CHIC shares three new blogs that offer insights into real, current challenges across the social housing sector. From lessons learned in modular construction, to digital tools making procurement easier and the call for smarter long term thinking in asset management, these stories reflect our work supporting members to deliver better homes and services.
The Journey of the CHIC Show House
By Sarah Davey, Head of Development
Back in 2018, CHIC commissioned a modular show house with Premier Modular to demonstrate the benefits of MMC, including improved insulation, faster construction and transportability. It made the rounds at housing conferences and was then placed at Community Housing as a demonstration home for members.
However, updated building regulations and a decline in MMC uptake meant plans to repurpose it in a live housing scheme didn’t come to fruition. The 2 bedroom / 4 person house has now been relocated as staff accommodation on (rather appropriately) a CHICKEN farm in Yorkshire.
Our thanks to Community Housing for kindly hosting the CHIC MMC house in recent years.
The journey reveals the complexities of MMC - innovative, but not without real world obstacles. Sarah Davey also recently contributed to the HQN report “Modern Methods of Construction: Time to Fulfil Its Promise”, reflecting on these same lessons and the broader implications for the sector as it looks to realise MMC’s full potential.
Read the full blog »Read the HQN report »
Reimagining Planned Maintenance: COMS in Action
By Martin Radbourne, Business Intelligence Manager
COMS, CHIC’s Order Management System, continues to transform how planned maintenance programmes are delivered. Designed to streamline ordering, track spending and reduce administration, it’s been described as “the Amazon of social housing.”
The system allows contractors to order from tailored catalogues, raise queries and manage returns, all whilst giving members full visibility of spend by property or product. Reporting is integrated via Power BI dashboards, making budget tracking, auditing and project oversight much easier.
It’s also built with suppliers in mind and designed to fit around their existing processes, rather than replace them. For CHIC members, features like consolidated invoicing and strict catalogue controls are proving popular.
With major users like Birmingham City Council already onboard, COMS is proving its value, especially where traditional procurement tools fall short.
Housing Matters Now: Rethinking Retrofit
By Jackie Leonard, Head of Member Services (Wales)
CHIC’s latest thought leadership campaign kicks off with a call to bring retrofit into the mainstream of long term asset planning. The message? Retrofit shouldn’t be a special project as it should be integrated into all other major works programmes.
The blog explores how early engagement with residents and the supply chain leads to better outcomes and why clear, long term planning sends stronger signals to the market. It also looks at the importance of local delivery, resilient investment strategies and regulatory shifts across England and Wales.
As the sector continues to respond to climate change, cost of living pressures and changing tenant expectations, the approach we take to retrofit will shape the homes of the future.
