Housing events need to be for everyone in the sector, and that includes tenants

Last year as a tenant representative from Bournemouth Churches Housing Association, I had the privilege of attending the first-ever Housing Community Summit, thanks to BCHA’s sponsorship.

The brilliant thing about the social housing sector is how welcoming and inclusive it is. It encourages debate, values different opinions, supports collaboration and welcomes everyone connected to housing’s social purpose to get involved. Some may see these events as a “jolly”, but I can honestly say the value and depth of knowledge I gained were eye opening. It introduced me to ideas I hadn’t considered for BCHA before going.

Last year’s summit was a great experience, with 2,500 attendees across two key events: Housing in Practice and Housing in Focus, hosted by broadcaster Victoria Derbyshire. The venue itself was great with a variety of discussions on issues affecting the housing sector.

A key theme throughout the summit was the changing political landscape. In one session Baroness Ayesha Hazarika, Professor Sir John Curtice, and Stephen Bush from the Financial Times discussed the government’s ambitious target of building 300,000 new social homes per year - 1.5 million over the course of the current parliament. The panel raised concerns about the reality of actually achieving this goal, given the shortage of construction workers and issues surrounding Section 106 agreements. This led to lots of discussion, and it was clear that while the goal is great there are significant challenges.

Another standout session was on co-production, led by Victor Andrews, chair of the NHF’s Tenant Advisory Panel. The emphasis on ensuring that “customer involvement is in the room when decisions are taken was something I felt was really important for us at BCHA.” I think it is crucial that customers have a direct voice when BCHA make decisions that impact will impact on us.

It was inspiring to hear about the organisation For Housing Associations Repairs and Maintenance Excellence Steering Group, where tenants play an active role in shaping services. This got me thinking about how BCHA could adopt similar approaches, allowing us tenants to contribute to service improvements. There were also several smaller housing associations who shared videos of their work with tenants, showcasing a range of customer-driven initiatives. I left feeling that BCHA could benefit from doing more of this in the future, to highlight the positive work already being done in collaboration with tenants.

The exhibition hall was another highlight. A wide range of organisations showcasing their approach to housing challenges. One particular display, sponsored by ARK, focused on the stigmatisation of social housing tenants. I was interested to hear suggestions on how we can change the language we use when talking about social housing avoiding words like “crisis” and using “homes” instead of “housing.” This difference in language can make a big difference in how tenants are perceived and how we see ourselves as part of the community.

Tenants need to have a seat at the table

One of the most engaging sessions I attended was on devolution, led by Steve Rotherham, Mayor of Liverpool. He discussed how devolved powers allow local authorities to work more closely with housing associations, ensuring that housing strategies are more tailored to local needs. This model I believe it’s something we should keep an eye on at BCHA, particularly in terms of how it could influence our local housing policies.

Overall, my experience at the Housing Community Summit, which is run by the National Housing Federation and the Chartered Institute of Housing was incredibly valuable. It gave me a chance to see first-hand how the housing sector is tackling major challenges - and how tenants support change and make a difference.

This year the programme looks even better. With the political and housing landscape evolving rapidly, there are more opportunities than ever to learn, engage and have tenant voices heard. True to its tag line of being an event by the sector, for the sector, there’s a wide range of influential and knowledgeable speakers from across housing lined up again this year, including 33 tenant speakers.

I am so pleased BCHA sponsored my attendance and recognises the importance of tenant involvement and development.

My key takeaway? Tenants need to have a seat at the table when decisions are being made. Our voices matter, and I hope to see more tenants encouraged to attend and take part in the future. Tenants are key influential spokespeople in the housing sector, it’s great to see that represented at Housing Community Summit. Let’s get more tenants in the audience too, come on housing associations - encourage your tenants to join you at Housing Community Summit 2025.

Nick Apps is a tenant representative on the customer steering group at Bournemouth Churches Housing Association