Our workshops are tracking the voids process from ‘end to end’ through the entire ‘life cycle’ of an empty property. Each stage is considered from all possible angles – the customer experience, costs, efficiencies, sustainability.

Letting an empty property is a complex process involving lots of different people and departments. communications, being clear about responsibilities and having access to accurate information (held in one place) are all key to making things work smoothly.

This session examines what you need to have in place to ensure it’s a joined up process bringing all the parties together and avoids the common pitfalls:

• Regular meetings to keep track of the voids and lettings process – who needs to be involved? What should be on the agenda?
• Data and access to information – the importance of a void tracker (or similar) to manage each stage of the void process for each empty property
• Transparency and communications for all parts of the organisation – who needs what, how to keep everyone in the loop
• How to do the simple stuff well and not over complicate things
• The importance of the lettable standard (including its links to the soon to be amended Decent Home standard and other key legislation). The customer perspective
• Maximising the use of electronic systems to inspect and add value e.g. revising the life of key components in the stock condition survey database
• Rechargeable repairs and recharge policy.

These practical workshops are aimed at the people who are responsible for empty properties.  This session in particular will be relevant to everyone involved in the process – repairs and maintenance teams, lettings teams, housing management teams.

You’ll hear from experts, specialists and practitioners. You’ll also get the chance to share best practice and discuss and debate solutions.

We will also be sending out a short questionnaire about costs, and turnaround times to delegates ahead of the session.

10.30  Welcome and introduction

• • Kevin Bentley, Associate, HQN

10.35 Midland Heart’s approach – with a focus on street properties

• • Steve Rose, Midland Heart

11:05 Setting the background and the content plus some feedback on the survey results

• • Kevin Bentley, Associate, HQN

11.35 Break

11.45 Saxon Weald’s approach (tracking, programming, workloads and more)

• • Mark Taylor, Saxon Weald

12.15 Q & A

13.00 Close

Kevin Bentley, Associate, HQN 

Kevin has worked in social housing in both the local government and housing association sectors for over 25 years, specialising in housing maintenance and stock investment issues. Kevin has been a HQN Associate for over 14 years, providing advice and support to many housing organisations.

He has in-depth knowledge of all aspects of operational delivery and strategic asset management in the sector. He regularly carries out reviews of gas servicing and maintenance for organisations. He has in-depth knowledge of service delivery and best practice in the sector delivered by in-house/DLO contractors and out-sourced arrangements. Kevin is also one of HQN’s key accreditation assessors specialising in HQN: DLO and HQN: gas repairs and asset management accreditations. He is also one of HQN’s trainers responsible for contract management and procurement.

Kevin has carried out upwards of 120 service reviews and similar in-depth assessments of repairs and maintenance services for HQN clients, including a large number of gas servicing and maintenance reviews for organisations with both in-house contractors or outsourced and hybrid arrangements.

Mark Taylor, Saxon Weald

Mark has worked in the social housing industry since 2011 predominately within voids/empty homes holding positions from Multi trade operative, supervisor, and manager.

In his current role as Empty homes team lead, Mark leads on all stages of delivery of bringing vacant empty properties back into circulation in line with current lettable standards, legislation set out in decent homes standards. Also towards various KPIs this ranges from minor voids to large scale major works both in general needs, retirement and extra care. As well as planning and coordinating, pre and post void inspections, quality control, technical advice and budgeting/costing as well as varied capital works programmes we run through our empty homes team.

Steve Rose, Regional Manager, Midland Heart

Steve has worked within Repairs and Maintenance for over twenty years at organisations such as Birmingham CC (Surveyor), Cannock DC (Surveyor), HomeZone Housing (Principal Surveyor), Bromford (Operations Manager) and Bournville Village Trust (Head of Service). During his tenure, Bournville Village Trust became a ‘beacon’ contractor and an award winning DLO. The ground-breaking work they did with Apprentices’ was recognised nationally and Property Services were awarded the ‘UK Employer of the Year’ award both in 2013 and 2014. Steve joined Midland Heart in 2014 looking for a new challenge and took the position as Operations Manager to help establish Property Care as one of the UK’s leading ‘In-House Maintenance’ providers. Following a period of transition and growth, in 2016 they were accredited by the HQN. In early 2017 Steve took on the role as Regional Manager, to deliver the R&M service to the general need stock within an expanded operational area. He has  been working as interim Head of Service for the IHMT for the past four years.

If you are unable to attend an event or public training course, please let us know in writing (email is fine) at least 48 hours before. Please email [email protected]

Otherwise, a cancellation fee of £60 plus VAT will be chargeable.

If you are using a package place to attend and do not inform us within the agreed time frame, then a place will be taken to cover your non-attendance.

Cancellations must be made in writing, and will be acknowledged by HQN Limited