Early in 2022, EIP joined forces with The Riverside Group to set up an industry subgroup focused on disrepair, an ongoing issue for the housing sector.

Named Disrepair Improvement Group, the aim was to work with the sector to investigate how we can deal with disrepair in a different way to provide a better outcome for tenants and to ensure that money is invested in people’s homes rather than being spent on administration, legal fees and compensation.

Aside from the usual meetings, several masterclasses and workshops have been delivered by experts including Geoff Hunt, a Chartered Building Surveyor and Building Pathologist specialising in the history of construction and recurring defects, and Donna McCarthy, Samantha Grix and Anna Bennett, all partners at Devonshires Solicitors, based in the Housing Management and Property Litigation department. We’ve also been joined by the Chartered Institute of Housing, the Housing Ombudsman Service and the National Housing Federation.

The meetings take place on a monthly basis, and look at prevention, remediation and management of disrepair in the social housing sector. For details of future meetings of the various Disrepair Improvement Groups, please visit Future Events with Echelon IP.

Exploring use of ADR

On 28 January 2025, we held the first session of our new three-part Alternative Dispute Resolution Working Group, facilitated by Echelon Improvement Partnerships (EIP) with insights from The Riverside Group and Devonshires LLP.

The group was created to explore and contribute to the development of a cross-sector approach to resolving disputes effectively and collaboratively, mitigating conflict and strengthening trust.

Following the final session of the group, efforts are now focusing on developing a national ADR standard that housing providers can adopt and adapt.

EIP and Riverside will also be launching a series of ADR clinics, open to any RP interested in exploring or implementing ADR. These will provide a forum for questions, shared learning, and peer support.

Keep an eye on our events page for more information.

Guidance

EIP has also worked with Geoff Hunt to produce guidance on managing condensation mould in the home, including a guide for housing providers to engage with tenants, and a video offering tips to residents (see below), as well as a downloadable flyer highlighting the key messages.