Asset Management: Playing Your Best Hand in a Challenging Housing Landscape

At the recent CHIC Conference & Exhibition, which took place at Telford’s International Centre on Wednesday 21 May, ARK Director Kieran Colgan hosted  a roundtable event, focusing on asset management strategy in social housing, where experts from across the sector came together to discuss the growing complexity of managing social housing assets in 2025 and beyond.

Why Strategy Matters More Than Ever

The session began with an overview of the asset management challenges faced by the sector— ranging from building safety and compliance, decarbonisation targets and the real needs of tenants who are often older, lonelier and poorer.

Kieran likened asset management to a card game – we can’t control the cards we are dealt just how we play our hand.

Asset management success now depends on creativity, calculated risk-taking, and informed decision-making. Delegates discussed how strategic thinking must underpin investment decisions, repairs programmes, and service delivery to ensure homes remain safe, sustainable, and suitable for the future.

Integrating Challenges: Decarbonisation, Building Safety, and Lifecycle Planning

One of the most pressing themes was the need to align planned investment cycles with emerging priorities like decarbonisation and compliance. Kieran highlighted the challenge of coordinating up to 30 touchpoints per property—from gas servicing and fire risk assessments to heat pump installations and IoT monitoring.

Delegates discussed how the sector can address the “wicked problems” of developing integrated plans to meet future needs and how to address the problems of poorly performing housing.

Delegates agreed that the sector should:

• act now but with a focus on the long-term;
• undertake data-led option appraisals to reflect the 4Ps – property, place, people and our planet; and
• focus on the practicalities of delivery, such as contractor capacity, supply chain pressures, and meaningful tenant engagement.

Working Together: The Role of Contractors in Asset Strategy

Nick Davidge, Business Development Manager at Cardo Group, who attended the roundtable, reinforced the key role contractors play to support delivery and the importance of a clear asset management strategy in light of increasing regulatory pressures.

“Asset management is hugely complex. It is vital that contractors are both technically competent and also act as the ‘eyes and ears’ of the organisation. Contractors can identify issues in the property early and listen to what residents are saying. To succeed, contractors and landlords must work together, with residents at the centre of everything we do.”

Talk to ARK About Strengthening Your Asset Management Strategy

ARK has been helping organisations with asset management strategy in social housing for more than 35 years. Talk to us today about the challenges you are facing and together we can play the hand you’ve been dealt with confidence—turning complex challenges into strategic wins for your homes, assets and residents.

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