Name and shame the worst behaviour by housing associations

Housing demo, London, 13.3.16, photo Martin Powell-Davies (Click to enlarge)

Suzanne Muna, Unite Housing Workers branch secretary

Which association has the most overpaid chief executive? The worst record on maintenance? The poorest relationship with its staff?

The recently formed Housing Associations Workers and Residents Network (HAWRN) has announced an 'alternative' housing awards ceremony.

We regularly receive reports of bad behaviour by housing association chief executives. We believe it is time to name and shame them, so we have initiated the alternative housing awards which are now open for your nominations.

Votes are already flooding in. In less than two weeks we have received almost 200 nominations!

It's clear that this is finding an echo. Hyde is topping the league of shame with almost half of all votes from Clarion residents disgusted with service charges. Others like Genesis are failing to deliver quality services to tenants, and Sanctuary is letting residents down on repairs. Clarion, Sanctuary and Catalyst have all been nominated in the 'bad employer' category too, for never-ending restructuring, excessive executive pay and threats to de-recognise trade unions.

There is still plenty of time to nominate your association as an employer or resident, so please let us know!

Do so anonymously online at surveymonkey.co.uk/r/NJPV7NG

The worst examples will get their gongs in April at the ceremony at 5.30pm, Wednesday 26 April, outside the Lancaster Gate Hotel, 66-71 Lancaster Gate, London W2 3NA.

This event will take place at the same time and the same place as the UK Housing Awards which will be attended by our highly paid housing association executives. Please come along and enjoy the 'bad awards' for free.

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