Written by Adrian Hussain, Head of Member Services (East).
Being a housing provider is not easy in 2025. There are many issues that can keep you awake at night. As a regulated sector there is even more pressure and scrutiny (quite rightly) to provide consistently good service outcomes for residents, creating safe and healthy living environments for all.
When housing association boards meet they will review their risk register, a matrix tool that identifies, assesses, manages and monitors risks in the operation of the association that could impact their compliance with regulation. Several categories will feature – with health and safety, compliance, financial, operational delivery, governance, IT and sustainability amongst them.
But at the heart of each housing providers operation is the duty to keep their residents safe and well.
Safety and wellbeing are interconnected. This means that physical safety must be matched by the commitment to address mental health and social inclusion issues, and to support vulnerable residents.
It starts with the property itself and how compliant it is with building safety regulations including fire safety, structural integrity and the removal of any identified hazards. Proactive management of buildings involves taking action to prevent damp and mould problems, whilst ensuring where needed homes are accessible or adaptable.
At a practical level, an efficient repairs service coupled with proactive planned maintenance can help to prevent issues before they arise. We have seen tragically from historical events in the sector the need for emergency plans to cope with incidents such as fire or flood. Getting ahead of what might happen, whilst this at times might not seem the most important priority, it is the shrewdest method of operation in the long run.
Listening to residents is vitally important. From their lived experience they can provide early warnings of hazards, and from this housing providers can help tailor their investment. An approach that embraces meaningful engagement can help build trust and identify issues before they have the chance to escalate.
We all live differently. Our homes are all different. But there are consistencies. It is within these consistencies that the optimal solutions can be developed, responding to trends that are identified by talking to residents and then addressing their needs. Many business owners speak about how they set up their operations to solve a problem they had come across. It is such personal insight that helps to drive the right outcomes.
Residents must trust what is being proposed to be introduced to their home, because this is their home. We must never forget that in the housing sector. It is not an asset, it is not a number on a spreadsheet, it is a home, a shelter for someone and their family. To earn that trust we need to be clear and honest with people.
We need to explain simply, not in long detailed technical language, why this intervention will enhance their safety and well being. We misunderstand how important the health of the home is to not only the resident and the landlord, but to wider society. We spend most of our lives indoors, with our home making up much of that time, so any investment to make that safe and comfortable has wider societal benefits with reduced illness and the pressure and cost that puts on our public services.
Safety legislation defines the core of what a decent home must be – not simply through the setting of minimum standards – but by driving ongoing improvement and ensuring that housing providers take accountability for resident safety.
In the UK, The Decent Homes Standard has been in place for several years for the social housing sector. There is presently a consultation which closes this month on reforming the standard which will see the framework extend into the private rented sector as well. It can be viewed as a living framework that is shaped by and evolves against legal and regulatory requirements.
At the heart of the standard a Decent Home should be safe, in that it is free from serious hazards whilst being structurally sound and secure. It should be warm with proper insulation and heating systems. It needs to be functional with a modern kitchen, bathroom and adequate space and it should be well-maintained with its essential components in good repair.
The best way to engage residents, is to include them in codesign of how their safety and wellbeing is delivered. This demands genuine, transparent communication and a two-way dialogue. Most people resist change because they do not understand it or the need for it. Change can stall when people are confused about what is happening and why. An open dialogue can help to overcome this.
Safety and well-being are at the heart of good housing provision. So are residents. For those in housing, irrespective of their role and responsibilities, safety is everyone’s business and that is why it is important to embed a safety culture and a shared commitment to resident wellbeing.
