How resident voices shape Fairhive’s future

To start the process, we held a joint away day last summer for the residents’ forum and the board, bringing together diverse experiences and aspirations to ground our strategic plans in the realities of life for our residents.

Furthermore, involving residents from the outset gave them a real insight into the opportunities, pressures and trade-offs we face as an organisation and, crucially, into what we’re capable of achieving. That sense of joint endeavour is something we want to keep building on.

We now have a new consumer working group made up of officers, board members and residents which will embed scrutiny and challenge more deeply into how we manage our homes and services. That’s a real step forward, and I’m proud we’ve taken it.

“Too often, we think in terms of assets and stock, rather than homes and lives. Our job is to support residents in making a home, not simply maintain an asset”

It’s no accident that resident voice is the first of the five key objectives in our new strategy. It’s a statement of intent. It is more than listening to feedback, it also requires a mindset shift across the board. Too often, we think in terms of assets and stock, rather than homes and lives.

Our job is to support residents in making a home, not simply maintain an asset. Respect, responsiveness and humility should be embedded in every interaction. In practical terms, that means delivering services that reflect what residents actually want and need, when they need them.

Technology can help us get there, through better communication, faster responses and smarter systems. We are moving from being a service provider to being a partner.

Of course, listening is only part of the story. We also have ambitious goals: delivering more affordable, sustainable homes while progressing towards net-zero carbon. That’s a challenging balancing act, but one we are tackling head-on. New developments are designed to be future-proofed, energy efficient, low carbon and built to last.

At the same time, we’re investing significantly in improving our existing homes. It would be easy to see this as a trade-off. In reality, our commitment to sustainability and affordability go hand-in-hand with our commitment to our residents. A warm, safe, environmentally sustainable home is a necessity.

“Today, residents aren’t just consulted, they’re collaborators. That’s a legacy I hope continues”

Recently, the sustainability team successfully secured funding from the government’s Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3, enabling them to upgrade 550 of our residents’ homes, enhancing energy efficiency and reducing heating costs. The funding, along with additional investment we had already allocated, will give us nearly £14m to support the ambitious retrofit programme.

At the end of this year, I will be stepping down as chair. It has been a privilege and a joy to lead Fairhive, as its grown stronger, more ambitious and more resident-focused. When I joined, I said we needed to be bigger, better and bolder. I believe we’ve delivered. We’ve provided more homes, made real progress on sustainability and enhanced the quality of our services.

But what stands out most is how far we’ve come in listening to and working with residents. Today, residents aren’t just consulted, they’re collaborators. That’s a legacy I hope continues under new leadership.

Over the past nine years, Fairhive has built more than homes, it’s built communities, and a place people want to work. I have every confidence that with the passion of our staff, the insight of our residents and the vision we now share, Fairhive’s best years are still to come.

Stephen Stringer, chair of the board, Fairhive