The HIP: The Housing Industry Podcast

How do you create a culture of trust and openness that drives results without compromising on performance or accountability? In this episode, we’re joined by Wayne Gales, Chief Executive of Weaver Vale Housing Trust, to unpack how a purpose-led approach can transform both internal culture and external impact. Fresh off receiving a G1, V1, C1 rating, Wayne offers a grounded, behind-the-scenes look...

How can housing associations bridge the digital divide and ensure that no tenant is left behind? In this episode, we dive deep into the urgent issue of digital exclusion and what housing professionals can do about it. Nick Horne, Chief Executive of Wythenshawe Community Housing Group and Chair of the Manchester Housing Providers Partnership, joins us to explore the importance of digital access in...

Where does AI fit into the social housing sector? And can it really give professionals precious time back, improve frontline services, and drive sector-wide collaboration? In this episode, Jenny Danson and Lee Reevell, co-founders of Healthy Homes Hub, join us to talk about Housing AI, an AI-powered assistant specifically designed for the social housing sector. With decades of combined experience...

Too many people ‘fall into’ a career in housing rather than actively choosing it. But what if the sector did more to attract fresh talent, showcase the breadth of opportunities, and reflect the communities it serves? In this roundtable episode, we’re joined by Chartered Institute of Housing President Elly Hoult and a panel of future housing leaders: ● Jaz Pugh, a Housing Officer at Barcud Housing...

Can housing providers collaborate effectively to solve the sector’s biggest challenges? In this episode, Paul Fiddamen, Group Chief Executive of Karbon Homes and Chair of the North East Housing Partnership, shares how strategic collaboration is shaping the future of housing in the region.  With extensive experience in the housing sector and leadership of Karbon Homes’ 34,000-strong housing stock,...

When people hear ‘innovation,’ they often think of technology—but true innovation in housing goes far beyond digital tools. Elizabeth Froude, Group Chief Executive of Platform Housing Group, shares how bold decision-making, digital transformation, and a culture of progressive thinking are helping shape the future of housing. With over 50,000 homes across the Midlands, Platform Housing Group has em...

Can a housing association balance care, housing, and affordability in today’s complex landscape? In this episode, Wendy Evans-Hendrick, Chief Executive of Orwell Housing, shares how embracing diversity and being responsive has shaped their mission to provide seamless care and housing services. Wendy has dedicated 31 years to Orwell Housing. Under her leadership, Orwell has grown to serve a wide ra...

How can a strong organisational purpose help teams make better decisions—and put those decisions into action? In this episode, James Francis, Chief Executive of Saffron Housing, shares how his organisation is reshaping its approach to tenant service, safety, and decision-making, all guided by clear principles and a strong purpose. With five years as CEO and a deep connection to Saffron’s heartland...

The housing crisis shows no signs of slowing down. How much risk can the housing sector afford to take—and what does it take to make bold decisions in uncertain times? In this episode, Mark Perry, Chief Executive of Vivid Homes, shares how his organisation continues to push forward with an ambitious development programme, even as others in the sector have scaled back. With 30 years of experience i...

What can the housing sector do to better support marginalised communities and build a more inclusive society? In this episode, Chief Executive of Elim Housing Association, Paul Smith, shares his work with diverse communities, the challenges of overcoming prejudice, and the importance of creating inclusive housing opportunities. Paul has 35 years of experience in housing, including roles in youth h...

The skills gap in the housing sector is widening by the day. How can we bridge that gap and build a future-ready workforce? In this episode, Greg Reed, Group Chief Executive at Places for People, shares his views on why the sector struggles to attract talent and the forward-thinking strategies he's using to tackle these challenges. With a background in banking and financial services, Greg bri...

Domestic abuse affects 2.4 million adults in England and Wales each year. But how can the housing sector step up to challenge misconceptions, support survivors, and shape better policies? In this episode, Jacque Allen, CEO of Your Housing Group, is joined by an expert panel: Kate Green , the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, champions the Gender-based Violence Strategy. Nicki Clarke , Head of Ho...

Why are repair demands higher now than a decade ago? And how can we meet this rising demand, cut costs, and still maintain our quality of service? In this episode, we speak with Paul Walker, Executive Director of Repair and Maintenance at Home Group—one of the UK’s largest housing associations and social enterprises. Paul shares his extensive cross-sector experience and forward-thinking strategies...

No one really wants to have to contact their housing association. But do we understand why? In this episode, Chief Executive of Plymouth Community Homes, Jonathan Cowie, shares his strategy for understanding and improving customer experience, and his vision for the future of housing. Jonathan holds 14 years experience in the sector, with 20 years of commercial sector experience prior, working for...

We tap into our guests' HR expertise in this episode to find out how they’re taking EDI seriously in their hiring. We speak with Aimee Woodcock - People Services Project Lead and Katherine McGough - Head of People Services for North Star Housing Group. North Star Housing recently took part in a board diversity program to develop the board members of the future. They share the challenges they...

Inspiring the next generations of leaders is about more than just imparting knowledge; it's about empowering them to envision and create a better future.  involves nurturing their talents, encouraging their ambitions, and guiding them through the challenges they will face. To round off our incredible first season of our new Housing Fringe series, we speak to a panel of true trailblazers, Jacq...

Do you have a net zero plan, and if so, do you have a funding plan in place to deliver it? If you’re like our live audience then around 90% answered no to both questions.  In our third episode of AJ’s new Housing Fringe, we speak with Jenny Danson, James Williams, Paul Norman & Tom Sowerby to demystify how you can access funding solutions (not grant funding) backed by UK banks, pension and ins...

Whether we like it or not, we live in a world of digital transformation, where using data to simply measure performance is not enough. With advancements in technology, our new challenge comes in how to use data to solve key problems in the sector and individual businesses, but the recurring question is: ‘Do you really know what problem you’re trying to solve?’ And with the rapid growth of AI and a...

Board effectiveness is a direct result of the board's composition, which is why good governance dictates that the composition should be built according to the organisation's needs. But with a rapidly changing and often volatile marketplace, how can you ensure your board composition is right?  In our first episode of AJ’s new Housing Fringe, we speak with Sara Shanab, Cris McGuiness, Patr...

The first CFO we’ve had on the podcast, Kal Kay, joins us for this episode. Kal has spent her whole career in finance, before moving into housing with Your Housing Group. Kal has a passion for profit-for-purpose organisations which led her to take up the role. Your Housing Group is a large North West-based housing association providing affordable housing to suit a variety of needs. They also have...

Harpreet Rayet currently holds the Managing Director role at TWO organisations - Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing and Cornovii Development. He’s been working in property development and housing for nearly 18 years and in this episode, we discover his story. Harpreet stepped up as MD for STAR Housing as his first MD role. We dive deep into his experiences with taking on the ‘number one’ role and...

Is this year the year you start to prioritise EDI in your organisation? Chief Executive of Manningham Housing Association, Lee Bloomfield, joins us in this episode to take a deep dive into building bridges within communities and how the organisation has levelled up its EDI approaches. We find out about Lee’s journey into housing that left him in charge of bringing Manningham Housing Association up...

Tina Barnard spent her early career as an accountant before moving into the housing sector. She’s now Chief Executive at Watford Community Housing and in this episode, we discover her journey into housing and get her expert insights into funding, joint ventures and more. Watford Community Housing has established joint venture companies with local authority partners. We get a behind-the-scenes on h...

When Clare Budden joined ClwydAlyn Housing Association as Group CEO, she knew that change was sorely needed. Clare believes that social housing is a people-first industry, but staff satisfaction wasn’t where it should have been. Since joining, the organisation has increased its housing stock by nearly a thousand and turnover from 40 million to 64 million. Staff satisfaction has also increased and...

In this episode, former healthcare professional, Debi Marriott-Lavery, now Chief Executive at Magenta Living, shares with us the skills that she brought to the sector and her journey so far. Magenta Living is a Wirral-based housing association that owns, manages and provides support to thirteen thousand homes across the region.  Debi previously saw herself as a ‘great number two’, as opposed to le...