Reflecting on the Grenfell Tower Phase 2 Inquiry: resources for housing associations

The NHF is developing resources which we hope will support housing associations to continue reflecting and learning from the Grenfell Tower Phase 2 Inquiry report. The resources have been developed with expert support from a steering group made up of NHF members and the Tenant Advisory Panel.  

About the Grenfell Tower Phase 2 Inquiry

On 14 June 2017, 72 people died because of the fire at Grenfell Tower. The tragedy continues to have a devastating and far-reaching impact. A community left bereaved by the loss of loved ones, displaced by the loss of homes, and failed by systems and organisations that should have protected them.  

What led to the wholly preventable deaths of 72 people is reported in Phase 2 of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Published in September 2024, the Inquiry details decades of failure, systemic indifference towards residents, negligence, dishonesty and greed from those with responsibility for keeping the building safe.  

The inquiry holds critical lessons around culture, behaviours and values. Continuing to reflect on and learn from the Inquiry is something that housing associations are committed to doing.. We’re creating resources to support the sector as it continues to implement the learnings and cultural changes highlighted in the Grenfell Tower Phase 2 Inquiry. 

About the resources 

This work aims to support whole-organisational reflection on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, with a focus on culture, governance, behaviours and values. It considers the relationship between social landlords and residents, and how to ensure vital safety insight is valued, shared, and actioned.  

The resources include step-by-step team or individual workshops and exercises to guide reflection and drive action. We hope they will complement the work housing associations are already doing to reflect and learn from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, offering an accessible framework for honest, constructive reflection. 

How have the resources been created? 

The resources have been created with insight, support and guidance from a steering group involving members of the NHF Tenant Advisory Panel, and specialist consultancy, Mutomorro. 

Over the past year we’ve engaged with hundreds of people from across the sector who have helped to shape this work. We’re especially pleased to have received detailed feedback from the G15 Residents Group.  

What is included in the resources and how to use them   

The resources focus on three key groups within a housing association:  

• Boards and executives.
• Housing teams.
• Technical and safety teams.   

The groupings offer a structure for this work, but the tools are not limited to these groups and are designed to be adaptable. One team or person alone cannot provide resident safety and build trust. It is the collective responsibility of everyone working at a housing association.  

Resident communication and building trust  

Resident communication and building trust are core themes of each activity. Every resource is created to support housing associations to continue nurturing and promoting a culture that actively seeks the truth, acknowledges it, and acts on it.  

The resources are here to help start and continue conversations such as:

• Are communications effective in ensuring that residents know their rights?
• Is there a gap between what the organisation believes it is doing and what residents experience?
• Do residents’ concerns retain their truth in the journey through an organisational process, and do residents feel fairly treated along the way? 
• Are residents’ concerns being watered down or lost through processes or by staff making assumptions of what a resident means?