RSH gives two local authorities a C3 consumer grade
RSH has published regulatory judgements for 8 landlords including C3 grades for Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council and Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
Two local authorities received a C3 consumer grade from the Regulator of Social Housing in regulatory judgements published today (Wednesday 14 October 2026).
RSH found serious failings in Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council’s understanding of the condition of its homes and in its approach to tackling anti-social behaviour.
During an inspection, RSH found that the West Yorkshire local authority held up-to-date condition information for only around a quarter of its tenants’ homes. Also, it could not provide assurance that it fully understands potential risks across its housing stock.
The inspection identified weaknesses in tenant scrutiny, tenant data and complaint response times.
Kirklees MBC has made progress in managing damp and mould and health and safety compliance, although has around 2,500 fire safety remedial actions which it still needs to complete.
Kirklees MBC is engaging constructively with RSH to address the identified issues.
RSH will continue to seek assurance that Kirklees MBC is making sufficient progress and effectively managing risks to tenants.
RSH also found serious failings at Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in south-west London in its understanding of the condition of its homes. Accurate, up-to-date information was unavailable for most properties and only 15% of homes had been surveyed under a new stock condition programme.
While the local authority is meeting key health and safety legal requirements and has improved repairs performance, weaknesses remain in oversight of remedial actions, communal repairs and complaints handling.
RSH also identified gaps in RB Kingston upon Thames’s understanding of tenants’ diverse needs.
The landlord has recognised these issues, is taking action to address them, and RSH will continue intensive engagement to seek assurance that improvements are delivered and risks to tenants are effectively managed.
Angela Holden, Director of Regulatory Engagement at RSH, said: “Both these cases highlight the importance of landlords having a clear understanding of the condition of their tenants’ homes and delivering services that keep tenants safe.
“Where we find serious failings, we will engage intensively with landlords and expect them to take swift and effective action to address our concerns and improve outcomes for tenants.”
There was a C1 upgrade today for Broadacres Housing Association Limited, which owns around 7,000 homes mostly in Yorkshire and the Humber.
Since receiving a C2 in October 2024, Broadacres demonstrated to RSH that it has made progress in strengthening board oversight, assurance and challenge on its health and safety reporting.
It has also made improvements to how it monitors and tackles anti-social behaviour, delivering improvements and evidencing more effective partnership working with relevant organisations, and delivering equitable outcomes for tenants.
Broadacres also has unchanged G2 governance and V2 financial viability grades.
Two landlords – Northwest-based Onward Group Limited (Onward) and Wealden District Council in East Sussex – received a C1 grade on their first grading. Onward also has assessed and unchanged G1 and V2 grades.
In addition, three landlords – Abri Group Limited, Babergh District Council and Mid Suffolk District Council received a C2 for their first consumer grading, following inspection.
Abri’s C2 reflects the significant improvements it has made in addressing safety and quality weaknesses within Octavia Housing, which had a C3 grade published in July 2024 and joined Abri in December 2024. The Abri group which owns and manages around 48,000 homes across London and the south of England, also has assessed and unchanged G1 and V1 grades.
Babergh and Mid Suffolk councils have worked together since 2011 and have a fully integrated staffing structure under one Chief Executive.
ENDS
Notes to editors
The full list of judgements published today is provided in the table below.
| Landlord | Consumer grade | Governance Grade | Viability Grade | Engagement Process |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abri Group Limited | C2 (first grading) | G1 (assessed and unchanged) | V1 (assessed and unchanged) | Inspection |
| Babergh District Council | C2 (first grading) | - | - | Inspection |
| Broadacres Housing Association Limited | C1 (upgrade) | G2 (based on previous assessment) | V2 (based on previous assessment) | Responsive engagement |
| Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council | C3 (first grading) | - | - | Inspection |
| Mid-Suffolk District Council | C2 (first grading) | - | - | Inspection |
| Onward Group Limited | C1 (first grading) | G1 (assessed and unchanged) | V2 (assessed and unchanged) | Inspection |
| Royal Borough Kingston upon Thames | C3 (first grading) | - | - | Inspection |
| Wealdon District Council | C1 (first grading) | - | - | Inspection |
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On 1 April 2024 RSH introduced revised consumer standards for social housing landlords, designed to drive long-term improvements in the sector. It also began a programme of landlord inspections. The changes are a result of the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023 and include stronger powers to hold landlords to account. More information about RSH’s approach is available in its document Reshaping Consumer Regulation.
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RSH does not give grades to small landlords (under 1,000 homes) and only publishes regulatory judgements where it considers there to be serious weaknesses or failings in a landlord’s delivery of the outcomes of the standards.
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More information about RSH’s responsive engagement, programmed inspections and consumer gradings is also available on its website.
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RSH promotes a viable, efficient and well-governed social housing sector able to deliver more and better social homes. It does this by setting standards and carrying out robust regulation focusing on driving improvement in social landlords, including local authorities, and ensuring that housing associations are well-governed, financially viable and offer value for money. It takes appropriate action if the outcomes of the standards are not being delivered.
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RSH publishes gradings for consumer, governance and viability. Local authorities only receive consumer gradings. More information can be found on our How we approach regulatory judgements and gradings page.
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For media enquiries please contact vicky.moore@rsh.gov.uk or christian.cosby@rsh.gov.uk. For general enquiries, email enquiries@rsh.gov.uk.