Regulation and Governance Conference 2023

In the midst of this period of substantial change in the social housing sector, I was delighted to attend the Regulation and Governance Conference 2023 and hear from a number of fantastic panellists drawing on their wide range of experiences both within and outside of the social housing sector. The raft of Building and Safety Act provisions recently coming into force, as well as the upcoming changes on consumer regulation provided a backdrop to many of the discussions, along with an overarching focus on matters including board assurance, racial inequality and tenant engagement within the sector. 

Following an introduction from the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) outlining the upcoming changes on consumer regulation and how to best prepare for them (including a clear direction that these are things which providers should already be doing!), was a valuable discussion between the Housing Ombudsman and Angela Holden from the RSH detailing the nature of their roles and relationship, as well as what each will look for when reviewing a provider. This was followed by striking discussions focusing on what can be done to address racism in social housing, sharing experiences where there have been successful outcomes within the sector, as well as the use of data-driven tools and analysis to manage the performance of properties, and the need for focus on broader ESG factors along with it.

Following a networking lunch, the afternoon sessions explored some broader themes, including key lessons to be learned in relation to coming back from a G3 rating and assessing key issues for all providers to bear in mind in the design and delivery of their services. 

A particularly insightful session looked outside of the social housing sector, on key governance considerations and learning from panellists with experience of the health, education and legal sectors. The day wrapped up with discussion on the ever present issue of effective resident engagement and influence, with panellists sharing and exploring both successful and unsuccessful strategies for engaging with tenants and subsequently building a trustful working relationship.

The openness of the panellists and the ability to learn lessons from outside of the sector certainly gave plenty to reflect on and take forward as we move into a new era of social housing regulation and the resulting changes to governance requirements.