Martin Palmer has been Head of Housing for the Central Region since July 2004 having joined the Audit Commission as Lead Housing Inspector for the Central Region in June 2000. He was previously Deputy Chief Executive of Servite Houses, a large housing association operating principally in London and the South East, West Midlands and Merseyside where he worked for over 15 years in a variety of roles, including Assistant Director of Housing and Regional Manager (Midlands).

Martin graduated with a degree in Sociology and started his career in housing with the London Borough of Southwark working in the field of homelessness and subsequently worked for the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in housing aid and Redditch Development Corporation and Redditch Borough Council in housing management. He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing.