In Episode 66 of the Housing Sector Podcast, I’m joined once again by Suz Muna from SHAC to unpack some uncomfortable truths about service charges, housing benefit, and how housing associations respond when residents push back.

We begin with an update on communication plans — what they are supposed to be used for, how they can become restrictive tools, and why standing your ground calmly and factually matters. I share recent developments and reflect on what happens when pressure starts to shift.

We then turn to new SHAC research into First-tier Tribunal service charge decisions from last year. The findings are significant: in over 63% of concluded cases, judges identified some level of overcharging, resulting in reductions or removals of service charges.

But that figure only tells part of the story.

Many residents never make it to tribunal. Fear of legal costs, lack of representation, and intimidation tactics often deter people before a hearing ever takes place. We discuss cost threats, access to legal advice, and why the imbalance of resources matters.

We also explore:

Section 22 requests and incomplete invoice disclosure.
Admitted “errors” in service charge adjustments.
The role of housing benefit and the lack of scrutiny over service charge elements.
Freedom of Information responses from councils.
The scale of public money flowing directly to housing associations.
Whether current oversight mechanisms are truly protecting residents — or taxpayers.
Finally, we examine the Stop Social Housing Stigma campaign and ask whether tackling language alone addresses the deeper economic drivers behind sector behaviour.

This is a grounded, data-led conversation about accountability, legal process, and the wider financial ecosystem shaping social housing.

If you are dealing with rising service charges, communication restrictions, or housing benefit questions, this episode is essential listening.

#HousingSector #BenJenkins #SuzMuna #SHAC #GreenSquareAccord #StopSocialHousingStigma #SSHS #NickBliss #RuthCooke #SophieAtkinson #SteveHayes #ServiceCharges #HousingBenefit #FirstTierTribunal #TenantRights #Leaseholders #SharedOwnership #HousingAccountability

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I examine GreenSquareAccord’s decision to remove the communication plan and soften their tone. On the surface, it looks like progress. Restrictions lifted. Language adjusted. A new approach. But has anything really changed?

In this episode, I break down extracts from the latest letter, look at the continued references to expired undertakings, the narrative around “persistent contact,” and the framing of resident behaviour. I also explore why this shift may have happened now — including the growing visibility of the Housing Sector and GreenSquareAccord Resident Support platforms, increased sector engagement, and the wider public money questions now being asked.

With over £41 million of public funding identified over three years and growing professional scrutiny from across the housing sector, the questions are becoming harder to ignore. Is this genuine reset — or just a much needed change in tone?

Watch and decide.

#ThisIsTheGSAWay #GreenSquareAccord #HousingSector #BenJenkins #SocialHousing #ServiceCharges #HousingAccountability #TenantVoice #PublicMoney #HousingTransparency #RuthCooke #SteveHayes #SophieAtkinson #SLAPPS

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In this episode of the Housing Sector Podcast, I’m joined by Chris Carr, a former in-house housing professional with over 20 years’ experience working inside the system.

We talk about the growing imbalance between residents and housing providers — and why access to justice is becoming harder just as standards are under greater scrutiny.

Chris explains how the legal and operational machinery behind housing associations works, why tenants face an uphill battle in tribunals and disrepair claims, and how internal cultures often prioritise reporting performance over actually delivering it.

We discuss:

• Why residents without legal support struggle against experienced housing teams
• The government’s push to limit claims management and what that means for tenants
• How funding pressures and development priorities are reshaping repair budgets
• Why whistleblowers and internal critics are often sidelined
• The legacy of Grenfell and whether meaningful accountability has followed
• Procurement, conferences, and the sector’s focus on image over substance

This is an honest conversation about power, process, and the structural imbalance built into social housing today.

If residents are truly at the heart of the sector, the system needs to work for them — not against them.

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 #HousingAssociations #TenantRights #AccessToJustice #HousingDisrepair #Section11 #FirstTierTribunal #Grenfell #Accountability #Transparency #Procurement #PublicMoney #ServiceCharges #HousingPolicy #benjenkins

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