Housing Law is an area of law which changes constantly, reflecting societal and economic changes. Right now the housing sector is experience more legislative changes than it has ever experienced. Jonathan will introduce those changes and give his view on what changes the sector will experience in the near future.

This one-day programme brings together legal and sector experts to explore the fast-changing landscape for housing providers – from core housing law and regulation to governance, procurement, employment and day-to-day housing management.

Throughout the day you'll hear them unpack recent and upcoming legislative changes, what they mean in practice, and where organisations need to focus their attention next. Across the sessions you’ll gain clearer sight of the risks, opportunities and grey areas emerging in areas such as safety, contracts, workforce and tenant rights, with practical guidance on how to respond. The day is designed to equip boards, executives and senior managers with the insight and confidence to navigate the new environment and ask the right questions back in their own organisations.

Overall takeaways:

• Future legal changes to look out for
• Direction on where it might be best to make sector voices heard
• Confidence to face future legal changes

Sessions will include:

Session 1: Introducing; general state of law re housing and future – Jonathan Cox, Partner, Property

Housing Law is an area of law which changes constantly, reflecting societal and economic changes. Right now the housing sector is experience more legislative changes than it has ever experienced. Jonathan will introduce those changes and give his view on what changes the sector will experience in the near future.

What to expect from the session

• Future legal changes to look out for
• Direction on where it might be best to make sector voices heard
• Confidence to face future legal changes

Session 2: Regulatory – Lorna Kenyon-Pain, Senior Associate, Commercial Litigation & Regulatory

The safety landscape for housing providers has shifted significantly over the past few years - and more changes are on the horizon. In this session, we’ll review recent legislative and regulatory developments, explore what is expected moving forward, and highlight common compliance challenges we see in practice. We’ll also share examples of good practice and discuss the potential role of innovation and technology in strengthening safety compliance.

What to expect from the session

• Key legislative and regulatory changes that have taken place in respect of health and safety and property compliance (including fire and building safety) over the last year, and those expected moving forwards.
• The compliance issues that we see most regularly arise and how to avoid these.
• The potential role of technology and innovation in achieving compliance, and issues to be aware of whilst innovating.

Session 3: Governance –Victoria Jardine, Governance, Funding and Corporate

The regulator has indicated its intention to revise the Governance & Financial Viability Standard in the next 18 months. Given current and future sector challenges and vulnerabilities, this may see a move away from the current “one size fits all” approach and towards something more reflective of size and risk exposure. We’ll explore what this would mean for the regulation of the sector as a whole, and how RPs can start to anticipate how to respond to such a significant change in regulatory focus.

The breadth of data, commercial inputs and wider perspectives that Boards need to incorporate into (and evidence in) their strategic and operational decision-making is growing rapidly is growing rapidly. We’ll look at how emerging technology, including AI, can support boards and drive more effective governance and higher-performing boards.

Session 4: Procurement – Richard Brooks, Partner, Projects

It will be just over 12 months since the long anticipated Procurement Act 2023 come into force. In our view, people have been focussed on the administrative differences with the new regime – but what are the substantive issues? Delegates will learn about these issues including:

What to expect from the session

• The strategic issues arising from the Procurement Act – what are the obligations around contract management and how can they benefit RPs so that you actually achieve value for money over the contract delivery period?
• How do you set delivery priorities and manage them successfully during the contract delivery period?
• What changes are you able to lawfully accommodate to contracts in the contract delivery period?
• How can you best deal with contract delivery challenges – what strategic issues do you need to consider before terminating supplier relationships and what are the risks in looking at this?

Session 5: Employment – Katherine Sinclair, Legal Director, Employment & Pensions

As the housing sector continues to navigate major workforce pressures, regulatory change with the introduction of the Competence and Conduct Standard and accelerating technological disruption, employment law is shifting just as quickly. This session will explore what the future looks like for leadership teams, HR and people practitioners across housing providers, particularly as the newly enacted Employment Rights Act reshapes trade union law, unfair dismissal rights and the expectations placed on employers.

What to expect from the session

• The significant change to qualifying service for unfair dismissal claims and what this means for risk management, organisational culture, and people strategy across the housing sector;
• Employment law implications of the CCS;
• How in light of increasing union engagement and the potential for it, housing associations will need to adapt people policies and rethink how they communicate; and
• How AI is already influencing recruitment, grievances, performance processes and the handling of employment tribunal claims, how to harness innovation while protecting your data.

Session 6: Housing Management - Emma Hardman, Partner, Property and Helen Tucker, Partner, Housing Litigation

This session will cover the headlines of all the new and pending legislation that is impacting on everyday housing management practice. Aimed at directors and managers Helen and Emma will highlight the action required in response to all these changes.

What to expect from the session

• Renters Rights Act 2025;
• Leasehold and freehold reform;
• Awaab’s Law – beyond damp, mould and condensation
• ASB injunctions – the new Respect order
• The new rent settlement
• Understanding the key changes expected and what steps organisations should be taking to prepare
• Where we envisage challenges will be

Who should attend:

These sessions are designed for senior leaders and decision-makers across the housing sector, including executives, directors and managers, heads of procurement and delivery, HR and people leaders, in-house legal advisers, and those responsible for strategy, governance, health and safety, property compliance and workforce planning. They are also highly relevant for anyone who needs a high-level understanding of upcoming legal and regulatory changes, or who wants to better grasp the direction housing law and standards are taking and what that means in practice for their organisation.

Please note: There will be more details to come regarding the time of each session, how to receive recordings for each session and speaker bios.