Housing Journalism: How PR Pros Can Land Stronger Media Coverage
Vicky Spratt shares her tips for PR pros looking to boost their housing stories in the media
This week, I’m thrilled to be joined by Vicky Spratt, one of the UK’s leading housing journalists and an award-winning reporter whose work has shaped national conversations on renting, homelessness and housing reform. If you’ve read her coverage in the i Paper or followed her powerful video storytelling across social platforms, you’ll know she has a rare ability to connect policy detail with real human impact.
Vicky has spent years cutting through political noise to show how housing policy affects people’s lives.. In this edition of Off the Record, she shares what comms and PR professionals often get wrong about pitching housing stories...and what actually works.
So, over to Vicky
As PR or comms professionals trying to engage with housing issues, what do you wish they understood better about how journalists like you approach housing stories? To really get attention on a story it needs to have a really unique way in. That could be a human story. It could be data. It could be an expert observing something new or uncovering a trend. But, it has to be unique. I generally only report on exclusive stories, but, even for generic news reporters I think this should be the baseline in today’s attention economy.
For organisations aiming to influence public opinion or policy, is it better to lean into emotive human-impact stories (such as evictions and homelessness) or to frame arguments around economics, social justice and systemic reform... or a mix? Impact is subjective, and how you measure it depends on your goal. But, broadly speaking, I talk about the three pillars of my reporting: politics, policy, people. I think you have to explain how a policy - good or bad - impacts people, and what the politics of changing that policy are in order to make an impact with any story.
How much of the stories you write come via press releases/comms pros versus not? 99% of my stories come from original reporting - that’s included working with organisations on exclusive data and information but, honestly, by the time a press release has hit my inbox I don’t think it’s exclusive enough because it’s also gone to other journalists.
You do great storytelling on video platforms too. How can comms pros be more useful to you in that space? Whether we like it or not, social media is where everyone is today. Whether that’s TikTok or Instagram. Think of it in the same way you think of written content, a communication tool. Engage with people on their terms. Meet them where they are. Find out what they are interested in.
What do you want to see more of in 2026 from comms pros? What do you want to see less of next year? I think getting to know the journalists you want to pitch is a good idea. Find out what they need and are interested in. Finding time for coffees and lunches can be difficult but try. And, if that fails, get a quick call in. I’m sure I’m not the only reporter who gets hundreds of emails a day. I can’t physically read them all!
Quick fire...
Best time to pitch you? Start of the week, and with plenty of notice. I book up very quickly and if you want something out tomorrow and you’re pitching me today it may be too late.
Worst time to pitch you? Friday because I don’t work on Fridays! But, generally, for weekend papers, you need to let a reporter know you have something by Wednesday. Proper reporting takes time!!!!
How many follow ups do you like to receive to a pitch? None. Please. My inbox is so full.
A memorable story you’ve recently written? I remember them all, but stories about people stick with me and I am always wondering how the people who have shared their stories with me are doing now. I generally find political infighting deadly boring. And I struggle to remember how many times I’ve written about party politics getting in the way of policy reform….
Best way to contact you? Email (vicky.spratt@inews.co.uk). But please only email once! Otherwise it’s just getting more and more buried! Then phone call if I share my number.
Remember folks, keep this just between us! We’re off the record.
Thank you for reading Off the Record! There are more than 3,200 subscribers now! I want to make my weekly newsletter as helpful as I can, so please get in contact if there’s anything specific you want to see.
I also offer media masterclasses for brands/PRs/organisations looking to sharpen their storytelling, improve their relationships with journalists and boost their media coverage. If you’re interested, please email me at stephspyro1@gmail.com
You can also follow my journalism on Instagram, Twitter/X and BlueSky.