Empty Homes

David Ireland – CEO

David has 20 years’ experience working in housing on local authorities and the third sector. He was the originator of the idea of empty dwelling management orders that became law in the Housing Act 2004. He led the government’s Housing Act Training programme on empty homes, for which he organised a series of regional conferences attended by over three quarters of local authorities in the country. His has written several publications including the definitive guidance booklet for local authorities on approaches to returning empty homes to use. His book “How to Rescue a House” was published by Penguin. He was also the advisor for tshe BBC TV series of the same name. He is a regular contributor to property magazines and has recently had features published in the Observer, Guardian and Times.

Alan Stratford – Office & Finance Manager

Alan has 30 years’ experience following qualification as an accountant and chartered surveyor. He has worked in property and finance, in private sector consultancy, and local and central government.

Shashi Ioannides – Communications Manager

Shashi graduated with an English Literature degree before starting a career in publishing. After joining Empty Homes in 2002 as support staff, she helped develop a web, marketing and communications role within the Agency, and now manages communications for Empty Homes.

Management Board

Chair: Nick Aldridge
Nick is CEO of MissionFish, which helps charities raise funds online. He joined MissionFish from acevo, where as director of strategy he led acevo’s policy and professional development teams for three years. Nick is also a trustee of Global Giving (UK). He writes online for Social Enterprise Magazine (www.socialenterprisemag.co.uk). His publications include Communities in Control (SMF 2005), Mind the Gap (Big Lottery Fund 2006), & Leadership and the Future of Commissioning (Futurebuilders 2007).

 

Nick Hughes
Nick is a retired housing manager. He was an Area Director at Notting Hill Housing Trust 1973-81, and subsequently the Director of Toynbee Housing Association in London’s East End. From 1984-93. he was Head of Development at the National Housing Federation. Nick is a founding Board member of Empty Homes.

Peter Archer
Peter Archer is a Chartered Environmental Health Practitioner with 40 years professional experience. Peter is a Fellow and Trustee of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, and a Council member of the International Federation of Environmental Health. He chairs Care and Repair England a campaigning charity with the object of improving housing conditions for older and disabled people; he also chairs St Peter’s Housing Association in Saltley, Birmingham. Peter is a partner in the Housing Consultancy Partnership and an Affiliate Housing Inspector at the Audit Commission. In Astley Worcestershire where Peter lives, he chairs a group which is fund raising to restore a 900 year old Norman Church.

 

Jon Fitzmaurice
Jon is a senior visiting fellow at Cass Business School, City University, and is the originator and director of self-help-housing.org which promotes and supports community led self-help housing initiatives. Previously he held senior positions in housing organisations including the National Housing Federation and London & Quadrant Housing Trust and was, for nine years, the Director of National Homeless Alliance. He has served as a non-executive director of  Shelter,  NCVO, Look Ahead, St Mungo’s, Hyde Housing Association and Hyde Charitable Trust. He is currently a board member of CDS Co-operative Housing Services. Jon is a founder board member of Empty Homes.

 

Gareth Hall
Gareth Hall is a partner in specialist housing solicitors Devonshires. He has about 25 years experience of advising housing providers on finance (loans, capital markets and grants), corporate structures and regulation. As well as advising over 200 housing providers of all kinds, he has worked closely with key housing regulators and representative bodies in relation to establishing the current funding and regulatory regime. He also advises on commercial contracts.

 

Toby Taper
Toby has worked in housing research for many years – initially in central and local government, then as director at (Ipsos) MORI responsible for their expanding housing research programme within both the public and private sectors, including carrying out several surveys with owners of private empty homes.  She is currently a housing consultant and visiting professor at Bristol University, as well as a Circle 33 Housing Trust Board member.

 

Graham Kauders
Graham joined the board in 2009. He has a degree in architecture and has recently completed a masters in Spatial Planning at UCL. He has a strong interest in housing issues, and wrote his dissertation on self-build housing in the UK.

Graham Jones
Graham Jones is the current Labour Member of Parliament for Haslingden and Hyndburn in East Lancashire. Graham has worked in local politics in East Lancashire for several years having served as Opposition Leader on Hyndburn Borough Council and also as a member of Lancashire County Council. Housing in one of Graham’s main political priorities and since being elected to Parliament in the 2010 general election Graham has made good progress in raising the issue of Empty Homes in Westminster.

 

Andy Haynes
Andrew Haynes is an Associate Partner and Head of Affordable Housing at Allsop LLP. He advises private developers, housing associations and local authorities on issues surrounding affordable housing development and investment. Before joining Allsop in 2008, Andrew worked at the Housing Corporation, establishing and growing the programme providing grant directly to private developers.

Nick Caprara
Nick joined Pathmeads in 2008 and manages the Business Development Team.  This team is responsible for developing new schemes and initiatives across all aspects of the organisation, including new ways of developing the temporary housing. Previously he worked for London Borough of Harrow, working in both the housing provision and housing enabling sections for a number of years.  During this time he was responsible for developing the direct lettings service and developing the Councils Empty Property strategy.  Nick is a former chair of Empty Homes Network, formally National Association of Empty Property Practitioners.

 

Jon Sawyer
Jon Sawyer. Jon is Managing Director and a co-founder of Eye, a company that manages complex development and regeneration projects for Local Authorities, developers, community groups and other end user clients. Eye works across the UK and its projects involve regularly tackling the issues caused by empty homes and vacant properties. Jon has rejoined the Empty Homes board in 2011. In his previous period on the Board, whilst working at KPMG, he helped us successfully lobby for a reduction in VAT on repairs to long term empty homes.