Name: Kiran Singh
Job title: Head of customer experience, L&G’s affordable homes division
What I do: My role is to ensure that everything we do is centred on our customers and that the services we deliver at every stage of the customer journey are designed around consistently positive customer experiences. From allocating our social and affordable rented homes and working closely with local authorities to meet local housing need to listening carefully to our customers, acting on what they tell us and resolving complaints effectively – my role spans the full breadth of the customer journey. But more than that, it is about stepping back and looking at the whole picture, making sure our approach genuinely improves lives and reflects what customers need.
Why I got into the property industry: My path into the sector was influenced early on as my dad and other relatives already worked in housing and they encouraged me to consider a similar career while I was still in school. I took their advice and went on to do housing professional studies at university. The degree covered almost everything you could think of that relates to the sector – from political and economic drivers to regeneration, development and housing law – and I haven’t looked back.
How I did it: What really set me on my way was securing a traineeship with Derby Homes. They offered paid work experience alongside my degree and guaranteed my third‑year placement, which removed a lot of pressure and gave me invaluable hands‑on experience. For me it was a brilliant stepping stone and gave me a solid grounding in the fundamentals of housing management. That’s why I’m a big believer in traineeships and apprenticeships as routes into any sector – and continue to be a big advocate for them in my current role at L&G.
My first proper job: My first role was as a housing officer at East Midlands Housing. Fair to say it was a daunting experience. As the training wheels came off, I often found myself learning by trial and error, and more often than not, picking up valuable lessons from more experienced colleagues. It’s where I truly saw the challenges customers face and also the positive impact that housing professionals can bring to customers and communities. It cemented my belief in the importance of providing safe, good quality homes and, above all, treating all people with dignity and respect.
My first big break: Securing my first head of service role with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea was a big step for me – moving to London from the East Midlands and also managing a very different housing context and stock profile. I was relatively young for the senior role, but it was an opportunity to grow and deliver.
My inspiration(s): I wouldn’t point to a single source of inspiration. What motivates me most is seeing people feel content and secure. I’m naturally driven and always thinking about what’s next, but I also take time to reflect on why I’m pursuing something. Ambition matters, and I find it most rewarding when it’s guided by the right intentions.
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered to date: I was working in Kensington & Chelsea during the Grenfell Tower tragedy and was involved in the immediate recovery efforts. It was an incredibly difficult and sobering experience. What has stayed with me most is the humanity – the way individuals, communities and organisations came together to support those affected. Customer care always requires a delicate balance and being involved in this really reinforced just how vital standards, accountability and listening to customers are – far from being merely processes; these are principles that shape people’s lives.
My greatest achievement/proudest moment to date: I was very proud and humbled when the first customers move into their L&G affordable homes in Cornwall. Seeing the impact of bringing a new registered provider to life – from concept to physically seeing customers move into their new home within nine months of operation – made all the hard work from our small, dedicated team feel extraordinary.
I am also proud of our newly launched ‘Neighbourhoods by L&G’ initiative which delivers a national support and wellbeing services for customers at no extra cost to them. This brings together a range of packages free for customers to access, including a 24/7 virtual GP, physiotherapy, children’s mental health support, cancer risk assessments and long‑term condition guidance. At L&G we want to help customers succeed in their homes, and services like this really matter. We are fortunate to be able to invest more into services that make lives easier, and help provide breathing room and peace of mind when most needed.
The one thing I would change about the industry: Rather than changing what we do, I’d focus on how we do it. The sector faces immense pressure to deliver on many fronts, but our customers should always be the reason for why we do what we do. I think there’s always room for improvement and if the industry listens to and considers the needs of customers more, we can make better decisions for the people we serve.
Why I’m so passionate about DE&I: Every customer has different experiences, needs and perspectives, and that diversity should be catered for. For me, DE&I is about fair access to support and opportunity, and ensuring people feel respected even in the most difficult situations. That sense of belonging and dignity is essential to building balanced, resilient communities.
Why I’m so passionate about ESG: There’s a lot I could talk about, but the key thing is how central environmental, social and governance factors are to delivering the very best for customers. The housing sector has the power to create thriving and resilient communities through its focus on the positive social impact that good housing provides. From delivering warm, energy efficient homes that cut bills and make them more affordable for customers to carefully responding to their experiences to build trust – it’s important to have high standards so we can continue to have a positive impact. Our investors at L&G understand that – making the work my colleagues and I do every day to deliver on that vision even more important to attracting further funding to deliver more homes and more impact.
Where I’d like to be in five years’ time career-wise: What matters to me most is creating a lasting impact. I’ve been at L&G’s affordable homes division since near the beginning and we’ve just raised £750m in funding for deployment into affordable housing. The most important thing for me is that L&G and our investors are fully aligned and committed to ensure the best possible outcomes for our customers. I want to continue thinking outside the box to more deeply understand what customers expect from us – and if there’s a service or tool that works well for my colleagues and I, how we take that to work for our customers too.
Who I’d invite, living or dead, to a dinner party: Jack Black – School of Rock era Jack Black. I was a fan of him then, and my kids are fans of him now. And if the dinner conversation slows, we can always hand him the mic.
What I do in my downtime: I enjoy fitness and recently I’ve got into road cycling. A good morning’s ride in decent weather is my ideal go-to activity.
The job I’d be doing if I was not doing this: I’d probably be in retail. I worked in department stores growing up and oddly really enjoyed it – again it was the element of interacting with people and helping them get what they were looking for that I liked most.
My advice for someone just starting out: Take time to learn your craft. In housing, that means spending solid years delivering services directly to customers. That experience builds credibility, empathy and a deep understanding that what we as executives, sometimes believe customers need might be very different from what they actually want or need.
My motto / mantra: Listen properly. Act fairly. Follow through.
