News story

RSH publishes regulatory notice for Sheffield City Council

The Regulator of Social Housing has concluded the local authority breached its consumer standards.

In a regulatory notice published today (Wednesday 25 January 2023), the Regulator of Social Housing has concluded that Sheffield City Council breached the Home Standard and, as a result, there was potential for serious detriment to tenants.

Following a self-referral, RSH carried out an investigation and confirmed that the council failed to meet statutory health and safety requirements. Annual gas safety checks were overdue for hundreds of homes, with some dating back several years. The council is now working to complete the gas safety checks and return to compliance with the regulator’s standards.

Kate Dodsworth, Director of Consumer Regulation at RSH, said:

Sheffield City Council recognised that it had failed to meet health and safety requirements and referred itself to us.

Our investigation confirms that the council breached our standards and put tenants at potential risk. We will monitor it closely as it completes the overdue gas checks and puts things right for tenants.

More information about the regulator’s findings in this case are available in the regulatory notice.

Ends

Notes to editors

  1. RSH promotes a viable, efficient and well-governed social housing sector able to deliver and maintain homes of appropriate quality that meet a range of needs. 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 these standards are breached and there is a significant risk of serious detriment to tenants or potential tenants.

  2. More information about how RSH regulates against its standards is available in Regulating the Standards.

  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 25 January 2023