Has there ever been more awareness of the systemic problems with Britain’s social housing than there is today?
What was once the reserve of residents’ associations and local journalists is now leading the evening news, going viral on social media and is front and centre in the minds of the political elite. From the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the fallout from it, to high-profile exposures of squalid living conditions and most recently the death of toddler Awaab Ishak, this is a crisis that can no longer be ignored.
One person welcoming the increased scrutiny is Richard Blakeway who, as the Housing Ombudsman, pores over thousands of complaints each year from tenants at the end of their tether. It could be damp or mould, a pest infestation or a boiler packing in. When someone complains about something to their landlord
