Gary Hardy
Interim Chief Customer Officer
Gary Hardy brings more than 30 years of experience in the social housing sector to his role at GreenSquareAccord (GSA). His early career included leadership positions at Midland Heart and Birmingham City Council, where he oversaw housing operations in some of the most deprived inner-city communities. This front-line experience in high-pressure environments shaped his understanding of resident needs and the systemic challenges faced by large-scale housing providers [1].
Hardy has held several senior roles across the Midlands and has a reputation for hands-on operational delivery and service transformation. His career has spanned both strategic and front-line functions, giving him a dual perspective on housing management and policy implementation.
Role at GreenSquareAccord
Hardy was initially brought into GSA as Programme Director, where he led the organisation’s Service Charge Project – a major internal initiative focused on aligning service charge systems and embedding greater transparency in financial processes [2]. The project was launched amid mounting criticism from residents about inconsistent billing, lack of clarity, and rising costs.
In late 2024, Hardy was appointed Interim Chief Customer Officer, placing him in charge of some of the organisation’s most critical departments:
Homes and Communities
Care and Support
Quality and Compliance
Transformation
These departments form the backbone of GSA’s resident-facing services. Hardy’s primary remit is to overhaul customer service operations and address the long-standing concerns around repairs, communication failures, and service responsiveness. He is also responsible for shaping how the organisation transforms its approach to resident engagement, customer satisfaction, and internal accountability.
Resident Concerns and Accountability
Hardy’s leadership comes at a time when GreenSquareAccord faces intense scrutiny from residents and regulators alike. Despite internal reforms, complaints continue to mount regarding delayed or missed repairs, poor communication, and what many residents describe as a “tick-box” approach to engagement.
Tenant advocacy groups have repeatedly flagged systemic service failures, questioning whether recent leadership changes are delivering results. Issues around the transparency of service charges, in particular, remain unresolved – with many residents reporting unexplained increases and inadequate breakdowns of what they are paying for [3].
Hardy’s previous role on the Service Charge Project gives him direct insight into this issue. However, the continued confusion and lack of transparency suggest there is still significant ground to cover in regaining resident trust. In his current position, Hardy is expected to lead cultural and operational reforms that go beyond surface-level fixes, aiming instead for lasting improvements in how residents experience the organisation.
Outlook
As Interim Chief Customer Officer, Gary Hardy holds one of the most resident-facing roles within GreenSquareAccord’s leadership. His professional track record indicates a capacity to lead complex change programmes and modernise legacy systems – both of which are desperately needed at GSA.
However, residents remain sceptical. Many argue that GSA’s customer service failings have been ongoing for years, and internal restructuring alone won’t repair the disconnect between leadership and the lived experience of tenants. The effectiveness of Hardy’s leadership will be judged not by job titles or projects delivered, but by whether complaints are resolved, repairs are completed, and residents finally feel heard.
There is a narrow window of opportunity for Hardy to demonstrate that change is not only possible but already underway. Success will depend on his ability to turn policy into practice – and promises into outcomes residents can see in their homes, not just in press releases.
Sources
Equilar People – Gary Hardy profile
GreenSquareAccord – Service Charge Project announcement
GreenSquareAccord Residents – “Service Charge: The Breaking Point”