2025 is set to be a year of change for asset management and repairs teams. The government has promised new legislation that will have a significant impact on the quality of homes and the service to tenants. As we prepare for the arrival of a new Decent Homes Standard and the implementation of Awaab’s Law, there’s plenty to be getting on with.

The new era of consumer regulation and inspection has focused minds on understanding the condition of each and every one of your homes and ensuring compliance with the safety and quality standards. The TSM data has underlined the importance of repairs to driving tenant satisfaction.

The regulator is seeking evidence that you have:

• An up-to-date stock condition survey
• A business plan that shows when the works from the survey will be done
• Accurate data on Decent Homes and safety compliance, and
• A willingness to listen to and act upon the views of tenants.

That’s what we’ve based this practical event around.

Key sessions include:

• How to get the customer experience right and increase satisfaction – Repairs is the single most important service for tenants. It’s the thing that tenants contact landlords about the most. Satisfaction with repairs drives overall satisfaction – we knew this, and the Regulator of Social Housing has confirmed it in their analysis of the TSMs. We’ll explore the key drivers of satisfaction and how they can be improved
• Keeping on top of your stock condition – Your homes are your most valuable assets. It’s vital you have accurate and up-to-date information about their condition and invest wisely. RICS will talk about the practicalities of stock condition surveys and their consultation on a new standard
• Decent homes – what next? MHCLG will explain the current position on the new Decent Homes Standard and the details of its rollout
• Awaab’s Law is just around the corner – get the latest information and find out what others are doing to prepare.

Why you should attend:

• Gain an insight on the new legislation and how it is going to be implemented
• Receive practical support on ensuring your approach to asset management meets the regulator’s requirements in a breakout workshop session
• Find out what others have done to improve the tenant experience and satisfaction
• Keep up to date on new and emerging policy and good practice
• Connect with asset management colleagues across the country to build your professional network.

There will also be plenty of time for questions and discussion – so bring along your concerns and queries.

Essential for:

• Heads of asset management
• Repairs managers
• Data and performance management teams
• Compliance teams
• Investment and finance managers.

Mike Victory-Rowe, Associate, HQN

Mike Victory-Rowe is a chartered building surveyor with 25 years’ experience in property asset management and social housing, would be our lead consultant. Formerly Assistant Director of Asset Management at Knightstone Housing (2007-2016), he led strategic asset management. He has since worked with housing associations to assess financial positions using NPV modelling, influence asset strategies, and develop active asset management approaches, including apprisal and disposal policy. For the past nine years, he has advised charities and social housing landlords on asset management strategies. His expertise spans strategic asset management, decarbonisation, compliance, NPV modelling, property appraisals, stock condition surveys, financial planning, investment strategy, procurement, change management, and staff development.

Tom Davies, Senior Policy Advisor, MHCLG

Tom is an experienced policy advisor who has led on many complex policy areas, most recently working as Head of Water Company Performance for Defra, prior joining MHCLG in October 2024. Tom leads the department’s work on social housing decarbonisation and retrofit, working closely with the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero on the implementation strategy for a Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard in the Social Rented Sector and the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund.

Despite only being in the role a few months, Tom has worked closely with stakeholders and shareholders to get an appreciation of how retrofit fits with the wider decency agenda and how action can be integrated across multiple priorities for government including Awaab’s Law and the Decent Homes Standard to ensure high standards for all tenants.

Wayne Gethings, Group Chief Executive, Housing Plus Group

As of January 2025, Wayne took the helm of the new Housing Plus Group, following a successful merger with The Wrekin Housing Group. It is now one of the largest housing associations in the West Midlands, with over 34,000 homes.

With three decades of influential leadership spanning both public and private sector housing, Wayne is widely respected as a senior executive, non-executive and chair on both national and regional stages.

An active advocate for innovation in housing, Wayne contributes to shaping the sector as a board member for the West Midlands Housing Association Partnership and a committee member for the National Housing Federation’s regional committee. He also chairs the National Housing Federation’s Housing, Asset Management, Maintenance and Regeneration (HAMMAR) Group, amplifying the sector’s voice across the UK.

Wayne shares insights on housing innovation through platforms like the Chartered Institute of Housing, the National Housing Federation and other leading organisations.

Wayne Hughes, Associate, HQN

Wayne Hughes is an experienced consultant who has worked at a senior level within private and public sector housing related organisations for the past 40 years. He has authored several articles on asset management related activities and has sat on several advisory bodies for the social housing sector, including sitting on the panel which developed the widely used Disrepair Pre-action Protocol. He was also part of the team which established the English House Condition Survey (now called the English Housing Survey).

Mairéad Anne Carroll, Senior Specialist, Property, Professional Practice and Development, RICS

Mairéad is a senior specialist at RICS where she leads on property agency and management work, in particular leasehold and commonhold reform. She is also leading the RICS project to develop a stocking condition survey standard and reviewing the framework of their property standards.

With a long career in residential real estate, Mairéad has previously worked in housing associations in policy and external affairs and served on the Board at Innisfree Housing Association. She also represents RICS on a number of groups, including the Technical Support Group to the Commonhold Council, the steering group for Homebuying and Selling Council and the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team Material Information Steering Group.

Stuart Brown, Senior Associate, Trowers & Hamlins LLP

As a Senior Associate in the Public Procurement group at Trowers & Hamlins, Stuart advises the public, private and third sectors on public procurement, subsidy and building safety issues. His focus is on complex procurement strategy and structures and helping clients to navigate procurement issues, including structuring flexible procurement procedures, advising on shared services and collaboration, and the incorporation of transparent evaluation methodologies.

Additionally, Stuart regularly delivers training on a broad spectrum of procurement matters including the use of framework agreements, incorporating social value into the procurement process and evaluation models.

Stuart has a particular interest in the incorporation and delivery of social value outcomes through the public procurement process and is a co-author of the “Social Value Toolkit” – a guide which looks at how local authorities can support care leavers through public procurement and help to deliver the core outcomes of the Care Leavers Covenant.

Having previously worked in central government and through his legal background and experience, Stuart has a particular understanding of the internal governance procedures in the public sector and approval processes in place when dealing with public money.

He is a member of the Procurement Lawyers’ Association and has contributed to the PLA’s response to the Government’s Green Paper on public procurement reform.

Cecily Church, Head of Environmental Sustainability, Fairhive Homes

As Head of Sustainability at the housing association Fairhive, Cecily oversees strategic plans for achieving EPC C and net zero carbon across all homes. Fairhive currently have significant retrofit programmes underway. Installations include insulation, low carbon heating, renewables, storage and smart controls and monitoring. Our experience to date has taught us the importance of comprehensive specifications, internal and resident engagement, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

Nick Horne, CEO, Wythenshawe Community Housing Group

Nick is CEO of Wythenshawe Community Housing Group, a post he has held since September 2019. He is passionate about delivering great services and championing resident interests using large scale change and systems thinking to improve service satisfaction and bottom-line results.

Nick is an experienced non executive Chair and Director of housing, education and community interest organisations. He is Chair of the Manchester Housing Providers Partnership and works with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority as the strategic housing lead on Data, Digital and Information Governance. He is also a Director of Manchester Athena and the Wythenshawe Forum Trust.

10:30am Welcome and Introduction

• Mike Victory Rowe, Associate, HQN

10:40am Quality and Decency

• Tom Davies, Senior Policy Advisor, MHCLG

11:10am TSM repairs scores – how to make a difference

• Wayne Gethings, Group Chief Executive, Housing Plus Group

11:40am Break

12:00pm Awaab’s Law and HHSRS

• Wayne Hughes, Associate, HQN

12:30pm Break out rooms

• Discussion groups

12:50pm Feedback

• Wayne Hughes, Associate, HQN

1:00pm Lunch

2:00pm Stock condition surveys

• Mairéad Anne Carroll, Senior Specialist, Property, Professional Practice and Development, RICS

2:35pm The Procurement Act 2023 – update

• Stuart Brown, Senior Associate, Trowers & Hamlins LLP

3:05pm Break

3:25pm Tackling energy efficiency and sustainability

• Cecily Church, Head of Environmental Sustainability, Fairhive Homes

3:55pm Meeting our challenges for the future

• Nick Horne, CEO, Wythenshawe Community Homes

4:25pm Chair’s closing comments 

• Mike Victory Rowe, Associate, HQN

4:30pm Close

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.