The first spade in the ground has taken place at Places for People’s latest development in Bordon, Hampshire. Work is underway at Places for People’s second development in Bordon – Maple Fields, located off Station Road – which features a collection of two and three-bedroom semi-detached and detached homes and
MAPP has been awarded B Corporation certification – the largest real estate consultancy in the UK to be recognised for its environmental and social performance. The company, which manages £13.2bn of commercial property across the UK, said the certification gives it a “formal framework” to continue pursuing its ESG agenda.
What do you do when you’ve got a tenant who seems to be causing problems? Many landlords and property managers have encountered this problem, and the result is a very frustrated landlord. Understanding the reasons why tenants behave as they do and what that means for your rental business will
With legislation changes on the horizon the world of property management is going to have to continue to evolve, and we’re positioning ourselves to be ready. With new regulations coming our way, how we communicate with residents will be changing and residents will expect to see how we manage that.
The latest research by the nationwide buy-to-let specialist, Sequre Property Investment, has revealed that despite a string of government changes around stamp duty, tax relief and a potential change to capital gains tax, UK landlords remain undeterred where their investment intentions are concerned. While changes to tax relief and a
Research from build to rent specialists, Ascend Properties, shows that the UK build to rent sector has performed well during the pandemic year with planning permission requests rising by 52%. Build to rent (B2R) is becoming a driving force in the UK new-build market, and while the COVID-19 pandemic has
Stafford MP Theo Clarke visited a new development of homes for affordable rent and shared ownership. The site of 23 houses and apartments off Sandon Road being built for Housing Plus Group, is revitalising an area on the edge of the town centre. With progress well underway on the site, the
A social landlord has created its first ever safe house in the Midlands. Platform Property Care – a subsidiary of Platform Housing Group, one of the UK’s largest social landlords – has reinforced a customer’s home after she ended an abusive relationship. The decision was taken to undertake the work so that the customer could remain in her home with her children, allowing
News reached us at the weekend that British retail institution John Lewis is expanding its range of wares from haberdashery, electrical goods and Waitrose goodies to houses. Yes, you will soon be able to pick out a place to live from their stores and not just with regard to the
A housing association has been shortlisted for one of the UK’s leading people management awards. Platform Housing Group – one of the largest social landlords in the county – has been shortlisted for the CIPD People Management Awards for 2021. The organisation has been shortlisted in the Best Digital/Technology Initiative in HR/L&D category. The
The first spade in the ground has taken place at Places for People’s latest development in Bordon, Hampshire. Work is underway at Places for People’s second development in Bordon – Maple Fields, located off Station Road – which features a collection of two and three-bedroom semi-detached and detached homes and one and two-bedroom apartments. Following on from the success of the first development in Bordon at Woolmer Copse, Maple Fields is bringing 60 new homes to the area, which is situated a stone’s throw away from Prince Philip Park. The properties will also boost the supply of new homes and make a positive contribution towards the supply of affordable housing in the area with homes available for sale through Shared Ownership and also to rent. 43 of the 60 homes will be modular, forming part of a wider £100 million joint venture between Places for People and ilke Homes leading modular housing company, which was announced in 2019. In the largest deal to date for Britain’s modular housing sector, Places for People agreed to purchase 750 units from ilke Homes. The two companies now have a modular development pipeline in excess of 1,000 units across a number of development schemes that are either already contracted or under negotiation. Places for People’s Managing Director for the South West region, Greg Hilton, said: “We are really pleased to be able to build on our success at Woolmer Copse and we are confident Maple Fields will achieve the same standards and create a sense of community, which are key priorities for us. “I am thrilled that work is underway on these high-quality new homes in Bordon and we are delighted to be working with ilke Homes once again. Thanks to their standardised processes, we are able to provide affordable housing in a quicker time period whilst delivering 43 homes to the highest quality and ready for occupation over a four-month period, reducing the build programme to a fraction of that which would be expected using traditional methods. “At Maple Fields we’re creating a range of affordable and well-designed houses and apartments which will give our customers unrivalled choice and quality in Bordon.” Phil Pearson, Development Director at ilke Homes, said: “Our joint venture with Places for People remains a sector-defining moment for the modular housing industry. The latest scheme we’re delivering for the Group is a great example of how offsite manufacturing can help speed up the construction of new-builds and improve quality while ensuring that the homes delivered are some of the most energy-efficient in the country.” Homes England, the Government’s national housing agency, has been championing modular housing as a solution to speeding up the delivery of affordable housing across the UK. Last year, the Government’s national housing agency announced that housing associations looking to sign deals under the new £11.5 billion Affordable Housing Programme will have to commit to using modern methods of construction (MMC) to deliver at least a quarter of their pipelines.
MAPP has been awarded B Corporation certification – the largest real estate consultancy in the UK to be recognised for its environmental and social performance. The company, which manages £13.2bn of commercial property across the UK, said the certification gives it a “formal framework” to continue pursuing its ESG agenda. Few property companies in the UK have received B Corp status, which involves scrutiny over a company’s operations across five areas: governance, workers, community, environment and customers. MAPP implemented several measures as part of the certification process, including the total abolition of zero hours contracts, increased diversity and inclusion, financial coaching for employees, “market leading” maternity policies and the opportunity to lease electric or hybrid cars. To qualify, businesses have to complete the B Impact Assessment, which evaluates how the company interacts with workers, customers, community and the environment, before sharing confidential documentation to validate the responses. Companies have to update their assessment every three years to maintain their certification. Besides MAPP, the only property management or investment companies in the UK with B Corp status are TSP, FORE Partnership, Newcore Capital Management and igloo Regeneration. A number of coworking operators have also been certified: The Hub Kings Cross, ARK and x+why, eOffice. Nigel Mapp, CEO of MAPP, said: “Since our inception 23 years ago, being a force for good and making a meaningful contribution to our communities has been in the company’s DNA. “There is an authentic correlation between the principles of B Corporation and the practices and standards we aspire to, so pursuing this accreditation felt like a natural progression in the MAPP story. “Becoming part of the B Corporation movement is the beginning of a new chapter. It provides us with the formal framework to continue to push the boundaries with how we deliver, measure and assess the impact we have with our people, partners, the community and environment, while empowering us to build on our progress and do even better.”
What do you do when you’ve got a tenant who seems to be causing problems? Many landlords and property managers have encountered this problem, and the result is a very frustrated landlord. Understanding the reasons why tenants behave as they do and what that means for your rental business will help you develop a workable strategy for managing this often difficult relationship. Bad tenants can take on many forms, from the irresponsible to the frankly criminal. Here are some common problems with tenants and tips for dealing with them. Late or Partial-Paying Payers Since landlords manage properties, they often see tenants as customers. Failing to look at it from the tenant’s perspective and understand why they might be late in paying rent, however, will only lead to problems. Landlords need to identify who their most profitable, reliable and long-term tenants are early on in the relationship. And once they do, landlords should strive to retain them as much as possible by building a good personal relationship with them and communicating effectively. Whiners A landlord who has a tenant who is a constant complainer may finally have to evict them. The strategy will depend on the landlord’s reason for wanting to get rid of the tenant. A tenant who sublet without permission or a lease is another example of a troublemaker, as well as one who causes a major disruption in the apartment complex or building. Indulgent Pet Owners Landlords face different problems from pet owners every day. Most often face premises liability issues with pet faeces, urine, damaged property and general disturbance to neighbours. Many pet owners are reasonable, but some pet owners let their animals do what they want and disregard the property rules. It is important for landlords to have a clause in the tenancy agreement that covers renting with pets (such as size, number, and appropriate care) and address the potential cost of damages to the property. Landlords should also be aware that tenants can be held responsible for the behaviour of their pets and must be willing to follow through on any eviction proceedings. Destroyers Even the best tenants can damage your property. The first step is to sanction them immediately in writing for damage and then begin the eviction process. Start by serving an eviction notice which is a legal document used by a landlord to evict a tenant for not complying with the original terms of the lease or rental agreement. Don’t let tenant problems ruin your home, your cash flow, or your peace of mind. You can protect your property with insurance. Landlord insurance is a type of insurance that covers your own possessions and liability in case of lawsuits or claims from damage caused to property and/or bodily injury. It can also cover damage to the inside of your home caused by your tenants if you have chosen to rent out your house. Conclusion Solving common problems for tenants is one of the hardest but most profitable duties of a landlord. Some problems may be as simple as returning calls or messages. Most problems can be solved with little to no issues, but it never hurts to make sure everything is covered in your tenancy agreement just in case.
With legislation changes on the horizon the world of property management is going to have to continue to evolve, and we’re positioning ourselves to be ready. With new regulations coming our way, how we communicate with residents will be changing and residents will expect to see how we manage that. So, our teams have been getting creative over the last few challenging years developing ways to help our clients and customers, because, as an industry, we need to stay ahead of the game. Some of the ideas that bounced off the table have already been received as ‘refreshing’ and ‘necessary’ by our developer clients, and we’ve brought in new members of the team to help deliver them. Here are just a few… Training for new build sales teams Remus now offers comprehensive management company training to our clients’ sales teams, typically within 14 days of site launch. It’s partly an introduction to Remus, but more importantly provides education on the difference between a managing agent and a management company. Our training covers: How Remus was appointed The handover process What happens to completion monies What residents can expect post-handover Detail of the service charge projection Handover to residential control post land transfer We also leave the sales team with informational materials to assist in the sales process. Free ‘ASK THE AGENT’ Seminars If the sales team training needs a top up, our seminars provide all the answers to questions such as ‘What does a Managing Agent do?’ in which the teams get a deeper dive into what we do and how we make it happen. We also explain the journey of a new development – from land acquisition, through the technical process to sales and then handover to management and beyond. Giving this level of information right, from the start, reduces queries when it matters and we’re now back on the road providing our training and seminars face to face. Staff training We have invested in more training for our property teams too. Training from the bottom up focuses on the lifecycle of a development, people skills and financial management, through to creating a robust community engagement strategy. All of which gives our teams a deeper understanding of the importance of their role in nurturing a thriving and well-informed community. Placemaking is a necessary part of what we provide as managing agents and often requires detailed knowledge of complex environmental issues, so it is vital our property teams are equipped with the best information. New appointments in customer service and estate mobilisation Our new Customer Experience Manager, Jane Turner heads up our Customer Service department. She advocates picking up the phone to a customer, calming any issue and turning the situation around. No agent will get everything right all the time, and sometimes it’s simply an education process that gets the required resolution. Once the customer understands the ‘why’ and ‘how’ related to their query it becomes less of an issue (or not one at all). Identifying that Estate Management is the way forward, we put together a system that educates purchasers of the value that estate management can give to their community. We also recognise that managing estates can require a different skill set to the management of apartment blocks and so have created a team dedicated to the handover of estates. Headed up by the highly experienced Mal Vickers to ensure a well maintained and beautiful environment for the community is met. Community Engagement When it comes to community building no one size fits all! We provide a bespoke Community Engagement Strategy for each of our sites that fits its environment and all who reside there, residents and wildlife alike. After a tumultuous few years, our aim is to help rebuild trust in group activities, lift spirits and get people back together, and with the help of a Community App that is based on social interaction specifically designed for community building, we’ll get there. New build developments are so much more than a number of houses built in close proximity, or a block of apartments, and placemaking is now even more important to us, as we work with resident management companies to nurture a thriving environment for all. For more information on our approach to Open Space Management visit https://www.remus.uk.com/property-services/open-space-management/
The latest research by the nationwide buy-to-let specialist, Sequre Property Investment, has revealed that despite a string of government changes around stamp duty, tax relief and a potential change to capital gains tax, UK landlords remain undeterred where their investment intentions are concerned. While changes to tax relief and a three per cent increase to the rate of stamp duty on buy-to-let purchases was predicted to cause a mass exodus of landlords, the research by Sequre found that just 10% have sold part of their portfolio in the last five years. Ascend then asked if they planned to sell up in the next five years and just 19% stated they were thinking of doing so. Despite the government’s best intentions, changes made to dampen buy-to-let profitability aren’t the driving factor they were intended to be. In fact, the majority of landlords stated that they were thinking of selling up because they had become tired of dealing with tenants issues. A problem that was no doubt intensified during the pandemic when the government implemented a ban on tenant evictions. The next biggest factor when considering a buy-to-let investment is retirement, with most landlords looking to sell up in order to enjoy their golden years. However, the previous changes to landlord tax relief did rank as the third most influential factor, while the increase in stamp duty tax followed closely behind. With a change to capital gains tax failing to materialise in the last Budget, it ranks as the least influential factor, with more landlords exiting in order to invest in different asset classes instead. Sales Director at Sequre Property Investment, Daniel Jackson, commented: “Investing in property remains one of the safest options you can make in this day and age and so it comes as little surprise that the majority of landlords remain confident with their investment and have no plans to exit the buy-to-let sector. It’s also interesting to see that the government has failed to intimidate the nation’s landlords, despite a consistent campaign to reduce profit margins and force them out of the sector. In fact, more landlords have decided to leave having grown tired of dealing with tenants than they have because of various government tax changes. So it looks as though the government will have to actually build some more homes if they wish to address the current housing crisis, rather than rely on hard-working landlords to boost the nation’s property stock levels.” Survey of 797 UK landlords carried out by Sequre Property Investment via consumer research platform Find Out Now (21st July 2021). Have you sold part or all of your buy-to-let portfolio in the last five years? Answer Respondents No 90% Yes 10% Do you intend to sell part or all of your buy-to-let portfolio in the next five years? Answer Respondents No 81% Yes 19% What has been the driving factor behind this? (Tick all that apply) Answer Respondents Tired of dealing with tenant issues 24% Retirement 23% Changes to landlord tax relief 19% Increase in stamp duty tax for B2L purchases 12% Investing in a different asset 11% A potential increase in capital gains tax 11%
Research from build to rent specialists, Ascend Properties, shows that the UK build to rent sector has performed well during the pandemic year with planning permission requests rising by 52%. Build to rent (B2R) is becoming a driving force in the UK new-build market, and while the COVID-19 pandemic has slightly slowed what looked to be a very impressive rate of growth, the B2R market has done an admirable job of recovering from the early shock to maintain positive momentum throughout a challenging year. Planning permission applications are a useful way to measure UK B2R performance because they show exactly how many developments are being conceived, how many of those result in permission being granted, and how many are either refused or withdrawn by the applicant. It enables us to examine both developer appetite and local authority willingness to push for a B2R boom in this country. The figures show that the pre-pandemic peak for B2R planning application approval came in Q2 2019 when 6,682 applications were submitted. Of these, 4,151, an all-time high of 62%, were granted full planning consent while 2,531, an all-time low of 38%, were either rejected or voluntarily withdrawn. By the time the COVID-19 pandemic began in Q1 2020, applications had risen to 7,900 submissions but the amount being granted was down to 52% while rejections and withdrawals rose to 48%. Q2 2020 brought a predictably significant slump for the sector. While the total number of B2R applications only fell slightly to 6,530, the approval rate dropped significantly to just 39%, while rejection and withdrawal jumped to almost 61%. However, from this point forward, the B2R sector quickly returned to a steady rate of growth. By Q1 2021, after a year of pandemic and lockdown, the B2R sector showed signs of being on the brink of a post-pandemic boom. An all-time high of 11,975 planning applications were submitted, up 52% on the year. Of these, 58% received full approval, a rise of almost 6% since the start of the pandemic, while 42% were either rejected or withdrawn, a drop of nearly -6% on the year. Managing Director of Ascend Properties, Ged McPartlin, commented: “It’s clear that build to rent is becoming the go-to choice for developers, with projects popping up both in major cities and smaller regional towns. “But what we’re also seeing is a clear uptick in willingness from local planning authorities to grant permission for build to rent developments. While developers sense high yield, low-risk opportunities, local authorities sense an opportunity to simultaneously meet the demand for new homes while rejuvenating and reinvigorating their economies and communities by introducing this new, dynamic way of living.” Table shows the ratio of UK BTR planning permissions granted and withdrawn during the pandemic, as well as the previous high for approvals (Q2, 2019) BtR planning application status Q2 2019 Q1 2020 Q2 2020 Q3 2020 Q4 2020 Q1 2021 Pandemic Change Pandemic Change % Planning permissions granted – full planning consent gained 4,151 4,114 2,575 4,791 5,192 6,937 2,823 69% Withdrawn / refused 2,531 3,786 3,955 3,563 3,896 5,038 1,252 33% Total – estimated 6,682 7,900 6,530 8,354 9,088 11,975 4,075 52% Planning permissions granted – full planning consent gained % 62.1% 52.1% 39.4% 57.3% 57.1% 57.9% 5.9% Withdrawn / refused % 37.9% 47.9% 60.6% 42.7% 42.9% 42.1% -5.9% Data sourced from Gov.uk, Gov.scot, Gov.wales and Infrastructure-NI
Stafford MP Theo Clarke visited a new development of homes for affordable rent and shared ownership. The site of 23 houses and apartments off Sandon Road being built for Housing Plus Group, is revitalising an area on the edge of the town centre. With progress well underway on the site, the MP met Housing Plus Group Chief executive Sarah Boden and members of the development team to see what will be available when the first residents move into their new homes later this year. Housing Plus Group has partnered with Midlands construction firm Markden Homes on the development of three-bedroomed houses and one and two-bedroomed apartments. In a key project for the housing provider, Wheeldon Close will become the first new affordable housing site to be completed following the merger between Housing Plus Group and Stafford and Rural Homes. It is an important step towards fulfilling a commitment made by the Group during that merger, to help address the local housing crisis by starting work on 2,000 new homes for rent, shared ownership and outright sale across Staffordshire and Shropshire by 2023. The high specification homes have been built on the site of a former car showroom on one of the gateway roads into the town centre. It was named by pupils at John Wheeldon Primary Academy, who wanted to honour a former head teacher who went on to become mayor of Stafford. Theo Clarke said: “I was delighted to visit the new development to see the regeneration of a brownfield site in Stafford – it is fantastic to see a positive example of local development, including homes for shared ownership, to help people get on the housing ladder. One of my priorities as the local MP is to ensure that people have the opportunity to own their own homes. “It was also an opportunity to discuss matters raised by constituents and to work together to find solutions.” Sarah Boden said that she was delighted to welcome the MP to Wheeldon Close and to show her around some of the homes and apartments under construction: “We are very proud of the homes that are taking shape on this development. These are high quality, attractive homes for local people to rent and to be able to step onto the first rung of an incredibly challenging housing market through shared ownership. “I believe very strongly in the transformative power of housing not only to change lives but to revitalise locations like this, close to the town centre. The homes will help us to make a positive difference to homes, lives and communities; bringing people and families into the area, sustaining local facilities and helping shops and businesses to thrive. “We are looking forward to welcoming the new residents of Wheeldon Close soon and in a key year for our Group, we are also nearing completion of the nearby Wren House, which will provide 80 one and two-bedroomed retirement apartments for affordable rent.”
A social landlord has created its first ever safe house in the Midlands. Platform Property Care – a subsidiary of Platform Housing Group, one of the UK’s largest social landlords – has reinforced a customer’s home after she ended an abusive relationship. The decision was taken to undertake the work so that the customer could remain in her home with her children, allowing her to keep living in the local area where her support network is, and, crucially, to feel safe and secure. Glyn Howard, Lead Engineer at Platform Property Care and the initiative’s designer and project manager said : “Keeping our customers safe and ensuring they have the right level of home security to suit their circumstances is a vital part of the service we provide. We are absolutely delighted with the finished product and wish our customer and her family many safe and happy years in their home.” The work included : Iron gates and slatted wooden gates to the side of the property with secure latches; A dusk to dawn light above the front door; An outward opening 44mm solid core fire rated door on the main bedroom. The organisation currently supports customers who are victims of domestic abuse by listening, providing advice, signposting to other specialist agencies, operating safety checks in homes to ensure survivors feel safe as well as dealing directly with perpetrators. This latest project will be included in the company’s application to DAHA – or the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance; this year, will see the social landlord become accredited within best practice guidelines as set out by the government backed DAHA initiative. Having established the first accreditation for housing providers, as a member of DAHA, Platform Housing Group will aim to always deal with victims of domestic abuse in a fair, patient and consistent manner. It will also show its commitment to the issue as well as providing ongoing employee training. The housing association is part of The Drive Partnership which is made up of Respect, SafeLives and Social Finance. It challenges perpetrators of domestic abuse aiming to fundamentally change perpetrator behaviour to make victims and families safe. Duncan Palmer, Head of Responsive Repairs at Platform Property Care concluded : “We firmly believe that all of our customers and employees should not live in fear of violence or abuse from a partner, former partner or any other member of their household. As a large provider of affordable housing we have a significant role to play in tackling and preventing domestic abuse. “Domestic abuse impacts upon all communities, creating a sense of fear and the potential for reprisals and criminal activity. It is a serious and widespread crime affecting all members of our society, including children.” Statistics surrounding domestic abuse in the UK make for sobering reading : 1 in 4 women will experience some form of domestic abuse within their lives; A staggering 2 women a week are killed by their partner or former partner; 1in 4 LGBT relationships is abusive; The average victim will suffer more than 50 incidents before reporting; Worryingly, the number one barrier preventing women from leaving abusive situations is housing. Platform Housing Group – which owns 46,000 homes in total – completed 1448 homes in 2019/20 (1,598 in 2018/19) at an investment of £258m (£228m in 2018/19). The Group also built more social rented homes – at a figure of 981 – during the past 2 years in England than any other provider, 523 in 2019/20, almost 33% of the total homes built. Platform Housing Group’s operating area is from Herefordshire in the West to the Lincolnshire coast in the East, and from the Derbyshire Dales in the North to the Cotswolds in the South. If you are a Platform Housing Group customer and is experiencing domestic abuse, please call 0333 200 7304. For further information please contact Duncan Palmer, Head of Responsive Repairs at Platform Property Care on Duncan.Palmer@Platformhg.com.
News reached us at the weekend that British retail institution John Lewis is expanding its range of wares from haberdashery, electrical goods and Waitrose goodies to houses. Yes, you will soon be able to pick out a place to live from their stores and not just with regard to the things you put in it. This is a sensible initiative for a 157-year-old company that realises that times are changing and that department stores may not be the destination of choice for new generations any longer, given the indefatigable rise of Amazon etc. Faced with such challenges firms can either ‘do a Woolworths’ and just die in the face of adversity or they can pivot. John Lewis and their employee partners have chosen the latter with the announcement that they will be building 10,000 homes on company land over the next ten years. Interestingly, these are not planned to be built as resales. John Lewis is not looking to compete with the likes of Bovis, Persimmon nor Redrow. No, these properties are for the long haul as build-to-rent homes that will provide rental income to the company Infinitum. Additional, solid revenue that will contribute quite significantly to their P&L and will be backed by the asset value of the buildings themselves for balance sheet strength. You have to applaud the boldness of this scheme and its product market fit from existing resources yet also its pure simplicity. Which got me to thinking, what if other British based firms were to innovate in this way too? How many dwellings could be created for the country’s growing number of enthusiastic renters and how lucrative would this be for struggling firms that are perhaps now ‘land asset rich’ yet ‘bottom line poor’? Some of the UK’s biggest landowners are, unsurprisingly, housebuilders given that they jointly own or control some 700,000 potential building plots. But other super-sized players inadvertently include such examples as Tesco, who apparently own over 11,000 acres around their existing stores or assets that have been purchased with the intention of building new ones. The fag packet that I have just reached for to work out how many homes that represents shows that over 220,000 homes could be provided from Tesco’s space, based upon an average of 45 dwellings per hectare as is about the average. That’s quite some solution and brings new meaning to the strapline ‘Every Little Helps’. And it’s also quite some income at a typical monthly rent of £900+ per month – equating to perhaps £2billion a year in top-line revenue. I’ll leave you with this inexhaustive list of UK landowners with which to boggle your mind over what I suggest the future of build-to-rent could be. Note that the housebuilder I have included is one of the smallest holders of all, comparatively (Source: ABCFinance.co.uk). Isn’t it amazing how solutions are sometimes just sitting there just waiting to be implemented? Landowner Land Acreage Owned in England Ministry of Defence 397,000 United Utilities 140,100 Duke of Westminster 140,000 Duchy of Cornwall 130,600 Network Rail 100,500 Church of England 73,000 Severn Trent 51,700 Sir James Dyson 33,000 Homes England 19,300 Taylor Wimpey 14,600 Tesco 11,000 Source: ABCFinance.co.uk
A housing association has been shortlisted for one of the UK’s leading people management awards. Platform Housing Group – one of the largest social landlords in the county – has been shortlisted for the CIPD People Management Awards for 2021. The organisation has been shortlisted in the Best Digital/Technology Initiative in HR/L&D category. The category encouraged submissions from organisations that have understood their end users and their needs to build solutions that have delivered business benefits, met user needs and achieved strategic objectives through the innovative use of technology or digital solutions. The Group’s entry – entitled Learning in the Flow of Work – described how the social landlord’s Learning and Development team designed learning that supported colleagues moving to a CRM, via MS Office 365 Dynamics. The learning was easily made available in ‘the flow of work’ to enable colleagues to quickly and simply access the learning and bespoke support they needed, when they needed it. This approach removed the need for traditional classroom training delivery which takes people out of their roles to learn and placed learner and customer needs at the heart of the learning design. Alison Bishop, Head of Learning and Organisational Development at Platform Housing Group said : “This change required upskilling on a new system, new processes and changes to behaviour around customer interaction. Following a review of what needed to be achieved from a learning perspective, the Learning and Development team put forward the concept of ‘learning in the flow of work.’ It has allowed us the opportunity to accelerate our own Learning and Development strategy, underpinned by our values and behaviours, where colleagues own their own learning. We are encouraging self service upskilling by giving learners easy access to the learning material while carrying out their roles, making this process more agile, productive and easier to manage. “We are therefore thrilled to be shortlisted for such a prestigious award.” The next stage in the process will require Platform Housing Group to present its entry to a panel of judges; the awards ceremony will take place at The Grosvenor House in London on Tuesday 28 September. Platform Housing Group – which owns 46,000 homes in total – completed 1448 homes in 2019/20 (1,598 in 2018/19) at an investment of £258m (£228m in 2018/19). The Group also built more social rented homes – at a figure of 981 – during the past 2 years in England than any other provider, 523 in 2019/20, almost 33% of the total homes built. Platform Housing Group’s operating area is from Herefordshire in the West to the Lincolnshire coast in the East, and from the Derbyshire Dales in the North to the Cotswolds in the South. For further information on the scheme please contact Alison Bishop, Head of Learning and Organisational Development at Platform Housing Group on Alison.Bishop@Platformhg.com.
