Spotlight on: disrepair and housing conditions

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£130+VAT standard rate | £115+VAT discount rate

A half-day online event exploring the current state of housing conditions and disrepair in the UK, and upcoming policy changes.

Join us as we breakdown the legal and policy frameworks that regulate housing standards at our interactive event featuring expert speakers from academia, practice, government, and professional bodies, and a choice of workshops.

Of interest to anyone with some prior knowledge of disrepair. You might work in the private and social housing advice and support sector, legal sector, for a housing provider, or in local government as a housing or environmental health officer.

Agenda

10am Welcome and introduction

- Polly Neate, Chief Executive, Shelter

10:05am Panel one: Where are we now and how did we get here?

An overview of key recent developments and how the sector is responding.

- Rachael Williamson, Head of Policy and External Affairs, Chartered Institute of Housing

10:40am Q&A: Questions will be monitored by facilitators during the session

10:55am Workshops

Workshop one: Making and managing disrepair claims

A brief introduction to making and managing a housing disrepair claim. This workshop will equip participants with the essential skills and knowledge needed to proficiently handle civil claims related to housing disrepair.

Covering the following areas:

• the identification of disrepair issues

• understanding relevant legal frameworks

• effective communication and negotiations with landlords and tenants

• management of the claims process including risks and remedies to both parties

- Charlotte Webb, Solicitor and Head of Shelter’s National Legal Advice Team

Workshop two: Housing Ombudsman Service - key trends in complaints and disrepair cases

The Housing Ombudsman Service is an independent organisation that deals with complaints about social housing providers in England.

It aims to resolve disputes fairly and impartially, and to promote good practice and learning in the sector. The Social Housing Regulation Act 2021 gave the Housing Ombudsman Service new powers to investigate and sanction social housing providers that fail to comply with its determinations or the Housing Ombudsman Scheme.

The Act also introduced a new statutory duty for social housing providers to cooperate with the Housing Ombudsman Service and to provide information and access as requested. This workshop provides an overview of the role and functions of the Housing Ombudsman Service, and analyses the main trends and issues in complaints received by the service, with a particular focus on disrepair cases.

- Anthea Chilton, Sector Learning and Development Lead, Housing Ombudsman Service

Workshop three: Private rental sector update

This workshop will contain:

• a refresher on the main housing hazards that should be prioritised

• a discussion on the shifts within the private sector landlord profession brought about by tax changes, with a focus on the recharacterisation of this group

• a summary of the findings of a national study on the effectiveness and impact of local authority private sector licensing schemes
  

- Dr Henry Dawson, Cardiff Metropolitan University & The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) Housing Advisory Panel

11:55am Break

12:05pm Panel two: The Regulator of Social Housing’s approach to regulation under new consumer standards

An overview of the new consumer standards, with a particular focus on the new Safety and Quality Standard.

- Jim Bennett, Assistant Director for Policy and Communications, the Regulator of Social Housing

12:40pm Q&A - Questions will be monitored by facilitators during the session

1pm Finish

Featuring speakers from the following organisations:

Level four: intermediate/advanced
CPD points: 3