About us

Our role and fundamental objectives, duty and priorities.

Who we are

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) promotes a viable, efficient and well-governed social housing sector able to deliver more and better social homes.

We do 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. We take appropriate action if the outcomes of the standards are not being delivered.

Following an expansion of our powers, from 1 April 2024, we have begun carrying out regulatory inspections of social landlords.

Our role and fundamental objectives

Our objectives are set out in the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (as amended).

The terms social housing and registered provider are defined in the 2008 Act. Social housing includes low-cost rental (such as affordable rent properties) and low-cost home ownership (such as shared ownership). Registered providers of social housing include local authority landlords and private registered providers (such as not-for-profit housing associations, co-operatives, and for-profit organisations).

We undertake regulation of providers of social housing registered with us, including governance, financial viability and value for money that maintains lender confidence and protects the taxpayer. We also focus on neighbourhood, safety, transparency, influencer, accountability and tenancy standards,  and may take action if these standards are breached and there is a significant risk to tenants or potential tenants.

Economic objectives

  • to ensure that providers of social housing, who are registered with us, are financially viable and properly managed and perform their functions efficiently, effectively and economically
  • to support provision of social housing sufficient to meet reasonable demands (including by encouraging and promoting private investment in social housing)
  • to ensure that value for money is obtained from public investment in housing
  • to avoid the imposition of an unreasonable burden (directly or indirectly) on public funds.
  • to guard against the misuse of public funds.

Consumer objectives

  • to support the provision of social housing that is well-managed, safe, energy efficient and of appropriate quality
  • to ensure that actual or potential tenants of social housing have an appropriate degree of choice and protection
  • to ensure that tenants of social housing have the opportunity to be involved in its management and hold their landlords to account
  • to ensure that registered providers act in a transparent manner in relation to their tenants of social housing, and
  • to encourage RPs to contribute to the environmental, social and economic well-being of the areas in which the housing is situated.

To achieve the objectives, we:

  • support the provision of social housing that is well-managed  and of appropriate quality
  • ensure that actual or potential tenants of social housing have an appropriate degree of choice and protection
  • ensure that social housing tenants have the opportunity to be involved in its management and to hold their landlords to account
  • ensure that registered providers act in a transparent manner in relation to their tenants of social housing
  • encourage registered providers  to contribute to the environmental, social and economic well-being of the areas in which the housing is situated.

Our strategic objectives

Driving improvement Deliver improved outcomes for current and future tenants of social housing through our robust regulation of registered providers
Maintaining confidence Maintain stakeholder and investor confidence in social housing by sharing our insight, research and analysis to enable landlords to respond appropriately to sector risks, challenges and opportunities and deliver more quality homes and landlord services
Working with others Inform the development and delivery of effective social housing policy, by working with a range of stakeholders, including tenants and government
Building the organisation Develop and maintain a diverse, skilled and engaged workforce, by creating an inclusive culture that enables continuous learning and having corporate functions and systems that support and enable effective regulation

Our statutory duty

As part of our role, which is set by Parliament, we have a statutory duty to carry out our work in a way that minimises interference and, as far as is possible, is proportionate, consistent, transparent and accountable. We must also operate within the provisions of the government’s Regulators’ Code.

Our accountability

While the Chair of the RSH Board is accountable to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the Chief Executive, as accounting officer, has a separate direct line of accountability to Parliament as well for the discharge of our fundamental objectives.

Our values

  • We are professional and collaborative, showing respect and courtesy to colleagues and stakeholders.

  • We embrace diversity and seek to be an inclusive and supportive organisation.

  • We are confident in our ability to deliver effective and efficient regulation.

  • We act with integrity to reach evidence-based decisions.

  • We are agile and react positively to change.

Our publications

You can also see our Publication Scheme to find out about the other types of information we regularly publish, including guidance documents, consultations and news releases.

Our contact details

Email: enquiries@rsh.gov.uk or call: 0300 124 5225

See our homepage for further details.

Our offices

Manchester office

This is our registered office. It is also the address for service of any legal documents on RSH.

Regulator of Social Housing
Level 1A – City Tower
Piccadilly Plaza
Manchester M1 4BT

Leeds office

This is the address for general correspondence and enquiries.

Regulator of Social Housing
Level 2
7-8 Wellington Place
Leeds LS1 4AP

London office

Regulator of Social Housing
Fry Building
2 Marsham Street
Westminster
London SW1P 4DF

Birmingham office


Regulator of Social Housing
23 Stephenson Street
Birmingham B2 4BH

Bristol office

Regulator of Social Housing
Rivergate
Temple Quay
Bristol BS1 6EH

Background

The regulation function transferred from the Homes and Communities Agency to the Regulator of Social Housing on 1 October 2018, in line with the Legislative Reform (Regulator of Social Housing)(England) Order 2018.

Corporate information

Access our information

Jobs and contracts

Read about the types of information we routinely publish in our Publication scheme. Our Personal information charter explains how we treat your personal information.

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