The Housing Sector Dictionary

Making sense of housing terms

The housing sector is full of acronyms, legislation, and specialist language that can be confusing — even for people working in it every day. Whether you’re a resident, a campaigner, a housing professional, or simply trying to understand how the system works, the jargon can make things harder than they need to be.

The Housing Sector Dictionary is designed to strip away that confusion. It brings together common terms and phrases used across housing — from tenancy law and service charges to regulation, safety, and governance — and explains them in plain English.

This isn’t about taking sides or dumbing things down. It’s about clarity. By breaking down the terminology, we hope to make the housing world more open, accessible, and easier to navigate for everyone.