Industry News
Housing regulator publishes first set of planned inspection results
T
he Regulator of Social Housing has published the first set of regulatory judgements arising from its new programme
of planned inspections. It expects to publish more judgements from its first wave of inspections later in the summer. Aſter inspecting Watford Community Housing
Trust and Nottingham Community Housing Association Limited, the regulator confirmed that each landlord meets its governance and viability requirements, and has the financial capacity to deal with a wide range of adverse scenarios. Te RSH also confirmed that, overall, each
landlord is delivering the outcomes of the new consumer standards. Tey have demonstrated that they identify issues affecting tenants and put plans in place to solve them and minimise recurrence. Te regulatory gradings for each landlord are
G1 for governance, V1 for viability and C1 for the consumer standards. Te regulator expects that, even when a landlord is assessed as C1, they will continue to review, evaluate and improve their service to tenants. Landlords should also continue to monitor and
mitigate their financial risks carefully and test the effectiveness of their governance arrangements, including through independent reviews. RSH started the first phase of its inspection
programme for all large social landlords (those with
over 1,000 homes) on 1 April 2024. Te inspections will take place over a four-year cycle and are one of the key changes to the regulator’s approach arising from the Social Housing Regulation Act. Kate Dodsworth, chief of regulatory engagement
at the RSH, said: “Our inspection programme is a really important part of our new regulatory approach. Now we can go out and proactively seek evidence that a landlord is delivering the outcomes in our consumer standards, which will help to drive long-term improvements in landlords for the benefit of tenants. “Critically we’re also continuing to scrutinise the finances and governance of housing associations
and other private registered providers, at a time when they are facing many competing demands on their finances. Trough our integrated regulation, we’re helping to promote a sector that is viable, well governed and able to deliver more and better social homes for people who need them.” Te regulator is continuing to carry out its
work on responsive engagement – where it considers information that is referred by tenants, landlords and other stakeholders. Since April, the RSH has published four regulatory judgements, based on responsive engagement, for landlords who have failed to deliver the outcomes in the new consumer standards.
Ombudsman launches Call for Evidence
Te Housing Ombudsman has launched its latest ‘Call for Evidence’ Survey to inform its next Spotlight Report, entitled ‘Repairing Trust’, which will explore common issues in housing maintenance. Tis follows an unprecedented rise in complaints
relating to disrepair, combined with increasing costs and skills shortages. In many cases, this is significantly impacting upon residents’ safety in their homes. Te report will highlight some of the positive
changes landlords have made to rise to the maintenance challenge and support landlords prepare for the introduction of Awaab’s Law, which will for the first time set statutory repair timescales and record-keeping requirements. Te investigation report will also examine
the complex relationships between landlords, contractors, and residents, with a particular focus on accountability, roles, and responsibilities. It will examine the experiences of operatives on the ground as well as residents and the breakdown in relationships that can happen between the landlord and residents.
Te Ombudsman is targeting residents and
repair operatives, alongside landlords and contractors employed by them. For the first time, the Ombudsman is also seeking views from MPs and councillors, with both reporting housing repair issues as being a common issue for their constituents. Te Housing Ombudsman encourages all
stakeholders to participate to contribute their insights and experiences. Submissions can be made using the QR Code until Friday 25 October 2024. Te questions will cover four themes: • What are the main issues landlords face when contracting services, what causes these issues, and what impact do they have?
• What problems do residents encounter with these services, the underlying reasons, and their effects?
• What barriers do operatives experience in delivering services, the root causes, and the repercussions?
• What are the lessons learned from cases with no maladministration and successful initiatives within the sector?
18 | HMMAugust/September 2024 |
www.housingmmonline.co.uk
Richard Blakeway said: “Social housing is vital
to this country but maintaining existing homes is becoming more complex and costly. Tere are strong indications in our casework that trust between some residents and landlords is deeply fractured. Te situation is becoming extremely challenging, with residents frustrated and landlord staff fatigued. I am especially concerned to hear more reports by residents of poor staff conduct while landlords are also telling us of operatives reporting challenging behaviour by residents. “Tis Call for Evidence is a crucial step in
understanding the challenges and opportunities in housing maintenance. By involving a wide range of voices, perspectives and experiences. We aim to identify common issues, understand root causes, and highlight best practices to ensure the maintenance of decent home standards. Our report will aim to provide practical recommendations and foster a deeper trust between residents and landlords to ensure that maintenance services are both effective and reliable.”
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