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Press release

RSH launches independent inquiry into social housing landlord

The Regulator of Social Housing has commissioned an independent inquiry to investigate serious concerns at social housing landlord Ash-Shahada Housing Association Limited.

From:
Regulator of Social Housing
Published:
3 November 2026

RSH has the power to hold an inquiry if it suspects that the affairs of a landlord may have been mismanaged, if it has failed to meet a regulatory standard or there is a risk that, if no action is taken by the regulator or the landlord, it will fail to meet a standard.     

RSH Chief Executive Jonathan Walters said:

“A statutory inquiry is a serious regulatory tool that we only use very rarely. This reflects the severity of our concerns with ASHA  and its longstanding failure to put things right. We will use the independent findings to inform our next steps.” 

ASHA is a London-based landlord providing social housing in London and supported exempt accommodation in Birmingham. It is a Community Benefit Society and is designated as a not-for-profit provider.

RSH has notified ASHA and relevant stakeholders of the inquiry.

Scope of the inquiry   

The inquirer is independent from RSH. However, RSH specifies the matters on which the  inquirer is to report.

The inquirer is required to examine the following matters and make findings on whether: 

  • There are or have been any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest within ASHA’s executive team or board.

  • The Board and Executive have the necessary degree of skills, independence and effectiveness to manage ASHA’s affairs.

  • There is any evidence that ASHA, its officers, employees or agents have entered into any arrangements or transactions, made payments, or conferred other benefits for the purpose of advancing the interests of any third parties

  • There have been any instances of ASHA’s social housing assets being used in a way that may be inconsistent with applicable policies, procedures, regulatory requirements and any relevant law.

  • Any officer, employee or agent of ASHA, has contributed to any mismanagement or failure to comply with a standard, and if so to identify such individuals

  • Any matters referred to above, or any other matters uncovered by the inquirer in the course of the inquiry, individually or collectively, constitute mismanagement a failure to meet any of the applicable standards.

The scope of the inquiry may be amended or extended during the course of the inquiry if necessary. 

Certain enforcement powers are only available to RSH following the commencement of an inquiry where specific conditions are satisfied. RSH will consider the findings of the inquiry and determine whether any further regulatory action is appropriate. RSH will publish the outcome of the inquiry following its conclusion.

Ends

Note for editors

  1. A registered provider is responsible for ensuring that it manages itself effectively, achieves the standards set by the regulator, and engages positively with the regulator’s regulatory framework. Where a failing in delivering the outcomes of the standards has been identified, the regulator expects providers to respond in a prompt and effective manner. It may be necessary for the regulator to step in and exercise its powers under the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 as amended (the Act) when a provider fails to do so. The regulator has published guidance on how the regulator uses and intends to use its statutory regulatory and enforcement powers.

  2. Section 206(1) of the Act sets out the grounds under which the regulator can hold an inquiry. Further guidance on the use of an inquiry can be found on the RSH website.

  3. RSH published a regulatory notice in July 2021 concluding that Ash-Shahada Housing Association Limited is non-compliant with the governance elements of the Governance and Financial Viability Standard. It failed to ensure that it had effective governance arrangements in place that deliver its aims, objectives and intended outcomes for tenants in an effective, transparent and accountable manner; failed to demonstrate that it had an appropriate, robust and prudent risk and control framework in place; and had not been able to demonstrate that it managed its affairs with an appropriate degree of skill, independence, diligence, effectiveness, prudence and foresight.

  4. ASHA has fewer than 1,000 units of social housing and is therefore classed as a small provider. RSH does not issue grades to small providers and only publishes or updates regulatory judgements (previously known as ‘regulatory notices’ for small providers) where we consider there to be serious weaknesses or failings in a landlord’s delivery of the outcomes of our standards.

  5. RSH previously made statutory appointments to ASHA’s board in 2025.

  6. For media enquiries please see our Media enquiries page. For general enquiries email enquiries@rsh.gov.uk.