The Housing Sector Podcast

Ben Jenkins
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  • Society & Culture

The Housing Sector Podcasts provide candid, insightful discussions on housing issues, featuring unfiltered conversations with residents and industry insiders to advocate for better services and transparency in the housing sector.

  1. Sep 14

    Housing Sector Podcast #76 – Building Safety, Denial and the Fight for Accountability audio

    Stephen Day returns to the Housing Sector Podcast with an extraordinary update from Royal Artillery Quays in Woolwich. Residents say they have spent years raising concerns about serious fire-safety and construction defects, including missing fire doors and failures in internal fire compartmentation. Yet Stephen says the evidence they have repeatedly presented has been denied, dismissed or ignored. In this episode we discuss the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the Building Safety Regulator, London Fire Brigade, the Ombudsman and the wider system residents are expected to rely upon when something goes wrong. Stephen also explains why residents raised more than £4,000 themselves to commission independent fire-engineering advice, why he believes public statements made about their evidence must now be withdrawn, and why the proposed Hillsborough Law could become highly significant. But the wider question is bigger than Royal Artillery Quays. How many residents are living in potentially unsafe buildings who simply do not have the time, money, knowledge or confidence to spend years fighting the organisations that are supposed to protect them? And why does the system so often appear to focus on the person raising the alarm rather than the alarm itself? Right to reply will be offered to those criticised or named during this discussion. #HousingSector #BuildingSafety #RoyalArtilleryQuays #Greenwich #RoyalBoroughOfGreenwich #FireSafety #BuildingSafetyCrisis #Leasehold #Grenfell #HillsboroughLaw #SocialHousing #ResidentVoice #Accountability #HousingCrisis Support the show

    Housing Sector Podcast #76 – Building Safety, Denial and the Fight for Accountability audio

  2. Sep 3

    Housing Sector Blog - Does Housing Have an Events Problem?

    Housing has already seen more than 40 events, conferences and awards in 2026 — and the year isn’t over yet. In this audio version of my latest Housing Sector blog, I ask a simple question: are residents seeing enough measurable value from the sheer scale of the housing events circuit? When housing associations tell us they must account for every pound, while rents and service charges continue to rise and basic services remain under pressure, it is reasonable to scrutinise the cost of conferences, memberships, travel, accommodation, awards and staff time. Events can have value. But where are the outcomes? #Housing #SocialHousing #HousingSector #HousingAssociations #Tenants #Residents #ServiceCharges #ResidentEngagement #Accountability #Transparency #UKHousing Support the show

  3. Aug 14

    Housing Sector Podcast #75 — Why Tenants Are Turning to TikTok

    In this episode of the Housing Sector Podcast, I’m joined by Joanne — known on TikTok as @aunty.jo — for an open and honest conversation about why more tenants are turning to social media to talk about the reality of their housing experiences. Joanne originally created her platform around community support and healing, but after speaking to hundreds of people she began to recognise the same housing problems appearing again and again: residents feeling ignored, overlooked, frightened to speak up and unsure where to turn for help. Her response has been to use her voice and her growing TikTok platform to encourage tenants to support one another and share their lived experience. We talk about complaints, repairs, temporary accommodation, contractors, service charges and the exhaustion that comes from repeatedly chasing organisations for answers. We also discuss why residents often end up raising their concerns publicly after private emails and phone calls have failed — only to be told on social media to go back and contact the same customer service channels that have already ignored them. TikTok has opened up a very different type of resident engagement. Search housing on the platform and you quickly find tenants talking openly about disrepair, communication failures, service charges and the struggle to get basic problems resolved. These conversations are often far removed from the carefully managed resident panels, conferences and engagement events that dominate much of the traditional housing sector. Joanne and I discuss whether housing providers are really listening to those voices — particularly the difficult, outspoken and frustrated residents who may not fit neatly into the sector’s preferred model of engagement. Sometimes the feedback organisations most need to hear is the feedback they least want to hear. There is also practical advice for residents. Joanne’s message is simple: don’t give up, reach out for support and document everything. Keep photographs, emails, dates and records, speak to people you trust and connect with other residents who understand what you are experiencing. And there is a message for senior leaders in housing associations and councils: get out into your communities, speak directly to tenants, listen to what they are actually saying and take action. Reports, statistics and satisfaction scores can only tell you so much. Sometimes you need to speak to the people living with the consequences of the decisions being made. This is a conversation about tenant voice, accountability, lived experience and why residents supporting residents could become an increasingly important part of the housing conversation. Follow Joanne on TikTok: @aunty.jo Follow Housing Sector on TikTok: @housing.sector Website: housingsector.co.uk If you have a housing story you think needs to be heard, get in touch. #HousingSector #HousingSectorPodcast #TikTok #HousingTikTok #TenantVoice #Tenants #Residents #SocialHousing #HousingAssociation #CouncilHousing #ResidentEngagement #HousingRepairs #ServiceCharges #Accountability #HousingCrisis Support the show

    Housing Sector Podcast #75 — Why Tenants Are Turning to TikTok

  4. Jun 29

    Housing Sector Podcast #74 – Are Rent Strikes Coming?

    Could the UK be heading towards a new wave of rent strikes? In this episode, I sit down with Suze Muna from SHAC (Social Housing Action Campaign) to explore why more tenants and leaseholders are reaching breaking point. We discuss the growing pressure of rising rents and spiralling service charges, the financial position of housing associations, and whether frustration is beginning to turn into organised action. We also look at the proposal for a National Housing Union and ask whether the sector is listening to the people it exists to serve. In this episode we discuss: • What rent strikes are – and why they happen. • The impact of rising service charges. • Housing association finances and accountability. • Whether residents' voices are being heard. • The case for a National Housing Union. • What the future could look like if confidence in the sector continues to decline. As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Do you think rent strikes are becoming a realistic possibility, or can the sector rebuild trust before it reaches that point? Please like, subscribe and share if you find these conversations valuable. https://shaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/SHAC-Blueprint-for-a-National-Housing-Union-July-2026-Full-Version-V1.pdf #HousingSector #SocialHousing #RentStrikes #ServiceCharges #HousingAssociations #Tenants #Leaseholders #HousingPodcast #SHAC #NationalHousingUnion Support the show

    Housing Sector Podcast #74 – Are Rent Strikes Coming?

  5. Jun 8

    Housing Sector Podcast #73 – The Boardroom Blind Spot?

    Housing Sector Podcast #73 – The Boardroom Blind Spot? In this episode, I am joined by Hannah Howard-Jones to explore one of the most important questions facing the housing sector today: are housing association boards asking the right questions? We discuss the role of boards, governance, accountability, CEO oversight, mergers, organisational culture, data quality, AI, and why transparency matters more than ever. From scrutinising performance data to holding senior leaders to account, this conversation examines whether boards are getting the information they need, whether they are challenging effectively, and what happens when organisations lose sight of their purpose. Topics covered: • The role of housing association boards • Governance and accountability • CEO performance and leadership • Board scrutiny and challenge • Housing association mergers • Data quality and decision-making • Artificial intelligence and risk • Resident trust and transparency • Leadership culture in social housing My thanks to Hannah Howard-Jones for joining me once again for a thoughtful and wide-ranging discussion. Follow, share, and visit housingsector.co.uk — because the more people who understand what’s really going on, the harder it becomes to ignore. #HousingSector #HousingSectorPodcast #SocialHousing #HousingAssociations #Governance #BoardMembers #HousingLeadership #Accountability #TenantVoice #ResidentVoice #DataGovernance #ArtificialIntelligence #HousingManagement #HannahHowardJones #BenJenkins Support the show

    Housing Sector Podcast #73 – The Boardroom Blind Spot?

  6. May 18

    Housing Sector Podcast #72 - Blame the Victim

    In this episode of the Housing Sector Podcast, I speak with Stephen Day about building safety, institutional candour, resident campaigning, and what happens when people raising serious concerns become the target instead of the issues themselves. We discuss:  post-Grenfell fire safety concerns  compartmentation failures and remediation disputes  PAS 9980 and watered-down remediation standards  accusations of harassment against campaigners  councils, developers, and accountability  the culture of “deny, attack, reverse victim and offender”  why residents increasingly feel silenced rather than heard The conversation focuses heavily on the ongoing situation at Royal Artillery Quays and the wider questions facing the housing sector nearly a decade after Grenfell Tower fire. Follow, share, and visit housingsector.co.uk — because the more people who understand what’s really going on, the harder it becomes to ignore. https://substack.com/home/post/p-197129987 https://www.businessinsider.com/grenfell-fire-expert-colin-todd-disabled-people-2022-2 #HousingSector #BenJenkins #StephenDay #Grenfell #BuildingSafety #CladdingScandal #FireSafety #SocialHousing #PAS9980 #ResidentVoice #HousingPodcast #TenantRights #Accountability #Leasehold #RoyalArtilleryQuays #HousingCrisis Support the show

    Housing Sector Podcast #72 - Blame the Victim

  7. May 11

    Housing Sector Podcast #71 The Decant Trap

    In Housing Sector Podcast #71, I speak with Mark Hughes from Southwark and Muhammad Khan from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea about growing concerns around the use of decants within social housing. The discussion explores allegations that temporary decants are increasingly being used in ways that leave residents permanently displaced from their homes. Mark shares his personal experience involving disrepair, lock changes, temporary accommodation issues, and legal action, while Muhammad discusses concerns around unsuitable accommodation, resident mistrust following Grenfell, and fears surrounding regeneration and displacement. We also discuss:  Temporary vs permanent decants  Repairs and disrepair in social housing  Resident trust and accountability  The impact on families and vulnerable tenants  Tenant participation and resident panels  PR, complaints handling, and governance culture  Awaab’s Law and housing obligations This episode contains allegations and personal experiences discussed by the guests. Relevant councils will be offered a right of reply. Follow, share, and visit housingsector.co.uk — because the more people who understand what’s really going on, the harder it becomes to ignore. #HousingSector #SocialHousing #HousingPodcast #Decant #TenantRights #CouncilHousing #Disrepair #HousingCrisis #AwaabsLaw #Southwark #RBKC #Grenfell #HousingAssociation #ServiceCharges #BenJenkins Support the show

    Housing Sector Podcast #71 The Decant Trap

  8. Apr 20

    Housing Sector #70 The Landlord’s Trap

    In Housing Sector Podcast #70, I speak to Richard Duvall, a landlord and tenant caught in a situation that highlights a growing issue within the housing system. After renting out his one-bedroom flat on a short-term agreement, Richard expected to move back in when the contract ended. Instead, nearly 18 months later, his tenant remains in place, paying little to no rent, while he continues to cover the mortgage, bills, and rent on another property. This episode explores the reality behind Section 21, court delays, and the gap between legal rights and real-world outcomes. It raises difficult questions about balance, where protections designed to support tenants may also be leaving some landlords financially exposed. With debt rising, court timelines stretching, and no clear resolution, this is a case that shows how the system can stall when it matters most. If the system is meant to protect both sides, what happens when it fails one completely? #HousingSector #BenJenkins #Landlords #Tenants #Eviction #Section21 #HousingCrisis #UKHousing #PropertyLaw #HousingJustice #CostOfLiving #CourtDelays #TenantRights #LandlordRights Support the show

    Housing Sector #70 The Landlord’s Trap
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About

The Housing Sector Podcasts provide candid, insightful discussions on housing issues, featuring unfiltered conversations with residents and industry insiders to advocate for better services and transparency in the housing sector.

Information

  • Creator
    Ben Jenkins
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    67
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Housing Sector Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Housing Sector Podcast

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