Community Gateway Association Session
9th November
–
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Q&A with the Minister, Registered Providers and Local Authorities Community Gateway Association,
Harbour House, Port Way, Preston, PR2 2DW

4:30pm – 8:00pm
Q&A and roundtable discussions with tenants
Preston North End FC, Sir Tom Finney Way, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 6RU
(To book on this session please contact Community Gateway Association’s Claire Smith.)

The main aim for the day is to enable the Minister to speak directly with social tenants, to hear their views and build a picture of the common concerns that can help inform a national approach going forward. The Minister and his team are keen to hear from as wide a selection of tenants as possible to include, but not limited to:

  • a range of geographies (rural, coastal, urban).
  • a mix of tenure (social tenants, leaseholders).
  • a good diversity of tenants (age, race, gender).

The landlord session in the afternoon can only be attended by landlords who are sending tenants from their organisations to the tenant event in the evening. The Minister has expressed a desire to engage with any staff members who work closely with tenants.

If you would like more information on how to attend this session, please email events@northern-consortium.org.uk by 20th October. You can put forward a maximum of six tenant attendees. We will accommodate as many people as possible, but to ensure a broad cross section the North we may later ask you to reduce the numbers.

Guestblog: Ward Hadaway – Disrepair

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Ward Hadaway logo

In its guest blogs, NHC Supporter Ward Hadaway offers the legal perspective and some guidance on some of the social housing sector’s most pressing issues. In this edition: disrepair.

Asset management is a fundamental issue for Registered Providers – the quality and quantity of their housing stock have a direct impact upon their finances and reputation. Many providers have reliable and robust procedures in place to ensure that their properties are maintained (and improved where appropriate) on both a reactive and proactive basis.

However, ever-decreasing budgets and increasing financial constraints, coupled with large portfolios, means that sometimes maintenance matters do ‘slip through the net’ and are not dealt with as quickly or efficiently as they might otherwise be.

Disrepair claims in these circumstances are nothing new. However, up until around 2011 these were largely dealt with under Legal Aid or in the context of counterclaims (for example, where a tenant had been taken to Court because of significant rent arrears). Now that the scope for Legal Aid has been whittled down, disrepair claims are commonly funded by Conditional Fee (“No Win No Fee”) Agreements. The significance of this is disrepair claims can be harder to resolve by way of practical solutions where the tenant’s solicitor has a vested interest in the claim – particularly the payment of their costs by the landlord.

Even in fairly severe cases (which are relatively few and far between) it is uncommon for compensation in disrepair cases to exceed £10,000. However, legal costs (on both sides) can quickly exceed this amount – often, the parties’ legal costs significantly outweigh any compensation the tenant might claim. In 2016, a disrepair claim settled at trial for just £2,000 – however the landlord was ordered to pay £25,000 on account of the tenant’s legal costs, pending an assessment of those costs by the Court (and the tenant’s solicitors made a further (albeit unsuccessful) application for a further payment on account of their costs of £80,000).

As always, prevention in these circumstances is better than the cure. Time and money that is invested in ensuring you have reliable systems in place to log and raise repairs and keeping detailed notes as to the progress made and completion of those works will be well spent if it means that disrepair claims can be fended off quickly and at an early stage. One of the key factors for a successful system is to make sure frontline staff receive adequate training around disrepair. They should be taught the importance of logging and raising repairs (and providing adequate detail), the process that must be followed upon receipt of a disrepair claim, the time limits that apply and the potentially costly consequences that might follow if this is not done.

For those matters that might slip through the net, the same systems can be used to identify problem cases at an early stage and allow landlords to take a commercial view as to the merits of early settlement, balancing the potential costs of litigation and compensation against any reputational risks.

These issues can appear confusing or daunting. However, the process can be simplified through an understanding of how disrepair claims arise in the first place and the structure of a claim. Ward Hadaway and the NHC will hold its first Disrepair conference on 21st November 2017 at The Studio, Leeds where we will present a number of workshops discussing both the practical and legal aspects of disrepair claims in order to give you the tools and confidence to prevent, and deal with those claims.

For further information, please contact Howard Walker, PR Manager at Ward Hadaway, on 0191 204 4446 or howard.walker@wardhadaway.com.

Guestblog: Abode – Back to Basics?

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Building on the leadership and management training opportunities running over the next few months, the NHC has partnered with Abode – the home of education and training for the housing and community sectors, to offer three new courses designed specifically for those on the frontline of housing management. Here, Abode training consultants Gill Bramfitt and Claire Harvey talk us through why, when it comes to the housing sector, now is the time to get back to basics.

In recent months the housing sector has seen a renewed focus on what could be considered the bread and butter of housing management. Those core features that make up the landlord-tenant relationship that may have been taken for granted in the past have now returned to the forefront. While all housing associations have responded to organisational challenges in ways which meet their own individual circumstances, all agree it is more important than ever that rents are collected effectively, arrears kept to a minimum, voids turned around quickly, and repairs carried out efficiently.

On top of this, a new Parliament means housing management officers are again faced with getting to grips with new and evolving legislation. This means not only having to make sense of policies before implementing them, but having to explain them to tenants and customers. Welfare Reform for example, has many implications for allocations, arrears and support staff, while the range of new tenancy types and the obligations placed on landlords can leave heads spinning.

It is vital that frontline staff have the knowledge and skills to tackle these potential obstacles. Organisations will know the importance of ensuring that legislation is interpreted correctly, policies comply with requirements and are less open to challenge, all without impacting on levels of customer satisfaction. Well-trained, knowledgeable employees will also have the confidence to implement these changes and deliver good quality services in an increasingly pressurised environment.

Working with the NHC, we have developed a range of courses to meet these needs. Delivered throughout November and December, these sessions will equip staff and supervisors with the knowledge and skills to meet current and future challenges.

Our first course, Introduction to Providing Housing Services, delivers exactly that. Looking at the different types of housing organisations in the UK, the diverse range of services they provide, and the financial and regulatory environment in which they exist, this course is ideal for anyone looking to gain a background knowledge of affordable housing provision in this country.

Similarly, Tenancy Management Essentials is a primer for those wanting to ensure their knowledge of tenancy management is up to date and accurate.  Looking closely at recent legislative changes and the tenancy types they affect, this course will underline the responsibilities of landlords and tenants as well as discussing issues such as terminating tenancies and dealing with abandoned properties.

Finally, we have prepared our Developing Housing Policies and Procedures course with all those involved in the policy process in mind. This interactive half-day session will cover all stages of policy development from formulating policies and procedures, implementing them, and monitoring their effectiveness. This session will also look at the wider landscape of developing policy, from using data sources to inform strategies to knowing how and when to involve stakeholders.

Available to book now:

Introduction to Providing Housing Services – 15th November 2017, Leeds

Developing Housing Policies and Procedures – 30th November 2017, Leeds

Tenancy Management Essentials – 6th December 2017, Manchester

 

For further information please contact Gill Bramfitt or Claire Harvey at info@abodetraining.org or call 07966 367086.

First APPG meeting of the new Parliament announced

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The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Housing in the North will meet on Wednesday, 18th October 2017 for the first time in the new Parliament.

The APPG remains a vital part of the NHC’s work to represent member’s views at the highest levels of Parliament and government. As Secretariat to the group, the NHC uses the APPG to raise issues of concern and initiate debate. Most recently, the group has been key in promoting and gaining support for the findings of our Commission for Housing in the North which, through close consultation with our members and industry leaders, put forward recommendations on what is needed to address the housing challenges faced in the Northern regions.

The APPG for Housing in the North was established as a forum for parliamentarians to look closely at the impact of housing policy in the North and to set an agenda that addresses the needs and ambitions of our communities. As members will know, the challenges faced in the North require a more nuanced response to the housing crisis which has until recently centred on building more homes. Increasing supply is one part, but our region requires a greater balance between building homes and revitalising the assets we already have.

With this in mind, the theme for this meeting is regeneration. How can we reconnect the areas that have fallen behind to the growing economic opportunities that exist in surrounding towns and cities? Moderated by the APPG’s Chair-Designate Ian Mearns MP, a range of guest speakers will discuss the transformative projects they have been involved in across the North East, North West, and Yorkshire and Humber. Together, the group will continue the work being done to underline just why regeneration is important to the North and understand how those best placed to deliver this change can be brought together to do so.

The next meeting of the APPG for Housing in the North will take place Wednesday 18th October 2017.  Meeting Notes will be published on the NHC website’s dedicated page or look out for our APPG Recap in a future edition of the eZine.

DCLG Secretary announces “wide-ranging” green paper on social housing

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The Government will publish a “wide-ranging” green paper on social housing, the communities secretary announced this week.

Speaking at the National Housing Federation (NHF) annual conference on Tuesday, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid said it is clear there needs to be a “fundamental rethink of social housing in this country”.

The green paper will be a “wide-ranging, top-to-bottom review” of the issues facing the social housing sector and will be the “most substantial report of its kind for a generation”, he said. It is intended to “kick off a nationwide conversation on social housing – what works and what doesn’t work, what has gone right and what has gone wrong”.

The green paper will not only look at the safety of social housing following the Grenfell Tower fire, it will also cover the quality of social homes, “many of which are now beginning to show their age”, Mr Javid said.

It will include a look at the management of social homes, the rights of tenants and how complaints are handled.

Mr Javid said the green paper would not be “rushed” because it would take time to get this “substantial piece of work” right.  He admitted that “successive governments” have not done enough to take social housing “seriously”.

The Government will seek the views of tenants alongside the views of housing associations and other stakeholders. The NHC is delighted to be facilitating a landlord and tenant engagement session on Thursday, 26th October in York with Alok Sharma MP, Minister of State for Housing and Planning. The Minister will speak directly with social tenants, to hear their views and to help build a picture of the common concerns that can help inform a national approach going forward.

For more information on the DCLG landlord and tenant engagement session on 26th October, please contact Member Engagement Manager Callum Smith  or call 0191 566 1029.

Housing’s role in the Northern Powerhouse

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On 7th September, the NHC facilitated a members’ roundtable session (hosted by Newcastle City Council) with Jake Berry, Northern Powerhouse Minister, when he visited the North East. The Minister was keen to emphasise his commitment to the devolution agenda and his passion for the role as a Northerner, and talked enthusiastically about the need to build a compelling narrative for the ‘whole North’.

Members’ discussed some of the challenges faced, including inefficient legacy stock, skills shortages, pressures on supported housing, and the need for regeneration to reconnect economically isolated communities. There was recognition of the many untapped market opportunities and the desire and will amongst members to do more if some of the key levers could be put in place – such as longer term funding programmes, rent certainty, and pump-priming for more challenging sites. The Minister acknowledged the need for regeneration and emphasised the combined importance of housing, skills, jobs and transport, describing the potential offered by Transport for the North’s 20-year plan as ‘transformative’.

The Minister also encouraged members to come forward with ideas that would help drive growth in house building, and for suggestions that would address the issue of graduate retention across the North, as well as evidence around the threats posed by changes to funding for supported housing. The NHC is happy to collate any evidence or suggestions that Members wish to put forward to the Minister – please email Senior Policy Adviser Karen Brown: Karen.brown@northern-consortium.org.uk.

Guestblog: Glynis Osborne – What starts when training stops?

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“What if we train them and they leave?”

“What if we don’t and they stay?”

I love this quote as it says a lot about the way we approach training and development in our teams.

I often hear of businesses reducing the amount of training they provide when the pressure is on. Whether it is due to a staff shortage or spending cuts, training is one of the first and easiest things to cut. Reducing training often provides short-term gains such as saving on spending and possibly travel and accommodation, along with ‘no colleagues missing’ on training courses allowing all hands to be on deck. It is also seen to have few immediate negative effects and if performance is good at that moment, everyone will carry on as normal. There is however another side worth considering when training stops. These are some of the things we don’t directly see.

  • Colleague engagement

Training is often a good experience and colleagues say they feel more engaged with the business and more valued when they are encouraged to attend training. As training is focused on making colleagues more productive in their roles or developing new skills, the benefits can make them feel good whether they want to progress, take on more responsibilities or become more efficient at what they already do.  Stopping or reducing training has been seen to reduce morale and this often means a reduced work rate as well as colleagues feeling undervalued or not worthy of the time and money. These effects can be felt immediately or can take a while to surface and it is hard to tell if colleagues are feeling this way.

  • People sometimes muddle through

It can be great when colleagues learn from other colleagues as they find out the best way of doing things from those who are experienced and knowledgeable in that area. There is always the danger however that they are learning the wrong way of doing things or at least not exactly the best way. I am currently working with a business where there are several colleagues who have been highlighted as potential leaders because they have a good work ethic and are competent within their current role, often doing more than what is expected. They have also expressed a desire to move through the ranks and further their career. As part of the work I am doing, one of the actions set was giving each potential leader one or two colleagues to manage so they could learn the skills to be an effective manager. When observing them before the training started, I noted several occasions where colleagues managed their teams as they have been managed and using techniques that did not always yield the best results. This is because that is all they had known and things can continue in this way if no formal training is given.

  • Checking back

Another issue I see often is a lack of ‘check back’. When we have conversations with our teams and they seem to know what is expected and how to go about a project, we have confidence that they will go away and do a good job, particularly when they are enthusiastic when we set the task. I often see that due to time constraints, work load or regularity of conversations we do not ‘check back’. If we did, we could see how they are getting on and understand if they are doing the job to the standard we require. This is also a great opportunity for feedback and praise. A lack of ‘check back’ can cause errors or missed targets and this sometimes does not come to light until it is too late.

  • Working smarter not harder

I often ask leaders ‘If I had a magic wand, what is the one behavioural change you would love to see appear in your team?’ Nine times out of ten they say they wish teams would act more ‘empowered’, make their own decisions, create solutions to problems and not turn a blind eye to potential issues. Often when speaking with colleagues they say a lack of confidence is the main reason they don’t do these things.  They don’t feel like they have the skills to make decisions effectively or don’t see problem-solving as their role but only to bring to light problems for managers to fix.

Often some targeted training can help with these skills, not only for colleagues but also for managers.  Training gives colleagues the skills required to be more empowered and the confidence to act when necessary.  It can also enable managers with the skills to encourage empowerment to support them in making these changes in behaviour. When I have delivered these types of programmes I also see a change in the managers as they become more confident in their teams’ abilities. This encourages them to become empowered themselves and work at a higher level.

The above points are just a few things to think about if you ever consider reducing training within your organisation. I think one piece of advice I would give to anyone planning training, is to really think about what you need to get from the training and ask yourself ‘what is my required return on investment?’ This will help you make sure that the time you and your colleagues spend and the money invested is maximised. I find having the answers to these questions helps the training to be targeted, measurable and delivered in the right way at the right level.

Glynis Osborne is the senior development consultant and founder of Thinking Success UK For more information please contact her on 07545 895 216 or glynis@thinkingsuccessuk.co.uk

The NHC and Thinking Success UK High Performing Leaders programme kicks off in September. For more information visit the events page here.

Guestblog: Ward Hadaway – Social housing risk profiling

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Ward Hadaway logo

In its guest blogs, NHC Supporter Ward Hadaway offers the legal perspective and some guidance on some of the social housing sector’s most pressing issues. In this edition: social housing risk profiling.

What are the main financial risks facing social housing providers?

This is one of the things which the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) attempts to address with its Sector Risk Profile (SRP) 2017. The SRP focuses on financial risks that may cause a social housing provider to fail to comply with the regulator’s economic standards. It details the main risks facing the social housing sector and some of the actions registered providers should be taking to manage those risks.

Fundamentally, the SRP highlights how the HCA will seek assurance that boards are managing those risks effectively.

 

What are the risks?

The rate of policy change in the social housing sector, together with increased development activity and diversification into building for sale and other non-social housing activities, are flagged up as potential risks.

Also highlighted in the report is the potential impact of any future increase in interest rates and the resulting effect this will have on business plans and loan covenants. This is to be considered alongside the impact of rising inflation and ongoing rent cuts, which are likely to affect a registered provider’s overall business plan and delivery of forecasted cost savings.

Fiona MacGregor, Executive Director of Regulation at the HCA, says the regulator will have an “increased focus on the quality of stress testing”  and wants to see “that boards have a clear idea of the early warning signs or triggers that would lead to their carefully thought through mitigation plans being put into effect”.

 

What must social housing boards do?

Boards of registered providers must continue to ensure that they meet the requirements of the regulator’s consumer standards, including the obligation under 1.2(b) of the Home Standard (the requirement that a registered provider must meet all applicable statutory requirements that provide for the health and safety of the occupants in their homes).

While diversified activities can support registered providers’ core activities, boards must assure themselves that this is the case and it does not come at the expense of their fundamental role. Governance structures must evolve and boards must recruit the skills required of a diversified portfolio as the sector continues to enter into a range of new commercial ventures and relationships.

It was regarded as “essential” in the SRP that registered providers stress-test a wide range of potential scenarios that are inherent to their business, particularly when it comes to potential economic risks and risks to rental income.

As the adoption of Universal Credit builds up steam, preparations are to be taken to minimise any risk of cash flow problems as tenants are switched over to the new system.

 

What next?

The SRP is particularly concerned that:

  • the finances/cash flow of registered providers are stress-tested to ensure that mitigation plans are developed.
  • whilst planned de-regulation will grant certain freedoms upon registered providers, boards are to ensure that they are in full control of decisions around constitutional changes and disposals.
  • all applicable statutory requirements that provide for the health and safety of the occupants in their homes are met.

The sector is under particular scrutiny and in this climate, the HCA has a clear aim to promote a viable, efficient and well-governed social housing sector able to deliver homes that meet a range of needs.

For further information, please contact Howard Walker, PR Manager at Ward Hadaway, on 0191 204 4446 or howard.walker@wardhadaway.com.

Guestblog: Ward Hadaway – The DCLG Building Safety programme

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Ward Hadaway logo

In its guest blogs, NHC Supporter Ward Hadaway offers the legal perspective and some guidance on some of the social housing sector’s most pressing issues. In this edition: the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) Building Safety programme.

The Grenfell Tower tragedy has focused attention on the quality and safety of high-rise buildings across the UK. One of the responses to the incident has been the DCLG setting up a Building Safety Programme aimed at supporting owners and residents of high-rise buildings.

The programme introduces a checking and testing process to identity buildings which are of concern and aims to develop advice and provide solutions. A dedicated web page has been set up to enable people to monitor progress.

With assistance from the fire and rescue services, the DCLG will support Landlords in ensuring the safety of their residents and taking immediate steps to start any remedial work needed.

 

The Building Safety Programme

The Building Safety Programme is advised by an independent expert advisory panel which recommends actions it thinks the Government should take immediately to help identify buildings that are of concern and that may aid in improving public safety.

The DCLG has issued the following three advice notes which are available on the Building Safety Programme webpage:

  • Explanatory note on safety checks and testing.
  • Advice on recladding.
  • Explanatory note on large scale testing.

The advice notes draw on the advice issued so far to private and public sector landlords and building owners on the process to arrange fire safety tests on cladding on high-rise buildings, including social housing blocks.

 

Checking and testing

The launch of the DCLG Building Safety programme webpage followed an announcement by the government of a newly developed screening test by The Building Research Establishment (BRE) aimed at assessing which type of core material is present in the cladding of high-rise buildings. The BRE have undertaken initial screening tests to identify which blocks have cladding which does not meet the requirements for limited combustibility within the current Building Regulations guidance.

The DCLG is first sharing the results with local authorities and housing associations who have confirmed that their buildings are clad in the material types tested. The results will then be made publicly available via the DCLG’s website.

The DCLG has also written to all building control bodies in England to stress the key Building Regulations requirements when cladding work on high-rise buildings over 18 metres tall is carried out.

 

Immediate steps for landlords

Building owners are firstly advised to identify the cladding and insulation materials used on their buildings if they have not done so already.

If a building has been identified as a cause for concern, the DCLG has also provided immediate interim measures to be taken in order to manage fire safety. Landlords and building owners are advised to:

  • notify the fire and rescue services.
  • check that a fire risk assessment has been carried out in the last 12 months.
  • engage with residents to ensure they fully understand the fire safety procedure.
  • check that there is no combustible material in the vicinity of the cladding.
  • check that smoke detection equipment is working correctly.

Building owners are also advised to take their own professional advice on what steps to take; this will be dependent on what materials are on the building. The DCLG states that professional advice may be obtained from:

  • a qualified engineer with relevant experience in fire safety, including fire testing of building products and systems, such as a chartered engineer registered with the Engineering Council by the Institution of Fire Engineers or
  • from an assessor employed by a test laboratory accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service.

Building owners should utilise the DCLG’s advice and support to either gain reassurance that their buildings are safe or assist in making decisions about what steps they can take to ensure the safety of residents.

For further information, please contact Howard Walker, PR Manager at Ward Hadaway, on 0191 204 4446 or howard.walker@wardhadaway.com.