RSH publishes review of its 2022 social housing consumer regulation
The report sets out the Regulator of Social Housing's approach to consumer regulation and includes case studies and lessons learned.
The Regulator of Social Housing has today (14 July 2022) published a review of its consumer regulation work between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022.
In 2021-22, the regulator’s consumer regulation casework helped protect thousands of tenants across England by uncovering failures within social housing landlords and getting those concerned to put things right.
RSH received referrals from tenants, registered providers of social housing and other sources relating to its standards on homes, neighbourhood and community, tenancy or tenant empowerment and involvement. In eight of these cases, RSH found a breach of its standards with the potential for serious harm to tenants. In all eight, the breaches included health and safety failings.
As well as setting out clear lessons for providers who do not meet the regulator’s standards, the review provides practical advice for all landlords who want to enhance the service they provide for their tenants. This includes the importance of organisational leaders having clear oversight, with accurate and up-to-date data. Local authorities and private registered providers are also reminded of the importance of self-referral, where they proactively contact the regulator if they suspect an issue.
With the process to introduce proactive consumer regulation underway in parliament, the report suggests that landlords who engage with tenants effectively now will be better prepared for the forthcoming changes.
For providers who fail to provide safe and good quality homes for their tenants, the report sets out how the regulator will hold them to account and enforce its standards to bring them back to compliance.
Kate Dodsworth, Director of Consumer Regulation at the Regulator of Social Housing, said:
Our consumer regulation work over the last year has provided an important safeguard and helped keep thousands of local authority and housing association tenants safe.
Our cases show that no social housing landlord can afford to remain complacent. The critical difference between landlords who provide good services and safe, decent homes and those that don’t is often whether they listen to tenants and really hear what they have to say.
The Consumer regulation review can be found on the RSH website.
Notes to editors
1 - The Regulator of Social Housing promotes a viable, efficient and well-governed social housing sector able to deliver homes 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 - For press office contact details, see the regulator’s media enquiries page. For general queries, please email enquiries@rsh.gov.uk or call 0300 124 5225.