Articles

With legislation changing all the time, specifying the right products is essential to meet the correct standards. We spoke with Howard Trotter, business manager of window and fire door manufacturer Shelforce, to find out what housing associations must look out for when specifying windows and doors and how Shelforce can help provide the right products for the right value.

At Charis, a surge in users of its online Charis Shop which was launched in 2020 has led to an explosion in business growth. CEO Graham Ayres explains how the company is harnessing the impact of their new platform to help housing providers deliver hardship support rapidly and efficiently.

Charis CEO and chairman Graham Ayres outlines the winter preparations the company is making to help housing associations with administering support grants for their more vulnerable residents.

The good news is in - Ofgem has decreased the energy price cap to its lowest level since March 2022. A seven per cent drop to £1925 will potentially be followed by a further drop to £1823 in October according to Cornwall Insight. This is great news for householders who can finally see some breathing space.

However, the landscape is not going to change for millions of residents who are still falling through the cracks when it comes to balancing income with outgoings which continue to be disproportionately high.

By Joe Bradbury Digital Editor of Housing Association Magazine

In the midst of a rapidly changing environmental landscape, the push towards sustainability and reduced emissions has become a focal point for both the Conservative and Labour parties in the UK.

In this article I delve into two key aspects: the significance of Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZ) and their role in the Uxbridge by-election results, and the upcoming challenges in achieving ambitious net zero targets.

Water conservation is the key to reducing energy bills.  Heating water accounts for nearly 1/5th of energy use in UK homes.

Reducing hot water demand is an effective way to help occupants conserve energy and reduce bills.  Some uses are fixed, e.g. the washing machine or dishwasher.  However, many are not. 

Over the last couple of years, consumer trust in the gas and electricity industry has dropped significantly.  This erosion of trust is primarily based on rising bills, particularly when record profit announcements are made by the big oil and gas producers. When headlines announcing that companies like Shell are making profits of $11.5 billion are published alongside other headlines telling stories of pensioners dying alone in unheated homes, it is no wonder that questions are being asked - and so they should be!
 
The complexities of the energy supply chain have resulted in a lot of misery on the streets of the UK. The conflation between energy retailers and energy producers creates a confused narrative that is not necessarily the true picture. The retailing part of the entire supply chain is particularly volatile - which is why the UK lost 28 gas and electricity providers back in 2021, leading to 4 million customers being hoovered up into the larger companies. Overall, the erosion of trust is exacerbating the levels of anxiety in our communities.