duration

Duration
Half-day

duration

Location
Live virtual

duration

Availability
Good

Suitable for:       All What does this mean?

New to social housing or need a refresher? This half-day introduction explains what the sector exists to do, who it serves and how it is organised. We’ll trace key milestones from philanthropy to modern regulation and practically connect today’s pressures to your organisation’s priorities directly.

You’ll come away with a clear “map” of how social housing fits together—what sits where, who does what, and why it matters. Using real-world examples and discussion, we’ll translate sector language, structures and current challenges into practical context you can use immediately in your role and across your organisation.
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    What will delegates learn?

    • What “social housing” is (and isn’t), including key tenures and who the sector is there for
    • How the sector developed and why it operates as it does today
    • Who the main players are (providers, regulators, local authorities and partners) and how they interact
    • The typical roles and functions inside a housing provider—and how they fit together
    • The headline issues shaping the sector now and what they mean for your organisation’s services.

    This course will cover

    • Locating social housing: purpose, tenure and eligibility—who provides it and who it’s for
    • A practical “map” of the sector: agencies, accountability and lines of influence (regulation, governance, finance)
    • How we got here: key historical milestones from early intervention to today’s operating environment
    • What housing providers do day-to-day: core services, delivery models and common pain points?
    • Today’s and tomorrow’s challenges: changing demographics, rising expectations, scrutiny and resource pressures
    • Applying it to your context: relating the landscape to delegates’ own organisation, teams and priorities.

    Who should attend?

    • New starters across housing, customer services, neighbourhoods, income, ASB, repairs and support teams
    • Board/committee members and involved residents who want a clearer picture of the sector
    • Internal partners who work closely with housing (finance, comms, HR, governance)
    • Anyone wanting a concise refresher on how social housing works and the issues shaping it.
  • Our trainer

    Michael Guest is a well-established and sought-after consultant and trainer in housing. His expertise and experience extend across the housing sector, with specialisms in Governance, Housing Management, Change in the Sector and Resident Engagement.

    He is known for his highly professional, yet relaxed and approachable working style that lends itself to learning and development assignments. This is combined with working comfortably at political and governance levels, through executive, management, and operational staff and with involved residents and communities.

    After holding a number of senior management positions in housing, Michael has for over 30 years been Director of Michael Guest Associates Ltd., providing consultancy and training to the sector. A key aspect of this work is as part of HQN programmes since its inception.

    Michael is a Chartered Housing Professional, Chartered Management Consultant, and a Chartered Manager. A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing he is a:

    • Regular Chair of and Lead Assessor on its Experienced Professional Route Professional Interview Panels for Chartered Membership
    • Member of the Executive Route Professional Interview Panel for Chartered Membership
    • Registered CIH Mentor for Senior Housing Professionals
    • Member of the CIH Housing Academy.

    He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership, the Royal Society for Public Health, the Chartered Management Institute, the Institute of Consulting, was awarded an MSc. (with Merit) in Leadership and Management in 2017, an MSc. (with Distinction) in Housing Studies in 2020 and a Postgraduate Certificate in Corporate Governance (with Distinction) in 2020.

    Outside of housing, Michael is Chair of the Board of a Learning Partnership company of schools, Retained Voluntary Advisor to a Leaseholders’ (Right to Manage) Company, and National Level Coach with an Institute of Advanced Motorist Group.

  • Testimonials

    • “As a newcomer to the housing sector I found this session extremely insightful and learned valuable information. Michael is clearly an expert in the field with a wide breadth of knowledge.”

      Incommunities Ltd

    • “For myself who is new to social housing the training was very informative.”

      Vale of Aylesbury Housing

    • “Thank you for delivering an informative and engaging training. I appreciated the insight into the broader context of social housing and the challenges faced across the sector. It was valuable to gain a wider perspective and I’m grateful for the opportunity to attend.”

      Housing Ombudsman
  • Cancellations and substitutions

    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.

  • Price and booking

    Bookings are closed for this event.

    If you experience any issues when submitting your booking, please email [email protected] with the name and date of the session along with the delegate name(s), email address(es) and job title(s) and we'll process the booking for you.

Introduction to social housing

Dates



03 November 2026
9:30am - 12:30pm
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We can bring this course to you.
If you have five or more staff interested for this course date, our in-house training offers great value for money. All you need to do is click the in-house tab and drop us a message.

 

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