'Forget housing's Power Players, it's the views of tenants that matter'

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Housing

Housing Quality Network chief executive Alistair McIntosh says the housing sector's polite engagement with government ministers has got it nowhere.

Who is the most influential person in housing? That’s what this magazine wants to know. Last year it was Grant Shapps. He ran the show from start to finish. If he’d spent any more time with the CIH he would have been paying the bedroom tax in Coventry. But where did the love-in get us? Not very far.

New homes are as hard to find as beef in a Findus lasagne. The Coalition wants us to flat pack tenants like IKEA book cases in the name of welfare reform. It seems that access and influence are two very different things.

The question we need to ask is whether the housing sector has any influence at all. I think the answer is no. Why do I say that?

Council-owned stock has tiny debt and huge value. We could borrow against this to build tens of thousands of new homes. Yet the Government just sits on its hands and does nothing. Building these homes is a doddle compared to HS2. Why are we demolishing homes to make way for a train line that no one will be able to afford the fares on? Instead we could be building homes that people could afford to live in. If we can’t win this argument, we want shooting.

Now you might say there has never been a recorded instance of a party in power trusting councils with money. That is true. It’s a pity as these days councils are lean, mean, fighting machines. But you could transfer the homes to housing associations. You could revive the ALMO idea. The government offers nothing. It is a disgrace and we cannot get them to budge. Until the government changes its tune, can any of us claim to have influence at the top table?

I’m more interested in who influences the views of tenants. The big wigs don’t have much of an impact here. Poll after poll tells us that the repair teams are crucial. They have the most contact with tenants. You know if they do a good job. They either wipe their feet on the way in or the way out. The toilet flushes or it doesn’t. How they drive and park the branded vans is your biggest advert. Maybe we should have a competition for the most influential operative. I am sure the winner would be reliable, patient and charming. That’s what hits the spot for tenants.

You could say we have shown these same qualities when we talk to government. It has got us nowhere. Is there a better way to get our point across?

Recently I used the tube for the first time in years. What an eye opener. There were lots of staff around to help and when you spoke to them they were so polite. I had imagined that automation would have seen more of them off. How come the human element is still there in the tube? Could it have something to do with Bob Crow (pictured)? He doesn’t care about polite access to ministers but enjoys lots of influence. Do we need to be as uncompromising? Maybe we should book Bob Crow instead of Boris Johnson for the next CIH dinner. It wouldn't be so funny. But we might learn something. Our approach isn’t working. Is it time to shout: all change?

The top 50 housing 'Power Players' list appears in the April edition of 24housing