Dear all,

Enclosed please find my UK Exchange Reflection by Michael LAM and graduation photos taken amid the journey for your handling.

''Chartered Institute of Housing Asian Pacific Branch (CIHAPB) has organised a 2025 Work Experience Program United Kingdom in collaboration with LiveWest, one of the largest housing organisations in the United Kingdom with surplus invested into building more affordable homes. It is absolutely an eye-opening opening opportunity for students to obtain international experience in housing management with favourable sponsorship. After reading email forwarded by City University of Hong Kong, I do not have any hesitation to apply for both the online information session as well as the selection interview. In a nutshell, students are capable of planning on their own overseas schedule including but not limited to the flight and hotel arrangement while following the program administrated by the LiveWest as the representatives of CIHAPB.

During the exchange program, there are different valuable perspectives gained from LiveWest. First of all, technical advancement on repair and maintenance is one of the key aspects of LiveWest's targets. Because of the recent London's worst fire accident at Grenfell Tower in North Kensington killing 72 people, fire safety and precaution become the paramount concern to address housing crisis. To ensure adequate fire and smoke detection, all homes will have a mains operated or battery powered smoke detection. Mains operated alarms are fitted as standard on all new homes, on voids and when improvements are made to homes. Residents are encouraged to test their own alarms regularly and to report irregularities when technican is handling their ac-hoc maintenance issues or checking for missing or damaged alarms during routine visits to properties.

Apart from the heightened fire awareness, streamlined inspection will enhance the maintenance efficiency . To identify repairs right the first time, the in-house developed "TechSee" is employed to do it remotely, which is a video call software installed at both resident and staff mobile phones. LiveWest colleagues are able to justify the cause of the issue without needing to enter the customer's home, saving operation time to travel many miles away from office.

Moreover, dedicated measures have been incorporated for local housing policy. When there are housing offers, Section 106 agreement is the legal agreement between LiveWest and a Local Authority may give priority to particular groups of applicants. This could be to applicants who have a local connection to a particular area/parish or may be applicants within certain age range like those over 55 years of age. For example, people who are ordinarily resident, get secured employment or have family associations within a particular district are prioritised.

Another brilliant housing measure is Shared Ownership, which is intended for eligible people who are looking to buy an affordable home suitable for their needs. In order words, buyers can afford a share of the full market value (between 10% and 75% depending on the lease and affordability), and pay rent to LiveWest on the remaining share, allowing residents to buy more share as and when it's affordable to them and so climb the housing ladder for the proper social development as a whole.

All in all, it is highly appreciated that LiveWest smoothly organise the work exchange program, for instance, latest updates of UK Government with social rent revolution through the new £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme on the Whitehall and Westminster Day, LiveWest internal departments presentation at the office and the site visit of supported accommodation for young people aged 16-25 years from emergency accommodation and construction site of affordable housing, but also provide complimentary hospitality services such as the point-to-point transportation and mouth-watering catering services to our Hong Kong exchange buddies unlike any other.

On top of the unwavering support from LiveWest, CIHAPB do also share substantial contribution to kick off the first batch of brand new UK exchange tour, from the preliminary preparation like communicating with LiveWest and interviewing and selecting the right HK students on behalf of the professional assessment panel to the ongoing support throughout the fantastic journey.

Last but not least, I do hope this once-in-a-lifetime overseas exposure can be continued next year and so more young and talented participants would be greatly benefited in terms of dynamic views and practices in housing development, not to mention the unforgettable interpersonal relationship developed with UK buddies and housing association. Needless to say, it is also our honour to deliver our thoughts and experiences as far as practicable for prospective students in the near future.

Thank you CIHAPB once again!"

Thanks and regards Michael LAM