Social housing today operates in a dynamic environment with increased expectations for consumer regulation, resident safety, professional competence, transparency and accountability. This session provides a foundation for understanding the sector and the context in which your organisation operates, whether you belong to a housing association, local authority, ALMO, community-led housing organisation or for-profit Registered Provider.
To help Board Members, councillors and senior leaders understand today’s regulatory and governance environment, and why these expectations have developed, it is important to know the sector’s history and evolution. This includes highlighting key events, policies and changes that have shaped social housing.
What you will learn
Where social housing has come from: explore its development from charitable origins, through the expansion of council housing and housing associations, to today’s diverse landscape of providers, and see how this history informs the sector now.
How we arrived at today’s housing landscape: learn how government policy, legislation, funding, stock transfers, investment and regulation have shaped the sector and defined the roles and responsibilities of housing providers and their Boards, helping you understand how those responsibilities sit today.
Putting today’s regulation into context: explore how social housing’s history informs today’s regulatory environment. Recent developments, such as stronger consumer regulation, Awaab’s Law, professional competence requirements and increased expectations for transparency and accountability, are part of a broader evolution. Understanding this history provides essential context for these changes and their impact on the sector’s direction.
Understanding the changing role of regulation: consider how expectations of landlords and governance have evolved, including the move toward proactive consumer regulation. For local authorities, this background helps you understand the Regulator of Social Housing’s approach to council inspections and current expectations.
Further info
Presented by Deborah Walthorne
Thursday 10 September 2026 | 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
This session is suitable for all Board members operating in England, Scotland and Wales
Our Webinars last 1 hour and are interactive; people can ask questions of the presenter and other attendees.
This session is free for Webinar subscribers; you will be sent a link to join before the session.
Are you not a subscriber? You can purchase this session for £80 plus VAT. Contact us for more details. Find out how to become a subscriber here.