News story

Kirklees Council fails to meet RSH’s consumer standards

The council has failed to deliver the outcomes of RSH's consumer standards

From:
Regulator of Social Housing
Published
6 March 2024

In a regulatory notice published today (6 March 2024), the Regulator of Social Housing concluded that Kirklees Council has failed to deliver the outcomes of the consumer standards.

Following a self-referral RSH found that, although the council had carried out fire risk assessments for all relevant blocks, 20,000 fire safety actions were overdue.

In addition, RSH found that the council had not completed over 1,500 damp and mould repairs in tenants’ homes.

The council has demonstrated that it now understands its responsibilities, and is taking action to complete the overdue fire safety actions and addressing reports of damp and mould.

Kate Dodsworth, Chief of Regulatory Engagement at RSH, said:

All landlords must meet health and safety requirements and provide an effective repairs service for tenants. Kirklees Council failed to do this and it is now working to put things right.

The council referred itself to us and has engaged constructively. We expect all other social landlords to do the same when they find or suspect a problem, so issues can be resolved promptly.

Notes to editors

  1. This regulatory notice is published in relation to RSH’s existing consumer standards. From 1 April 2024, RSH will introduce new consumer standards that all landlords need to meet. This is a result of the landmark Social Housing Regulation Act that gives RSH a wider remit and powers to hold landlords to account. From April 2024, it will begin carrying out regulatory inspections of social landlords. More information is available in Reshaping consumer regulation: our new approach.

  2. RSH promotes a viable, efficient and well-governed social housing sector able to deliver more and better social homes. It does this by undertaking robust economic regulation focusing on governance, financial viability and value for money that maintains lender confidence and protects the taxpayer. It also sets consumer standards and may take action if the outcomes of the standards are not being delivered.

  3. For press office contact details, see our Media enquiries page. For general queries, please email enquiries@rsh.gov.uk or call 0300 124 5225.

Published 6 March 2024