You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Our most read news stories of 2018
We reveal the Inside Housing news stories that were clicked on by the most subscribers in 2018
Our award-winning reporters provide you with the most in-depth and comprehensive coverage of social housing sector news around.
Here, in reverse order, are the 10 news stories that were clicked on by most Inside Housing subscribers in 2018.
10. Housing associations abandon partnership talks
Articles about merger and partnership activity are often among the most clicked on by our subscribers, but in January are readers were interested in this piece about a partnership that never happened.
A2 Dominion and Radian had previously announced partnership talks but abandoned these, with Mick Sweeney, chief executive of Radian, citing differences in approaches “particularly around technology”, while for Darrell Mercer, chief executive of A2 Dominion, the timing and complexity of the partnership had become problematic.
9. Giant housing association to offer lifetime tenancy to all residents
Fixed-term tenancies were one of the most controversial parts of the Localism Act 2011, allowing social landlords the option to rent out homes for a time-limited period instead of ‘for life’.
In September we reported on an announcement by mammoth housing association L&Q that it would no longer be offering fixed-term tenancies, instead moving to open-ended assured tenancies.
It also said it would move 8,500 existing fixed-term tenants to assured ‘lifetime’ tenancies. Several other large associations, including Optivo, Peabody and Catalyst have since said they are considering making a similar move.
8. S&P downgrades five large housing associations’ credit ratings
The extent to which the sector takes on sales risk continues to be a point of vigorous debate and this article from July illustrates some of the issues involved.
Standard & Poor’s downgraded its credit ratings for L&Q, Metropolitan, Hyde, Notting Hill Genesis and Guinness, citing the “structural trend” towards increased sales risk in the social housing sector.
7. Large housing association gets downgrade after selling homes
The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) in November downgraded the governance rating of Moat Homes after it sold older people’s homes to a for-profit provider.
The judgement was quickly seen by sector experts and lawyers as a landmark one, making it clear that providers should not make decisions to sell off stock solely on financial criteria and that the fact a buyer of homes is registered with the regulator is no guarantee that public assets are protected.
The RSH’s decision is significant as housing associations, as a result of deregulation measures brought in last year, no longer require the regulator’s permission to dispose of stock outside the sector.
6. Kit Malthouse appointed new housing minister
Dominic Raab’s appointment as Brexit secretary in July 2018 meant the housing ministerial revolving door was turning again.
Kit Malthouse was announced as the new housing minister after just six months of Mr Raab’s tenure. He became the eighth housing minister since 2010, prompting many social housing sector figures to lament the lack of continuity in the post.
David Orr, then-chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said Theresa May “needs to make sure Mr Malthouse actually has enough time to get to grips with the real scale of the problem, and make meaningful change.”
Inside Housing journalists discussed who has been the best housing minister since 2010 in a Housing Podcast episode.
5. David Orr announced as chair of for-profit provider
David Orr’s retirement from the National Housing Federation was one of the biggest job move stories in 2018, but it was his announcement days later that he was to chair for-profit provider Resi Housing that makes it in to this top 10.
The move had raised eyebrows among some as Mr Orr had previously lobbied against for-profit providers being allowed to use the name ‘housing association’.
Resi Housing has never used the name housing association.
4. New housing minister appointed as Sharma moves on
A familiar tale at number four, when in January Alok Sharma was shuffled out of his housing minister role after just seven months.
His replacement was Dominic Raab, who was only to last six months in the job himself (see above).
Nobody was to know that at the time though, and we brought you details of Mr Raab’s background, beliefs and voting history.
3. Three senior executives resign from housing association
Not one, but three executives departed newly merged association Connexus in September, in an article that generated a huge amount of interest among Inside Housing subscribers.
The housing association, formed by a merger of Shropshire Housing Group and Herefordshire Housing Group, went on to have its governance rating downgraded by the English social housing regulator to a still compliant G2 after whistleblower concerns about historic “procurement and probity”.
2. Names of new housing association strategic partners revealed
2018 was the year that strategic partnerships emerged as the new game in town when it comes to housing association development.
Under these deals, associations agree to increase their development programmes by a specified number of homes in return for extra funding and have freedom to use this cash flexibly across their programme.
Interest from our subscribers in this topic seemed to grow throughout the year, and many of you clicked on this article in October revealing the latest batch of eight associations to sign deals with the government.
1. Clarion appoints new chief executive as Ruth Cooke resigns
The appointment of Ruth Cooke as chief executive of Clarion, following the retirement of the long-serving Keith Exford, was in itself a major news story.
But Ms Cooke’s sudden departure from the role just months into the job was on a different level and came as a big shock to a lot of our readers, and you clicked on this article in your droves.
