What's on at the South West housing conference?

CIH’s annual South West housing event is back and better than ever for 2027. Members have the opportunity to spend two days in Exeter learning from expert speakers, networking with other housing professionals, and discussing the issues that matter to the South West of England. For non-members who are interested, you can pay to join the Asset Management Summit on the second day of the conference or take a look at our membership options here. 

Essential keynote sessions 

Our keynote sessions have been carefully designed to answer the big questions for housing in the South West, taking insights from across the UK and applying them to your region. Chaired by housing sector experts and featuring speakers from a range of backgrounds with a wealth of knowledge, you’ll gain an essential understanding of the current issues the housing sector faces and how they’re being approached. 

CIH’s chief executive, Gavin Smart starts the conference keynote sessions off by chairing the session Delivering affordable homes in the South West. The panel will explore best practice when working collaboratively to push forward housing development and Homes England will share their observations on development in the South West. This sets the tone for the rest of day one’s big sessions which ask questions like Where next for regulation? and delve into Ending homelessness and delivering on government promises. While these issues don’t just affect the South West, the solutions often start at home, with professionals and organisations working together to improve housing in their own region before sharing with the wider sector. What better place to start these regional conversations than our housing conference in the South West? 

Day one will also feature the Emerging Housing Champion Award 2027 presentation. Inspired by Jasmine Bosworth, a valued previous member of CIH Futures who sadly passed away at the end of 2025, this new award recognises the next generation of housing professionals making outstanding contributions to the sector, just as Jasmine did. You’ll hear presentations from the finalists and see the winner announced, giving us all a chance to encourage those at the beginning of their housing careers to continue pushing for positive change. 

The second day of the conference features two great keynote speeches, the first of which is also available for paying attendees of the Asset Management Summit. In conversation with MHCLG delves into recent sector developments like the Decent Homes Standard, Awaab’s Law, and safety and compliance requirements. It’s not one you’ll want to miss as a housing professional or provider. In the final keynote session of the conference, Devolution - unlocking the South West’s potential, we ask what this means for your region and the communities you support. It’s a brilliant way to end a stream of relevant and timely insights into housing in the South West. 

The Asset Management Summit 

Whether you’re a CIH member attending for free, or a non-member who’s paid for your ticket, the Asset Management Summit is designed to support you in making informed decisions that positively impact your communities’ homes. You’ll enjoy a morning of welcomes, networking and a whole-conference keynote speech before heading off to your exclusive sessions in the afternoon. 

You’ll hear from the experts in sessions such as Re-thinking the asset management and retrofit skills crisis, Radon: the invisible hazard and how to manage it, and Rethinking asset management procurement. They’ll explore and address current problems like the shrinking pool of specialist skills and the need for stronger relationships throughout the supply chain, while also providing solutions on how to prioritise safety, quality and decarbonisation. A particular highlight will be Protecting residents and homes: gaining access for safety, chaired by CIH’s Chloe Fletcher. She’ll focus on how to comply with essential regulatory requirements, using data and clear communication to your advantage. 

It’s a rare opportunity for non-members to gain an insight into an annual CIH conference, and an opportunity for members to solidify their knowledge in providing safe and healthy homes. Purchase your ticket here. 

The development and strategy stream 

Unlike the Asset Management Summit, this stream runs across both days and is open to CIH members only.  

Discover new ways of working together with sessions like Building Bridges – the power of council and housing association partnerships on day one and What does scale give the sector? on day two. You’ll hear insights on successful case studies and learn from the experts on how to build strong partnerships and organisational culture. For those more interested in how to lead during significant changes like these, the session Housing – the evolution of leadership explores what works about the five structural patterns shaping today’s housing leadership. 

 There’ll also be sessions diving into the challenges currently facing the sector. Customer voice: from regulation to real cultural change session will pinpoint how to keep the customer voice at the centre of organisational culture, helping you understand and combat any recurring issues for the rest of 2027. We’ll also be discussing how to make the most of funding when tackling the issues that matter to you in Making funding work better – what do we want in the Spending Review?. The strategies you build at South West will help your organisation prepare for the future, whatever that may look like. 

Housing management stream 

Another stream that runs across both days of the conference while being exclusive to CIH members, the housing management sessions will focus on how you can better support tenants, residents, and the wider housing industry. 

It’s an exciting session that starts off this stream on day one, as Evie Copland shares her presidential campaign: Behind Every Home. Her passion for showcasing the huge impact housing professionals have across the UK and Ireland will leave you with a sense of pride, and maybe even an urge to share your work with others. The session Defending community cohesion against misinformation and unrest is another great one for those passionate about sharing positive stories from the sector, in which you’ll hear advice on challenging stereotypes, ensuring residents are treated with respect, and much more. 

The other three sessions in this stream focus on doing what’s best for tenants, residents and communities. Reflective practice for complex cases, Supported housing – working in partnership, and RECAP – putting residents at the heart of repairs all delve into various strategies to ensure tenants get the right support at the right time. Helping your community helps you too; we want to boost wellbeing among both residents and housing professionals and hope to start conversations that carry on long after the conference ends. 

With the Competence and Conduct Standard now launched in England, continuing your professional development is more crucial than ever. The South West housing conference is a chance to meet other likeminded professionals, learn from the people trying to solve the sector’s problems, and share your own insights and stories. View the programme here or book your ticket here.