We know housing management is a great job where you can support tenants and help resolve problems.  We also know it’s hard work and officers are under a lot of pressure to be both sensitive to tenants’ needs and uphold organisational policies.  We have to be supportive and meet legislative and regulatory requirements and understanding how to balance these requirements is often difficult.

When does the time come to move from offering help to applying for the injunction for access or getting tough with hoarding to keep the tenant safe? And if that time has come how do you do that with the right tone, explanation and understanding so as to keep the relationship going?

Many tenants will have a long, if not lifelong, relationship with their landlord so we need to get these things right. This practical session shines a spotlight on the challenges and pressures housing staff deal with and offers up solutions.

What we will cover:

• What does a good hoarding policy look like and how do you enforce it?
• What do you do if you have a vulnerable tenant who isn’t engaging with staff but needs health and safety work carried out
• How to deal with tenants with mental health issues, especially if health and social services are not engaging
• How to support older, more vulnerable tenants with health issues or disabilities
• How to keep everyone safe and properties well maintained but acknowledge people’s needs and requirements and make reasonable adjustments where necessary.

Why should you attend:

• Learn from experienced practitioners on what works and what to avoid in tricky situations
• Find out how others have approached these types of issues – what has worked and not worked
• Understand the issues that housing managers are facing up and down the country
• Get advice and practical tips on what can help in these situations to build relationships and get the balance right
• A chance to explore common issues, reflect on the problems, discuss the options and learn from others
• An opportunity to bring along your own dilemmas for discussion.

Who should attend:

• Directors of housing or place
• Directors of customer service
• Housing managers
• Neighbourhood officers and teams
• Community liaison officers
• Local authority housing teams
• Customer service teams.

10:30am Welcome and introductions

• Emma Wilson, Associate, HQN

10:35am The issues housing managers are facing

• Emma Wilson, Associate, HQN

10:50am Mental capacity

• Jo Griffin, Head of Place, Yorkshire Housing

11:15am Q&A

11:25am Hoarding

• Sharon Wheeler, Service Manager – Safeguarding and Support, Your Housing

11:50am Q&A

12:00pm Break

12:15pm Succession

• Anne-Marie Heil, Director of Customer Services, Stockport Homes

12:40pm Q&A

12:50pm Problem solving your own dilemmas

• Break out groups

1:15pm Feedback from break out groups  

1:25pm Closing remarks

• Emma Wilson, Associate, HQN

1:30pm Close

Emma Wilson, Associate, HQN

Emma is a highly respected housing professional with over 25 years’ experience in the sector and is passionate about providing brilliant services to customers.

She was Executive Director for Neighbourhoods at New Charter Group/Jigsaw Homes for a number of years with responsibility for the transformation of allocations, neighbourhood management, customer services, resident involvement, estates services and independent living. She has developed a high level of senior management experience and more recently held an interim management role for a large Midlands-based housing association as Director of Retirement and Supported Living.

Prior to joining New Charter, Emma worked for a number of LSVT organisations leading on delivering the commitments made to customers.

Emma has a track record of delivering large change programmes, working across diverse service areas, managing multiple projects and governance. She is a qualified coach and has supported a number of senior executives to achieve their aspirations. She specialises in policy review, regulatory compliance, consumer standards, project and interim management and governance.

Most recently, she has been supporting providers with their approach to customer voice, reviewing complaints services and customer engagement frameworks to meet regulatory and Housing Ombudsman requirements, creation of customer committees to enhance governance structures and ensuring organisations are prepared for changes in consumer regulation.

Recent interim assignments include nine months as Interim Director for Retirement and Supported Living at Midland Heart (2021), eight months as Executive Director of Customer Services at settle (2022) and nine months at Yorkshire Housing as Director of Customer Experience (2023/2024).

Achievements at Yorkshire Housing include:

• Creation of the three-year customer obsession strategy
• Development of place planning model for 16 geographical areas
• Redesigning the complaint handling service, transforming performance and quality under new leadership delivering a fully compliant service
• Redesigning the customer experience centre focusing on delivering a quality resolution service, obsessed with making the customer happy.

Jo Griffin, Head of Place, Yorkshire Housing

Jo is a senior housing professional with over 20 years’ experience of working in the social housing sector. She is experienced in customer services, including service centre, neighbourhood management, allocations and supported housing.

As Head of Place at Yorkshire Housing, Jo looks after tenancy management, tenancy enforcement, caretaking, grounds maintenance and facilities management.

Sharon Wheeler, Service Manager for Safeguarding and Support, Your Housing

Sharon Wheeler is the Service Manager for Safeguarding and Support at Your Housing Group and has over 30 years’ experience of working in supported housing and homelessness services.

In her current role Sharon leads on all safeguarding operations as well as managing the services for anyone affected by domestic abuse, homelessness, rough sleeping and those in need of tenancy support.

Sharon is always inspired by the commitment, passion and empathy her teams bring to their work and the impact practical support can have on residents’ lives.

Anne-Marie Heil, Director of Customer Services, Stockport Homes

Anne-Marie has over 25 years of experience in the social housing sector, delivering high-quality, person-centred services which support customers to achieve positive outcomes in their lives. She started her career in supported housing and has worked in a wide range of fields, including neighbourhoods, housing and property management, supported and older persons housing, floating support services, telecare, customer access, customer engagement, migrant communities and social inclusion.

She has extensive experience of working with disadvantaged and marginalised individuals and communities and delivering services which address barriers and promote empowerment and independence. Anne-Marie works closely with the council and a wide range of local partners to maximise the resources brought into the borough to deliver additional services which support customers. She also works with other housing providers across Greater Manchester to share good practice, collaborate and explore opportunities.

Anne-Marie was part of the team responsible for setting up Stockport Homes and has been a key part of the growth and diversification of the organisation.

If you are unable to attend an event or public training course, please let us know in writing via email or letter at least 48 hours beforehand. 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.