DAY 1 – 28th June 2022
On the first day of Housing 2022, MSB Solicitors had the pleasure of presenting on the Knowledge Theatre Stage. Andy Moore was joined by Rebecca Bryant OBE of Resolve ASB and Inspector Andrew Baker of Cheshire Police to discuss Anti-Social Behaviour in Green Spaces. They addressed the importance of green spaces for communities and the rise of anti-social behaviour in these areas, particularly since the COVID-19 restrictions meant these spaces were one of the few external outlets people had outside of their home. In their talk, they included advice on how to combat these issues and keep communities safe in their surroundings.
After the talk, we headed over to MSB’s Manchester office, which recently opened its doors in the city centre’s Hardman Square, and had a small launch event to welcome the firm to the city. A range of people attended, from barristers to clients. It was great to see the new office and have a chat with people after so long networking only via Zoom and video calls!
After the launch, the team headed back over to the conference and had a look around the exhibition stands. We spoke to a lot of interesting businesses actively working to enhance building safety and conditions, as well as picking up a few free pens!
DAY 2 – 29th June 2022
The second day of the Conference was a slightly more social day for the team at MSB and I. I have heard from a lot of attendees of the conference that Wednesday is always the social day – so to be prepared!
We headed into Manchester and grabbed some breakfast before attending the Conference for an hour. We spoke with a number of the exhibitors that could be really useful for Social Housing clients.
As I am a proud member of Women in Social Housing (WISH), I was lucky enough to bag a ticket to their event at the Edwardian Hotel. The set up was especially lovely. There were drinks and canopies and so many opportunities to speak to different people across the sector. It was great to see so many women together, supporting and taking interest in one another and their careers.
Following the WISH event, MSB hosted their annual ‘Sangria and Social Housing’ event on Deansgate. We hold this event every year during the Conference and always proves popular among our team and clients. As the theme of the event goes, we enjoyed tapas, a few drinks and plenty of paella! After working through the pandemic, it is great to meet with and get to know our clients face to face!
DAY 3 – 30th June 2022
The third and final day was quieter for me. I ventured into Manchester for another talk from a team member at MSB. Andrew Fairman, Senior Associate Solicitor, was joined by Steve Ellard of Yorkshire Housing and Sarah Davies of Pennington Choices to discuss Tenant Engagement, Net Zero and the Collective Buy-In. The talk saw the panel work through what it means to be Net Zero, how it can be achieved and what struggles Social Housing Providers may face aiming for their Net Zero goal. It was really interesting to hear the different opinions of the panel and learn about the legal options that Providers will have moving forward.
After a quick coffee break, I had a last look around the conference, speaking to a number of exhibitors. One of the exhibitors, Ciptex, explained how they aim to provide ‘cloud communication’ to organisations to help keep clear records of communication between the organisation and the tenants/customers, allowing them to connect in ways most comfortable to them i.e., video call, phone call and/or text messages. I also had an opportunity to have a look around a MAKE UK modular home. The team told me what their modules are for, how they work and what their plans are for the future.
It was a great week for both myself and MSB. As a trainee, I am always grateful to be given opportunities to attend events in the sector and develop my knowledge through talks and networking.
I’m already looking forward to next year!
Beth is a Trainee Solicitor in the Social Housing Department, working predominantly in Housing Disrepair and is due to qualify in the summer of 2022.