Annual reports are an important document and a key part of demonstrating transparency, accountability and resident focus. The Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard clearly states that registered providers must “annually publish their performance against the tenant satisfaction measures” and ensure the information is “published in a manner that is timely, clear and easily accessed by tenants”.

But too often, reports still fail to communicate clearly with tenants or provide meaningful insight into organisational performance. Facts, figures and essential messages are hugely important. But when buried in a long document, does anyone actually see them?

And now, with the introduction of the new access to information requirements (STAIRs) for private registered providers as well as extending the Freedom of Information Act to cover Tenant Management Organisations (TMOs), there’s even more to consider.

Join HQN’s chief executive Alistair McIntosh for our popular interactive masterclass to explore what makes an annual report genuinely useful for residents. Find out how to turn yours into a publication that engages with your tenants, is informative and accessible, builds trust and provides evidence of compliance.

What you’ll get from this session

Participants will:

• Understand what the Regulator of Social Housing expects to see in relation to transparency, accountability and resident engagement
• Explore how annual reports can provide evidence of consumer regulation compliance and inspection readiness
• Learn how to present TSMs and performance information in a way that is meaningful and accessible to residents
• Discover practical approaches to tone of voice, structure, storytelling and visual presentation
• Hear examples and lessons learned from providers on improving resident communication and engagement
• Receive constructive feedback on your annual reports from HQN’s experts.

We’ll also explore common pitfalls (and how to avoid them), including:

• Unsubstantiated boasting (‘we are fantastic’) when the reality that is experienced by tenants does not bear it out
• Introductions from chairs/leaders/executives not in plain English or readable
• Too much jargon and corporate language
• Spellbinding graphics that contain no actual information
• Zero comparative data – a claim of 85% customer satisfaction looks good until you are named and shamed by your residents in the national media
• No sign that tenants have been asked what they want to see in these reports (in fact, it is often impossible to discern the intended audience at all).

Plus – free critique of your publication

 Send us your latest publication or draft, we’ll provide you with constructive feedback.

We’ve been tracking the quality of annual reports for the past few years so have plenty of experience and examples to share. We are seeing positive signs of improvement but, for many, there’s still a long way to go.

Why attend?

This practical and highly interactive session will help you transform your annual report from a compliance exercise into a meaningful, resident-focused publication that supports transparency, trust and regulatory assurance.

You’ll leave with ideas, examples and practical tools to strengthen your next report and ensure it better reflects both resident priorities and the expectations of today’s regulatory environment.

Who should attend?

This event is particularly relevant for teams involved in:

• Communications
• Customer engagement
• Governance
• Regulation and compliance
• Performance and insight
• Complaints
• Tenant participation
• TSM reporting
• Resident experience and service improvement.

It will also be valuable for senior leaders, housing managers, operational leads, policy leads and anyone responsible for producing or contributing to the annual report.

10:30am Welcome and introductions

Alistair McIntosh, Chief Executive, HQN

10:40am Annual reports: What needs to be there and what does good look like?

Alistair McIntosh, Chief Executive, HQN

• What landlords need to publish and demonstrate
• Performance, TSMs and presenting the full picture
• Who is the report really for?
• Common pitfalls and what good looks like.

10:50am From annual exercise to ongoing conversation

Lydia Stockdale, Strategic Communications Project Support, Eastlight Community Homes

• Managing the annual report process throughout the year
• Getting the right information from colleagues and residents
• Focusing on what residents actually want to know
• Making information accessible, useful and easy to navigate.

11:25am Break

11:40am Will anyone actually read it? Annual reports in the age of AI

Tom Palmer, Director, Ocean City Media

• Making reports readable, engaging and easy to find
• Using genuine stories, evidence and resident voices
• How AI is changing the way people interrogate annual reports
• Using AI effectively without losing authenticity.

12:15pm Time to mark your homework

Alistair McIntosh, Chief Executive, HQN

• An anonymised look at reports submitted by delegates
• What works well and what gets in the way
• Content, structure, accessibility and presentation
• Practical improvements to take into your next report.

12:50pm Questions and final tips

1:00pm 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.