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

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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

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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

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