anyway, I must get back to the long email my council landlord sent me about how most damp and mould is down to lifestyle, actually.
January 14, 2026 at 11:55 AM
anyway, I must get back to the long email my council landlord sent me about how most damp and mould is down to lifestyle, actually.
And well worth remembering, as Neil has, that a great deal of the 'regulation' isn't just about building safety, it's specifically about how people are treated, their health and indeed their safety from their landlords. A landscape that is not resolved yet and blatantly cannot rely on good actors.
Under the Localism Act 2011 the Coalition Govt introduced a serious detriment clause for regulatory intervention on consumer standards. Effectively neutering the then HCA's (now RSH) ability to investigate systematic service failure to tenants. Six years later we had the Grenfell tragedy.
January 14, 2026 at 11:50 AM
And well worth remembering, as Neil has, that a great deal of the 'regulation' isn't just about building safety, it's specifically about how people are treated, their health and indeed their safety from their landlords. A landscape that is not resolved yet and blatantly cannot rely on good actors.
Reposted by Rob Gershon
It is bold of the Tories, which oversaw one of the darkest periods in social housing policy to come out swinging on, of all things, regulation of the sector. Disrespectful attitude towards private renters & RRA not surprising given the Tories torpedoed their own manifesto pledge to improve things.
Exclusive: My interview with James Cleverly
🔵 Grenfell Inquiry “did not prove deregulatory attitude was the problem”
🔵 Vows to reduce headcount of planners
🔵 Renters Rights Act should be replaced by ‘’more targeted approach”
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/sir-...
🔵 Grenfell Inquiry “did not prove deregulatory attitude was the problem”
🔵 Vows to reduce headcount of planners
🔵 Renters Rights Act should be replaced by ‘’more targeted approach”
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/sir-...
Sir James Cleverly interview: Regulation is ‘always the wrong answer’
Shadow housing secretary Sir James Cleverly shares his views on Grenfell, the Renters’ Rights Act and the Conservative Party’s pledge to end stamp duty.
www.insidehousing.co.uk
January 14, 2026 at 8:21 AM
It is bold of the Tories, which oversaw one of the darkest periods in social housing policy to come out swinging on, of all things, regulation of the sector. Disrespectful attitude towards private renters & RRA not surprising given the Tories torpedoed their own manifesto pledge to improve things.
Initially started to get annoyed at how wrong he is about all the detail of... everything, but what's the point? The long and short of it is he's prepared to see more people die for housebuilder profits.
We have quite the interview today with James Cleverly, shadow housing secretary
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/sir-...
www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/sir-...
Sir James Cleverly interview: Regulation is ‘always the wrong answer’
Shadow housing secretary Sir James Cleverly shares his views on Grenfell, the Renters’ Rights Act and the Conservative Party’s pledge to end stamp duty.
www.insidehousing.co.uk
January 14, 2026 at 11:15 AM
Initially started to get annoyed at how wrong he is about all the detail of... everything, but what's the point? The long and short of it is he's prepared to see more people die for housebuilder profits.
Unless it actually happens.
January 5, 2026 at 1:04 PM
Unless it actually happens.
**** christmas
@simplicitly.bsky.social's Social Housing Alphabetical Advent Calendar 2025 is now up to 'R' – which could stand for 'Read it now'. Here it is hqnetwork.co.uk/news/robs-so... #ukhousing
Warning: the man's sheer enthusiasm for Christmas may overwhelm you
Warning: the man's sheer enthusiasm for Christmas may overwhelm you
Rob's Social Housing Alphabetical Advent Calendar 2025 - HQN
But I've decided to give the gift* of a look at the year in the UK housing sector through some daily snippets, loosely in the form of an advent calendar. Just
hqnetwork.co.uk
December 19, 2025 at 10:30 AM
**** christmas
Reposted by Rob Gershon
@simplicitly.bsky.social's Social Housing Alphabetical Advent Calendar 2025 is now up to 'R' – which could stand for 'Read it now'. Here it is hqnetwork.co.uk/news/robs-so... #ukhousing
Warning: the man's sheer enthusiasm for Christmas may overwhelm you
Warning: the man's sheer enthusiasm for Christmas may overwhelm you
Rob's Social Housing Alphabetical Advent Calendar 2025 - HQN
But I've decided to give the gift* of a look at the year in the UK housing sector through some daily snippets, loosely in the form of an advent calendar. Just
hqnetwork.co.uk
December 18, 2025 at 12:27 PM
@simplicitly.bsky.social's Social Housing Alphabetical Advent Calendar 2025 is now up to 'R' – which could stand for 'Read it now'. Here it is hqnetwork.co.uk/news/robs-so... #ukhousing
Warning: the man's sheer enthusiasm for Christmas may overwhelm you
Warning: the man's sheer enthusiasm for Christmas may overwhelm you
For some reason I have decided to make a Social Housing Advent Calendar on LinkedIn for the main tidbits from the year, and even more foolishly I've decided to do it in alphabetical order. Thankfully @hqnmedia.bsky.social are making a compendium of the daily entries, so i don't have to.
Rob’s Social Housing Alphabetical Advent Calendar 2025
And now he's up to 'F'!
hqnetwork.co.uk/news/robs-so... #ukhousing
@simplicitly.bsky.social
And now he's up to 'F'!
hqnetwork.co.uk/news/robs-so... #ukhousing
@simplicitly.bsky.social
Rob's Social Housing Alphabetical Advent Calendar 2025 - HQN
But I've decided to give the gift* of a look at the year in the UK housing sector through some daily snippets, loosely in the form of an advent calendar. Just
hqnetwork.co.uk
December 6, 2025 at 12:18 PM
For some reason I have decided to make a Social Housing Advent Calendar on LinkedIn for the main tidbits from the year, and even more foolishly I've decided to do it in alphabetical order. Thankfully @hqnmedia.bsky.social are making a compendium of the daily entries, so i don't have to.
I don't generally watch daytime TV but channel-hopped between the phone-in shows yesterday. The Cameron-era avarice was in full swing from most callers, incandescent with rage that some children's families might be able to afford to feed them now.
The UK, where the day after a decision to take half a million children out of poverty, the media & political world has been full of sneering at those same children & their families, labelling them as ‘Benefits Street’, while the same people are moaning about a tax on £2m mansions. Shameful stuff.
November 28, 2025 at 1:50 PM
I don't generally watch daytime TV but channel-hopped between the phone-in shows yesterday. The Cameron-era avarice was in full swing from most callers, incandescent with rage that some children's families might be able to afford to feed them now.
Reposted by Rob Gershon
The UK, where the day after a decision to take half a million children out of poverty, the media & political world has been full of sneering at those same children & their families, labelling them as ‘Benefits Street’, while the same people are moaning about a tax on £2m mansions. Shameful stuff.
November 27, 2025 at 8:22 PM
The UK, where the day after a decision to take half a million children out of poverty, the media & political world has been full of sneering at those same children & their families, labelling them as ‘Benefits Street’, while the same people are moaning about a tax on £2m mansions. Shameful stuff.
All this means is that carers who used to qualify for carer's allowance - wrongly in the view of the government - won't get it any more. There won't be any overpayments, which is great, but all these carers now won't get any financial support at all.
Major news in the campaign to stop the Carers Allowance Overpayments scandal: https://go.carersuk.org/CA-OP?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign&utm_content=ap_d070omahrm. The Government have published the independent review by @lizsayce and its response.
Unprecedented changes for carers as Government responds to Carer’s Allowance overpayments review recommendations | Carers UK
It’s a landmark day today for the carers’ movement now that the Government has responded to the independent review of overpayments by Liz Sayce OBE.
go.carersuk.org
November 26, 2025 at 8:21 PM
All this means is that carers who used to qualify for carer's allowance - wrongly in the view of the government - won't get it any more. There won't be any overpayments, which is great, but all these carers now won't get any financial support at all.
More work needed on how many families won't get any more money because they'll still hit the overall household benefit cap.
WE WON 💥 The two-child benefit limit is GONE! This will pull 470,000 children out of severe hardship by 2027.
This is a massive victory for families, campaigners, and every one of you that played your part urging the Chancellor to act.
This is a massive victory for families, campaigners, and every one of you that played your part urging the Chancellor to act.
November 26, 2025 at 8:14 PM
More work needed on how many families won't get any more money because they'll still hit the overall household benefit cap.
Surprise (surprise).
Net additions to the housing stock - the basis of the govt's target of 1.5m new homes in England in this parliament or 300,000 a year - fell to 208,600 in 2024/25. Estimate for Labour's first 16 months is 275,600
www.gov.uk/government/s...
www.gov.uk/government/s...
Housing supply: net additional dwellings, England: 2024 to 2025
www.gov.uk
November 20, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Surprise (surprise).
I am technically on holiday but at first glance this report is so, so weird.
Now included in www.thinkhouse.org.uk :: @Clarion_Group @davidorrcbe.bsky.social REPORT :: I’m home, therefore I am. The 5 new giants of opportunity to establish a new social contract for housing. :: Awaiting Editorial Panel assessment. #ukhousing #housingresearch #housingpolicy
Thinkhouse library of UK housing reports
Thinkhouse holds a library of the best and most innovative research pieces, policy publications and case studies on the quantity and quality of the UK's housing stock.
www.thinkhouse.org.uk
November 20, 2025 at 1:08 PM
I am technically on holiday but at first glance this report is so, so weird.
Reposted by Rob Gershon
Inspired by Donald Trump, backed by Tommy Robinson, channelling the Nazis – here's Labour's new policy on migration
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/nov/17/refugees-jewellery-asylum-home-office
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/nov/17/refugees-jewellery-asylum-home-office
Asylum seekers’ jewellery could be seized to pay for processing costs, says Home Office minister
Idea borrowed from Denmark is latest attempt to reduce number of people seeking asylum in UK
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Inspired by Donald Trump, backed by Tommy Robinson, channelling the Nazis – here's Labour's new policy on migration
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/nov/17/refugees-jewellery-asylum-home-office
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/nov/17/refugees-jewellery-asylum-home-office
Let's just get the Tories out, and then we can worry about actual policy down the line.
November 17, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Let's just get the Tories out, and then we can worry about actual policy down the line.
If you didn't know which party this guy was from, you would have to google it, because it's a pretty consistent policy across all parties to wrongfully blame sick and disabled people for their poverty.
Never have I seen such a perfect example of Schrödinger's Migrant.
Zia Yusuf, asked whose PIP Reform would cut, talks about "foreign nationals". Less than a minute later, same "foreign nationals" are taking all the jobs and damning British youth to life on PIP.
🤡 Utter clownshow. ~AA
Zia Yusuf, asked whose PIP Reform would cut, talks about "foreign nationals". Less than a minute later, same "foreign nationals" are taking all the jobs and damning British youth to life on PIP.
🤡 Utter clownshow. ~AA
November 3, 2025 at 8:08 PM
If you didn't know which party this guy was from, you would have to google it, because it's a pretty consistent policy across all parties to wrongfully blame sick and disabled people for their poverty.
Often wondered if it's just as frustrating a task as an employer as it is as a claimant to engage with an organisation that has predominantly been turned into a harsh gatekeeper for social security entitlements.
New today from DWP: Claims that just one in five employers have engaged with Jobcentre Plus. Actually, it's worse than that - the DWP employer survey says most of the contacts are about workplace pensions, apprenticeships (then not DWP), child support and disability issues, not JCP services.
Businesses missing out on specialist JCP recruitment support worth thousands
UK businesses are being offered no-fee specialist recruitment support to fill vacancies as the full rollout of a national campaign launches today (Monday 3 November) targeted at key sectors.
www.gov.uk
November 3, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Often wondered if it's just as frustrating a task as an employer as it is as a claimant to engage with an organisation that has predominantly been turned into a harsh gatekeeper for social security entitlements.
Reposted by Rob Gershon
New today from DWP: Claims that just one in five employers have engaged with Jobcentre Plus. Actually, it's worse than that - the DWP employer survey says most of the contacts are about workplace pensions, apprenticeships (then not DWP), child support and disability issues, not JCP services.
Businesses missing out on specialist JCP recruitment support worth thousands
UK businesses are being offered no-fee specialist recruitment support to fill vacancies as the full rollout of a national campaign launches today (Monday 3 November) targeted at key sectors.
www.gov.uk
November 3, 2025 at 7:26 PM
New today from DWP: Claims that just one in five employers have engaged with Jobcentre Plus. Actually, it's worse than that - the DWP employer survey says most of the contacts are about workplace pensions, apprenticeships (then not DWP), child support and disability issues, not JCP services.
Reposted by Rob Gershon
Never mind shrugging aside nurse's advice, I have come across a totally unqualified "medical adviser" to a social landlord asserting they knew better than a *professor consultant* at a London teaching hospital specialising in tenant's rare illness.
November 3, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Never mind shrugging aside nurse's advice, I have come across a totally unqualified "medical adviser" to a social landlord asserting they knew better than a *professor consultant* at a London teaching hospital specialising in tenant's rare illness.
Are the TSMs out yet?
November 3, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Are the TSMs out yet?
Urgh, Sovereign. This is clearly Not Fixed.
Tried to help a tenant last/this year with something almost exactly the same, they eventually just homeswapped because Sovereign thought they had fixed it, but they had not. An internal comms and systems problem that leaves tenants unhelped.
Tried to help a tenant last/this year with something almost exactly the same, they eventually just homeswapped because Sovereign thought they had fixed it, but they had not. An internal comms and systems problem that leaves tenants unhelped.
November 3, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Urgh, Sovereign. This is clearly Not Fixed.
Tried to help a tenant last/this year with something almost exactly the same, they eventually just homeswapped because Sovereign thought they had fixed it, but they had not. An internal comms and systems problem that leaves tenants unhelped.
Tried to help a tenant last/this year with something almost exactly the same, they eventually just homeswapped because Sovereign thought they had fixed it, but they had not. An internal comms and systems problem that leaves tenants unhelped.
So important to tie all these issues together, and very neatly and carefully done by @hannahfearn.bsky.social. Some of these things have felt inevitable since the coalition's swingeing welfare cuts after 2010, and the solutions now require a real policy shift.
The latest edition of HQM is out now! Read Hannah Fearn last word column in which she outlines why living through scarcity opens the door to bad actors hqm.hqnetwork.co.uk/the-last-wor... #ukhousing
November 3, 2025 at 12:11 PM
So important to tie all these issues together, and very neatly and carefully done by @hannahfearn.bsky.social. Some of these things have felt inevitable since the coalition's swingeing welfare cuts after 2010, and the solutions now require a real policy shift.
Reposted by Rob Gershon
Isabel Oakeshott on behalf of Reform calling for Sharia law in Britain. No, I'm not even joking. That's literally what she's saying here.
The UAE where hugging in public can get you arrested, where human rights barely exist, where foreign workers are routinely abused, where critics of the regime routinely disappear, where an Indian nanny was shot by firing squad in March & where marital rape is not a criminal offence but being gay is.
November 3, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Isabel Oakeshott on behalf of Reform calling for Sharia law in Britain. No, I'm not even joking. That's literally what she's saying here.
There is still time to book for tomorrow's @hqnmedia.bsky.social Resident's Network annual conference. Book one or more staff places and get 5, yes FIVE, free places for tenants. Hear from MHCLG, Ombudsman & tenants setting up national bodies in England and Wales: hqnetwork.co.uk/events/the-r...
The Residents' Network annual conference 2025: Amplifying the tenant voice and shouting about success - HQN
Join us as we celebrate resident engagement and how residents are finding their voice at a national, regional and local level through a range of successful initiatives.
hqnetwork.co.uk
November 3, 2025 at 10:52 AM
There is still time to book for tomorrow's @hqnmedia.bsky.social Resident's Network annual conference. Book one or more staff places and get 5, yes FIVE, free places for tenants. Hear from MHCLG, Ombudsman & tenants setting up national bodies in England and Wales: hqnetwork.co.uk/events/the-r...