A short history of L&Q

Early days

Quadrant Housing Association was set up in 1963 by a group of young professionals who had met at university and called themselves the "1958 Club".

Homelessness was vivid in the public imagination in the 60’s. This was the era when squatting was rife and shark landlords like the infamous Peter Rachman were terrorising tenants in London.

Two of the club members, Gospatric Home and Reverend Nicolas Stacey, had organised a visit to a hostel in Plumstead, South East London. What the group saw there prompted them to start an organisation that would aim to provide quality housing for people in housing need.

They called the new venture Quadrant Housing Association. The word quadrant came from the naval navigation device, which they chose because it reflected the maritime heritage of the South East London boroughs where they planned to focus their efforts.

After the 1974 Housing Act, which made subsidies available and gave them the security they needed to be able to expand, the organisation grew fast. In 1973 Quadrant Housing Association pooled resources with London Housing Trust and the two merged to become London & Quadrant Housing Trust. This new organisation quickly grew into the largest provider of social housing in London.

Milestones

1989

Low cost home ownership arm Tower Housing Association opened its first shared ownership scheme in Stratford. Nineteen first time buyers moved into their new homes. The same year Tower pioneered a scheme in Stoke Newington to restore a Grade II listed building to its former glory for outright purchase, at the same time as developing new shared ownership homes.

1994

L&Q opened its first foyer in Camberwell. A partnership initiative with Centrepoint, the Camberwell Foyer could house up to 80 young people at any one time, and offered them training facilities in a safe environment.

1997

Tenancy Enforcement Support Team (TEST) was set up to tackle neighbour troubles, anti-social behaviour, harassment and noise nuisance. L&Q worked in partnership with several other London associations to pilot this innovative support service.

1998

L&Q Bexley Housing Association was launched as an independent body after a successful ballot of residents. Quadrant Housing Finance, a dedicated financing vehicle which could attract money from capital markets, was also set up to finance the transfer, as well as providing a new source of finance for the group.

1999

Residents Online introduced social housing tenants to the internet age when repairs and other services were piloted online.

L&Q launched Making Customers Count, the re-evaluation of internal procedures to streamline and improve services in line with Best Value. The first areas of focus are improving maintenance delivery and mobility services.

2000

Robert P. Appleyard took over as Chairman of the L&Q Group after the retirement of James Batho after 10 years service to the Trust. L&Q gained Chartermark – an award that recognises excellent customer service. The Crawley Foyer was opened offering accommodation and training for 41 local youngsters.

2001

The first new homes in both Edmonton and Feltham were opened. These are two of L&Q’s largest regeneration schemes.

2002

LB Waltham Forest transferred of 2,600 homes to L&Q following a vote in favour of the transfer by residents. Forest Homes is set up as a local subsidiary of the L&Q group to manage those homes.

2003

London & Quadrant celebrates the 40th anniversary of the associations London Housing Trust and Quadrant Housing Association being set up. The L&Q Group was one of The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For 2003.

2004

Beacon Housing Association, which manages 4,500 homes west of London focused in boroughs including West Berkshire, joins the L&Q Group.
The Group is voted number 29 in The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For 2004.

2005

Chief Executive Don Wood is awarded a CBE in the New Year’s Honours and the L&Q Group rises to number 12 in The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For 2005.
In April Beaver Housing Society joined the Group, bringing with it the 3,100 homes it manages in South London, mainly Lewisham and Greenwich.

2007

Turlogh O'Brien is appointed as Chairman of the Group Board after Robert Appleyard retires.
Threshold Homes becomes part of the L&Q Group, bringing with it 4,300 homes and 76 staff. Properties are based in south and west London and north Surrey.

2008

Specialist BME housing association Ujima becomes part of the L&Q Group, bringing with it 5,000 homes across London.

Don Wood retires after more than 20 years at the helm of L&Q. L&Q Group Finance Director David Montague is appointed as his successor.

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