Fire safety in flats

The Home Office has published a new leaflet, Fire Safety in Flats July 2022, to support fire safety promotion by the national Fire Kills campaign and local fire and rescue services.

Gas Safety Week 2022

This year’s gas safety week will take place 12-18th September. Sign up to pledge support and receive a free toolkit from Gas Safe Register – full of materials to help you support the week, including social media updates, images, articles, … Read more

Smoke and carbon monoxide update

The government has updated the guidance on the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022

Managing disrepair – top tips (5)

Due to the unprecedented amount of disrepair claims being filed against social landlords, we ran a hugely popular event last month – focusing firstly on how to get your house in order to ensure you remain on the front foot … Read more

Managing disrepair – top tips (4)

Due to the unprecedented amount of disrepair claims being filed against social landlords, we ran a hugely popular event last month – focusing firstly on how to get your house in order to ensure you remain on the front foot … Read more

Managing disrepair – top tips (3)

Due to the unprecedented amount of disrepair claims being filed against social landlords, we ran a hugely popular event last month – focusing firstly on how to get your house in order to ensure you remain on the front foot … Read more

Managing disrepair – top tips (2)

Due to the unprecedented amount of disrepair claims being filed against social landlords, we ran a hugely popular event last month – focusing firstly on how to get your house in order to ensure you remain on the front foot … Read more

Severe maladministration for housing association’s response to silverfish infestation

Metropolitan Thames Valley’s failings in responding to a silverfish infestation at a resident’s flat has led to a finding of severe maladministration by the Housing Ombudsman. The compensation offered by the landlord did not reflect the ‘significant impact’ on the family by … Read more

Managing disrepair – top tips (1)

Due to the unprecedented amount of disrepair claims being filed against social landlords, we ran a hugely popular event last week – focusing firstly on how to get your house in order to ensure you remain on the front foot … Read more

Government reopens Building Safety Fund for applications

More leaseholders in high-rise homes will be “spared unfair bills for building safety costs” as the government’s £4.5bn Building Safety Fund reopens for new applications. Buildings over 18 metres with cladding issues are eligible to apply for the fund, which … Read more

Write up from smarter, safer homes event

At our recent I&T Hub event we explored the challenges of using data and implementing technology to create smarter, safer homes.    A key theme for the day was the need for accurate record keeping and data management to make sure … Read more

Updates from the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry (11-21 July 2022)

By Danielle Aumord. The final moments of the Grenfell victims presented at the inquiry (11 – 21 July 2022) National guidance in place at the time of the Grenfell fire stated that it was “usually unrealistic” to expect landlords to … Read more

Managing disrepair

Really looking forward to chairing this event on disrepair tomorrow (still places left!) — watch this space for my key takeaways after the event.

Housing Ombudsman finds severe maladministration for council’s delayed repairs

The Housing Ombudsman found severe maladministration for Birmingham City Council’s delays in repairing an extensive water leak that caused damage to the resident’s property. The landlord failed to offer any compensation for the distress and inconvenience caused to the resident, … Read more

Preventing falls with everyday wearables – research project

Smplicare is asking housing associations and assisted living facilities to support their Observational Falls Study. Funded through the recently announced UKRI Designed for Ageing Awards, the Edinburgh-based software company will commence one of the largest studies ever conducted involving older … Read more

Government to launch new scheme in September to allow for sale of high-rise flats

The government has announced that it will launch a new insurance scheme in September that will “enable the sale of flats in thousands of high-rise buildings.” The insurance scheme, created by The Government Actuary’s Department (GAD), will mean there is … Read more

Updates from the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry (27 June – 7 July)

By Danielle Aumord. Islamophobia is tackled head on at the inquiry (27th June – 7th July 2022) “Racism and discrimination, we say, played a very real part in the response to this tragedy. The playing field was not level. It … Read more

Latest member question: barbeques

Our policy regarding barbeques in communal areas including gardens has always been a blanket no due to the fire risk, complaints from other residents, etc. However, we are reviewing this decision currently and wondered if any members could share their … Read more

Housing Quality Magazine July 2022

Opinion: Could we have prevented Grenfell by learning the lessons from Clanricarde?

By Alistair McIntosh, HQN CEO. We’re thinking of Grenfell today, as you will be too. Everyone says they’ll learn the lessons. I hope that we do because that hasn’t always been the case. Clanricarde Gardens is about a ten-minute walk … Read more

Two severe maladministration findings for housing association’s ‘significant failings’ on roof leak case

The Housing Ombudsman made two severe maladministration findings in a case about Shepherds Bush Housing’s failings in dealing with a resident’s reports of a roof leak. The resident, a shared owner, had reported a roof leak many times over several … Read more

Grenfell United call on government to action Grenfell Inquiry recommendations

Two years on from the Phase 1 recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Grenfell United are calling on government to action some of the recommendations. The group representing survivors and bereaved families said it was “shocking” that not a single … Read more

Khan urges building owners and managers to act ‘immediately’ on building safety

Two years after the Grenfell Tower Inquiry published recommendations for London Fire Brigade and others, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is calling on building managers and owners to ensure they act now to keep residents safe. With over 1,000 buildings … Read more

Updates from the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry: 18 – 28 October 2021

By Danielle Aumord The Grenfell Tower fire that killed 72 people was a ‘human rights disaster’ that was caused partly by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) and Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation’s ‘disrespect for human dignity’, … Read more

Residents and leaseholders hit out at ‘recycled’ £5bn cladding announcement

The End our Cladding Scandal campaign group has hit out at the chancellor’s Autumn Budget, saying it “marks the fourth time that ministers have recycled their announcement”. Rishi Sunak said there would be a £5bn fund to “remove dangerous cladding”. … Read more

Regulator finds a housing association and council in breach of the Home Standard in latest judgements

The Regulator of Social Housing has issued one downgrade and a new regulatory notice for a council as part of its latest regulatory judgements. One downgrade is for GreenSquareAccord. Already found to be in breach of the Home Standard after a self referral, … Read more

Housing Ombudsman urges zero tolerance approach on damp and mould

Social landlords should adopt a zero-tolerance approach to damp and mould says the Housing Ombudsman in a new report. Addressing damp and mould needs to be a higher priority for landlords, states the report, with a change in culture from reactive to proactive in order to improve the experience of residents. … Read more

ForHousing appoints new Head of Building and Customer Safety

Sue Dunphy has been appointed as Head of Building and Customer Safety at ForHousing. Sue will be leading a team responsible for managing the safety of 17 high-rise buildings – 12 in Salford and five in Knowsley. Her remit also … Read more

Government to provide councils with £4.3m to tackle ‘cold and draughty rented properties’

£4.3m of extra funding from the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to councils across the country is designed to support them make an extra 100,000 engagements with the most difficult to reach landlords with the worst performing … Read more

One in ten new affordable homes ‘can no longer be built’ due to building safety costs

More than 1 in 10 (11%) new affordable homes to rent and buy in England can no longer be built due to the costs of making buildings safe following the Grenfell Tower fire, according to new research by the National … Read more