Inside Housing Management Podcast

Anna Highfield and Katharine Swindells discuss the Inside Housing Management brand’s most memorable moments and most-read articles since it launched in April.

We also hear from John Wilson, Traveller liaison and equine officer at Peabody, about his role working closely with Gypsy and Traveller communities who own and graze horses in Thamesmead, south-east London. 

Subscribe to Inside Housing Management by clicking here.

The Inside Housing Management Podcast is produced by Lucy Brown.
Music credits: Motivate by Wavecont (https://protunes.net/) | Promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ | Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

In this episode of the Inside Housing Management Podcast, Anna Highfield, editor of Inside Housing Management, and Ellie Brown, news reporter at Inside Housing, discuss Anna’s experience shadowing a Peabody housing management team in north-east London.

We hear from Elaine Daley, neighbourhood manager at Peabody, and Ben Siegert, head of neighbourhoods at Peabody, about how major changes to decentralise their housing management services since merging with Catalyst in 2023 have changed things for their resident-facing staff.

We also hear an update on how landlords are coping with Awaab’s Law since it came into force on 27 October.

Subscribe to Inside Housing Management by clicking here.

The Inside Housing Management Podcast is produced by Lucy Brown.
Music credits: Motivate by Wavecont (https://protunes.net/) | Promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ | Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Anna Highfield and Katharine Swindells discuss how housing management teams are using AI, from predicting rent arrears to identifying patterns in complaints, and how the technology is already changing the shape of housing management.

We also hear from Dr Guy Marshall, an independent AI and digital advisor for the housing sector, about how landlords can get their foot in the door with AI, including the best areas to start experimenting in, tips for small providers and the risks that staff should look out for.

Subscribe to Inside Housing Management by clicking here.

The Inside Housing Management Podcast is produced by Lucy Brown.
Music credits: Motivate by Wavecont (https://protunes.net/) | Promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ | Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Anna Highfield and Katharine Swindells discuss the key findings from Inside Housing’s Chief Executive Salary Survey 2025, the introduction of Awaab’s Law, and details of the incoming Competence and Conduct Standard for social housing. 

We also hear from Sarah Lamont, a specialist employment lawyer at law firm Bevan Brittan, about landlords’ main concerns regarding the Competence and Conduct Standard, and what providers can start doing to prepare for the regulations now. 

Subscribe to Inside Housing Management by clicking here.

The Inside Housing Management Podcast is produced by Lucy Brown.
Music credits: Motivate by Wavecont (https://protunes.net/) | Promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ | Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Anna Highfield, editor of Inside Housing Management, and Katharine Swindells, deputy features editor at Inside Housing, discuss lessons from the Housing Diversity Network’s annual conference – including insightful training on better ways to respond to and tackle hate crime.

We also interview Melonie Wheatle, anti-social behaviour (ASB) officer at Hexagon Housing Association, about what her 13 years in ASB has taught her – including how the landscape of ASB has changed in that time, what the biggest barriers for ASB staff are in 2025, and what makes a good new recruit.

Subscribe to Inside Housing Management by clicking here.

The Inside Housing Management Podcast is produced by Lucy Brown.
Music credits: Motivate by Wavecont (https://protunes.net/) | Promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ | Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

This week, we find out how housing providers are changing their approach to repairs to prepare for the implementation of Awaab’s Law at the end of October.

Also in the podcast, hosts Anna Highfield and Katharine Swindells are joined by Angela Manson, place team leader at Bromford Flagship, who talks about how the housing association has taken a fresh approach to boost its on-time repairs by 110% in one part of Bristol. 

Inside Housing news reporter Ellie Brown, who reported live from last week’s Labour Party Conference (28 September - 1 October), also explains how policy changes are set to impact housing providers. 

Subscribe to Inside Housing Management by clicking here.

The Inside Housing Management Podcast is produced by Lucy Brown.
Music credits: Motivate by Wavecont (https://protunes.net/) | Promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ | Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

This week, we discuss how housing providers are taking a zero-tolerance approach to rising abuse and assaults against their staff. 

Our guest is Ellie Gooch, neighbourhood and community operations manager at Bromford Flagship, who talks about how the housing association has introduced a new zero-tolerance policy to abuse and aggression against its staff.

Hosts Anna Highfield and Ellie Brown are also joined by Inside Housing intern Kate Callaghan, to discuss how Rochdale Council is making a major change to its housing allocation banding and waiting lists. 

Subscribe to Inside Housing Management by clicking here.

The Inside Housing Management Podcast is produced by Lucy Brown.
Music credits: Motivate by Wavecont (https://protunes.net/) | Promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ | Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Co-hosts Anna Highfield and Katharine Swindells discuss the results of a major investigation by Inside Housing Management into assaults against housing staff – which gathered data from 188 councils and 40 housing associations across the UK. 

We look at the rising levels of assaults revealed by the research, the possible reasons behind the trend, and what housing providers are doing about it, as well as exploring the residents’ perspective.

Subscribe to Inside Housing Management by clicking here.

The Inside Housing Management Podcast is produced by Lucy Brown.
Music credits: Motivate by Wavecont (https://protunes.net/) | Promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ | Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Anna Highfield, editor of Inside Housing Management, and Katharine Swindells, deputy features editor at Inside Housing, discuss the scale of the issue that is rent arrears, and how to take a different approach that might result in better outcomes for organisations, staff and residents.

The co-hosts also discuss new reports into the demand on homelessness services, and the state of government finances.

This week our guests are Catherine Cunliffe, who led the creation of a new income strategy at Lancaster City Council, which has reduced rent arrears to an all-time low, and Sam Jeffery, a member of Lancaster’s income team.

Subscribe to Inside Housing Management by clicking here.

The Inside Housing Management Podcast is produced by Lucy Brown.
Music credits: Motivate by Wavecont (https://protunes.net/) | Promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ | Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Editor Anna Highfield and Inside Housing deputy features editor Katharine Swindells discuss the challenges that housing management staff face when dealing with ASB, and different approaches to managing it.

The co-hosts also discuss an enforcement notice served to a Birmingham supported housing provider by the Regulator of Social Housing.

This week our guest is Cheryl Gledhill-Kucuk, an award-winning housing partner at Accent, who joins us to speak about her experience handling ASB. 

Subscribe to Inside Housing Management by clicking here.

The Inside Housing Management Podcast is produced by Lucy Brown.
Music credits: Motivate by Wavecont (https://protunes.net/) | Promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ | Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0