An HQN associate has become one of the winners of the Inside Housing Management 30.

Karl Maple, who is an associate for the HQN Rent Income Excellence Network, took one of the prizes for the competition that celebrates the “housing management staff who are innovating, inspiring, driving change or improvements, or simply excelling in their area and making a massive difference in the communities they work in”.

The judges learned that since joining Croydon Council in September 2023, Karl has transformed the local authority’s income recovery service, with collection rates increasing from 91% to 102% over two years, placing the service among the strongest performers nationally.

The judges said: “Karl clearly cares deeply about residents and places them at the heart of his work. He treats people with respect, dignity and kindness – qualities that make him a great housing manager.”

Karl said: “I’m delighted to have been selected as one of this year’s Inside Housing Management 30. It’s a real honour and reflects the fantastic work being undertaken at Croydon Council to deliver excellent services for our residents. I’m looking forward to learning from the other winners over the coming year and sharing those insights with HQN members through my work as an associate.”