History of The Network

The Housing Quality Network (The Network) was established by HFTA Ltd (now HQN Ltd) in 1997 to assist local authorities and housing associations to meet the challenges of the government's Best Value agenda with a particular focus on service improvement. It was set up on a ’ not-for-profit‘ basis, reporting to a Steering Group of founder members and with a constitution setting out arrangements for elections to the Steering Group on an annual basis.

In October 2004, the Steering Group considered and agreed a review of the status of The Housing Quality Network within HFTA Ltd. This was designed to simplify and clarify what had become an unwieldy and at times confusing company structure and in doing so, to facilitate the company's future growth.

The ’not-for-profit‘ basis for the subscription package was thereby ended, but the company undertook to maintain the spirit of the original arrangements under which The Housing Quality Network had been established.

This included:

• An advisory group (rather than a steering group ) and an ongoing commitment to member surveys – to demonstrate a willingness to listen and understand
• Guaranteed subscription rates (increases limited to inflation for as long as there is a surplus on a trading account for the subscription package) – to demonstrate a commitment to value
• Performance information – this year compared to last year (so members could see that volumes are not slipping) – another demonstration of value
• Satisfaction information – this year compared to last year (so members could see that standards are not slipping) – a demonstration of quality
• Transparency over income and expenditure for the service – possibly unique in the commercial sector.

In summary, the proposed changes aimed to retain the original values and ethos of the organisation while making the company structure easier to understand, manage and grow. All services are now provided by HQN Ltd (following a name change from HFTA in February 2005) and the not-for-profit element has been subsumed within the mainstream business.

The Network now has over 630 members, including the Audit Commission.