Guidance

Fees and Resources Advisory Panel – terms of reference

Updated 8 May 2024

Applies to England

Context 

The Regulator of Social Housing is an executive non-departmental public body, established by and accountable to Parliament for the delivery of its fundamental objectives, as set out in the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008. 

Following a statutory consultation and agreement of the principles by the Secretary of State, a fee-charging regime was introduced from October 2017. Following a second statutory consultation, from July 2024 local authority and private registered providers will pay annual fees. A fee will also be payable on application for initial registration. Fee income will pay for the full cost of regulation, in line with many other regulated sectors, reflecting the benefits to registered providers of being in a regulated sector.  

While the regulator is accountable to Parliament for the delivery of its statutory objectives, it also recognises the importance of being transparent with stakeholders in relation to the fees charged and the quality of the regulation delivered. Accordingly, in response to the first statutory consultation on fees, the regulator committed to introducing a Fees and Resources Advisory Panel (FRAP) alongside existing stakeholder engagement arrangements. This enables engagement on fees with a range of stakeholders, and provides increased transparency. These terms of reference set out a framework for the operation of the FRAP.

Purpose and scope 

The FRAP is an advisory body to the regulator. It is not a decision-making body with respect to the regulator’s fees, resources and activities. 

Its core objectives are to: 

• help the regulator achieve openness and transparency in relation to the use of fee income 
• inform the regulator’s approach to making information on fees accessible 
• inform the regulator’s evaluation of its use of fee income and overall value for money 
• provide feedback on the regulator’s approach to fee-charging and the use of fee income. 

Conduct, meetings, and remuneration 

The regulator may share confidential information with the FRAP in advance of wider publication. Any data and information provided by the regulator to the FRAP must be treated as confidential unless the regulator expressly states otherwise. 

The FRAP will normally meet at times appropriate to the regulator’s business planning and fee-charging cycle, and will meet at least once in each financial year. 

Members, or representatives of the members, of the FRAP will be expected to attend meetings regularly. 

Attendance at the FRAP will be virtual via teleconferencing facilities. 

Members of the FRAP shall not be paid by the regulator for being members.

Membership 

The FRAP will be chaired by the Chief Executive of the Regulator of Social Housing (or by a deputy nominated by the Chief Executive of the Regulator of Social Housing). The FRAP will be supported by other officers of the regulator as necessary. 

The FRAP shall comprise the Chair and a number of representatives appointed to represent the interests of different stakeholder groups, including private registered providers, local authority registered providers, tenant groups, financial industry representatives, and other relevant entities. Additionally, individual providers may be included by the regulator to ensure an appropriate geographic and sectoral coverage of views.  

Unless otherwise agreed in advance by the regulator, FRAP members should be senior executives from within their own organisation. 

Members of FRAP must comply with these terms of reference (as amended from time to time). 

Review 

The regulator expects to review the FRAP’s effectiveness and terms of reference periodically. 

Agreed by the Chief Executive, Regulator of Social Housing - May 2024