Speaking in tongues

Richard Blakeway is well known among housing professionals in London as Boris Johnson’s political housing advisor.

It is his job to make the mayor’s housing policies clear to the media, landlords and other politicians.

But Mr Blakeway’s ability to do this was cast into doubt by none other than Alan Benson, head of housing at the Greater London Authority.
Mr Benson, speaking at the National Housing Federation’s affordable homeownership and intermediate housing conference in London on Thursday, said: ‘You heard from my political other half this morning, Richard Blakeway. I’m sure you were inspired and confused as I am every time I speak to Richard about anything. I had a quick chat with him and he was inspired and confused after the session as well,’ he joked.

Closed Circuit hopes the pair achieve some clarity before their next meeting.

We’ve all been frustrated by the level of customer service offered by our banks at one time or another. But all this could be about to change, thanks to staff at Bromford Group.

The housing association recently hosted a delegation from Barclays Bank, which wanted to find out how to improve its customer service.
Bromford Group staff arrived for the meeting bouncing on space hoppers, part of its policy to make engagement with colleagues ‘entertaining and memorable’. Closed Circuit likes to think they were also trying to stress to Barclays the importance of achieving a bounce in the economy.

Closed Circuit was bemused to receive an email last Friday from Kent Reliance Building Society thanking us for contacting them.

The email said ‘we aim to respond to all email communications within 24 hours of receipt, and will be in touch with you shortly’.

An admirable policy, except on this occasion the company slightly missed its target. Closed Circuit sent the query, on a subject long since forgotten, on 17 December last year.

Send your juicy housing gossip to closedcircuit@insidehousing.co.uk