Issue 139: Autumn 2025

Editorial: Dangers and duties

This Autumn issue of WHQ looks in depth at two subjects that have been on the minds of many people working in housing recently.

With a major Bill working its way through the Senedd our primary theme is building safety and we consider that from the perspective of landlords, designers and residents. Bethan Proctor examines the legislation that aims to improve safety in multi-occupied buildings and raise some of the concerns raised by housing associations. While the Bill focuses mainly on the occupation phase of buildings, Toby Adam draws on experiences of legislation in England to consider what it could mean for the design and construction of buildings in Wales. Mark Thomas reports on the plight of leaseholders in existing blocks still caught up in the post-Grenfell building safety crisis. Finally, Kayley Hyman reports on hoarding and how to tackle it.

We also consider the role that technology can play in improving resident safety inside their homes. Kevin Doughty and Gareth Williams makes the case for a unified digital platform for social housing while Roger Hiscott looks at an initiative that shows how retrofit can become preventative medicine.

After a summer of misinformation about housing, especially in relation to migration, we also consider that issue from multiple perspectives. Catherine Evans reports on how Trivallis has been fighting back, John Perry debunks some myths about migrants and social housing and Alicja Zalesinska says the housing sector must do more to push back against misinformation. Natalie Tate and Ian Hembrow also reflect on how to communicate our messages about housing and new homes.

This issue also covers two more developments with major implications for social landlords, with stories on the High Court judgment that has hopefully resolved the problems over electrical condition reports and rents and the new 10-year rent settlement for social housing. Karel Williams and Keith Edwards argue that we need to look more deeply at affordability to create a joined-up policy.

We also look at the impacts of different aspects of the housing crisis on the people experiencing them. Pete Johnson reflects on staff burnout and compassion fatigue and what can be done about them, while Wendy Dearden looks at the impact on children of living in temporary accommodation and considers what can be done to make things better.

Another topic of conversation over the summer has been the imminent introduction of Welsh Language Standards for housing associations. Aled Davies and Gwyndaf Tobias consider the implications from the perspective of two associations from different parts of the country.

All this, plus all our usual features, make this an issue with something for everyone working in housing in Wales.

Jules Birch, editor, WHQ