Updates and Upcoming Posts from GreenSquareAccord Residents

The team behind GreenSquareAccord and its unofficial resident portal, GreenSquareAccord Residents, have been hard at work. In this post, we'll provide you with some recent updates, as well as a glimpse of what's to come. The information is presented in no particular order.

Rachel Crownshaw Found Safe and Well

Rachel Crownshaw, a former Executive Director and Board member at GreenSquareAccord, has been located and confirmed to be safe and well following her unexpected departure from the organization. Ms Crownshaw, who is (according to her LinkedIn profile) highly accomplished in social housing and has a successful track record leading strategic transformations, has recently joined Places for People group as a Managing Director for Communities.

During her tenure at GreenSquareAccord, Ms Crownshaw was known for making derogatory comments about residents' homes during meetings and for restricting residents from leaving comments on the organisations Facebook page. She was also known for her over reliance on communication plans, her tendency to only show up for photo opportunities, and her belief that shipping containers were giant leap in forward thinking when it came to storing items.

Ms Crownshaw's skills and insights will no doubt be put to good use at Places for People. Although the reason for her sudden departure remains unknown, we wish her all the best in her future endeavours.

Vulnerable Birmingham Resident Left to Fend for Themselves

GreenSquareAccord, the housing association responsible for a block of flats that houses 12 vulnerable residents in Birmingham have been criticised for leaving residents without adequate support, as well as for failing to make legally required improvements, such as unsafe electrics, faulty fire alarms, blocked fire escapes, and gaps in windows. In response, GreenSquareAccord has decided to remove the property from their portfolio, effectively abandoning the vulnerable residents who have been living there for years.

This move has left the residents uncertain about their future and has highlighted the questionable practices of GreenSquareAccord. Despite requests for comment, GreenSquareAccord has refused to provide an explanation for their actions. Birmingham City Council, which paid GreenSquareAccord for years without holding them accountable, has admitted that they have no power to intervene in this situation.

The situation raises serious concerns about the welfare of vulnerable residents and underscores the importance of holding housing associations accountable for providing safe and adequate living conditions.

Section 20 - How can they not know…

It has come to our attention that GreenSquareAccord has failed to comply with the legal requirements of the Section 20 process. Furthermore, the organization has been deleting comments made by residents instead of addressing them, effectively undermining the entire process. When confronted about this, GreenSquareAccord claimed that the person responsible was untrained and would be given relevant training at a later date.

In effect, GreenSquareAccord has thrown an untrained member of its Customer Service team under the bus and used them as a scapegoat. We have requested that this be escalated to a formal complaint so that GreenSquareAccord can learn from its mistakes. It remains unclear why the organization would either disregard the Section 20 process or entrust it to someone who clearly lacks a basic understanding of it. We will provide further updates as they become available.

New Name, Same Old Tricks

It was disheartening to discover that our latest Housing Officer (who had never been introduced to us by GreenSquareAccord) resorted to outdated and ineffective GreenSquareAccord practices. Despite over 50% of residents reporting blocked drainage pipes and one resident having previously endured a bathroom flooded with raw sewage for two days, GreenSquareAccord ignored our concerns when we banded together and emailed the customer service team.

To our disappointment, GreenSquareAccord opted to disregard the sender of the email (myself) and instead sent a generic response to some residents, all of whom had given me permission to share their names, flat numbers, and email addresses. This response directed them to the customer service email, which offered no tangible solutions and left residents at risk of further blockages. The situation created a vicious cycle of reporting, waiting, having issues dismissed, and repeating the process.

Following a follow-up email, in which we pointed out how this response contradicted GreenSquareAccord's public image and corporate strategy, and after including additional recipients in our correspondence, we finally received a response. We will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves.

Housing Ombudsman Agree with Me!

The Housing Ombudsman has acknowledged the issues raised by residents (some of which remain unresolved) and affirmed that these issues were fundamental shortcomings of GreenSquareAccord. The Ombudsman pointed out internal procedural concerns, incapability to tackle security concerns, and other inadequacies.

The Ombudsman has suggested some solutions to address these issues and foster reconciliation. However, only time will tell whether GreenSquareAccord will heed the recommendations. Updates to follow.

Relaunch of the Same Strategy

Simply adding another word means you're good to go for another five years! The original three-year plan, "Simply Brilliant," was launched in 2016. It was later relaunched as "Simply Brilliant Together," this time as a five-year plan. Now, it has been extended for another five years and rebranded as "Simply Stronger Better." At one point, we even had "Simply Brilliant Landlord."

Regardless, it's the same set of promises, just further down the line. Hopefully, the new executive team can deliver the necessary results and fix the toxic culture that has been undermining the efforts of their subordinates. - Updates to follow.

And to use the words of the late, great David Frost - That was the week that was.