Decision

Guildford Borough Council (43UD) - Regulatory Judgement: 25 March 2026

Updated 25 March 2026

Applies to England

Our Judgement

	Grade/Judgement	Change	Date of assessment
Consumer	C1 Our judgement is that overall the landlord is delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards. The landlord has demonstrated that it identifies when issues occur and puts plans in place to remedy and minimise recurrence.	Upgrade	March 2026

Reason for publication

We are publishing a regulatory judgement for Guildford Borough Council (Guildford BC) following responsive engagement and an inspection completed in March 2026.

This regulatory judgement upgrades our previous published assessment of Guildford BC’s consumer grade from C3 to C1. 

Prior to this regulatory judgement, the consumer grading for Guildford BC was last updated in July 2024 following responsive engagement to confirm a C3.

Summary of the decision

From the evidence and assurance gained during the responsive engagement and inspection we have concluded that overall, Guildford BC is delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards and is making effective use of its systems to identify and address potential issues and areas for improvement. Based on this assessment, we have concluded a C1 grade for Guildford BC.

How we reached our judgement

We published a regulatory judgement for Guildford BC in July 2024. This was as a result of responsive engagement with Guildford BC following its self-referral in relation to potential failings around repairs, health and safety compliance and collection of its Tenant Satisfaction Measures. Our judgement at the time was that there were serious failings in Guildford BC’s delivery of the outcomes of the consumer standards and that improvements were needed, specifically in relation to the Safety and Quality Standard and Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard. Based on that assessment, we concluded a C3 grade for Guildford BC. This was the first time we had issued a consumer grade in relation to this landlord.

Following publication, we engaged with Guildford BC as it carried out improvements to address the serious failings which led to the C3 grade. In March 2026 we completed an inspection of Guildford BC to assess how well it is delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards, as part of our planned regulatory inspection programme. We considered all four of the consumer standards: Neighbourhood and Community Standard, Safety and Quality Standard, Tenancy Standard, and the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard.

As part of the inspection, we observed meetings of the council’s Executive, the Housing Operations Board, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and the Audit and Risk Committee. We also met with engaged tenants, officers, the chair of the Independent Assurance Panel and councillors. In addition, we reviewed a wide range of documents provided by Guildford BC.

Our regulatory judgement is based on all the relevant information we obtained during our responsive engagement and the planned inspection. We also considered information supplied by the landlord in its regulatory returns and other regulatory engagement activity.

Summary of findings

Consumer – C1 – March 2026

Guildford BC is delivering the outcomes of the Safety and Quality Standard. It has an accurate, up to date understanding of the condition of most of its homes, including assessment against the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. Guildford BC uses this information to inform its strategic approach to maintain and improve homes. It has a clear programme in place to achieve full stock condition survey coverage during 2026 and to maintain this position afterwards through a rolling programme of surveys.

Guildford BC has an established and comprehensive framework in place to monitor how it meets the requirements of the Decent Homes Standard, which draws upon a range of sources of information. Performance on progress to obtain an accurate and up to date understanding of the condition of all of its homes, and whether homes meet the decency requirements, is reported in detail to the Housing Operations Board. Guildford BC is on target to meet Decent Homes Standard by the end of 2026.

Guildford BC is providing an effective, efficient and timely repairs, maintenance and planned improvements service. At the time of the inspection, 95% of emergency repairs, and 83% of non-emergency repairs, were being completed within target timescales. Guildford BC is seeking to improve and modernise the repairs service further, to deliver clearer communications to tenants and to ensure ongoing repairs work is completed as quickly as possible.

Guildford BC is taking a proactive approach to tackling damp and mould. It has a dedicated team to deal with damp and mould, and uses tenant information to take account of known vulnerabilities when taking action to deal with cases of damp and mould. Guildford BC reports meeting the targets set since the implementation of Awaab’s Law and has been using this system of measurement since mid 2025 to assess its performance.

Guildford BC has two buildings between 11 and 18 metres in height and two buildings of at least 18 metres in height. All buildings have had fire risk assessments, none of which identified life-critical fire-safety defects that require remedial action. Guildford BC has produced, in consultation with tenants, a Building Safety Resident Engagement Strategy for high-rise buildings.

Guildford BC is taking all reasonable steps to ensure the health and safety of its tenants by identifying and meeting all legal health and safety requirements and carrying out required actions. The regulatory judgement published in July 2024 identified failings around electrical, asbestos and fire safety. In particular, Guildford BC lacked certification for electrical safety checks, had outstanding asbestos inspections and overdue fire remedial actions. Through our regulatory engagement, we saw evidence that Guildford BC has put plans in place to address these issues. It now demonstrates that it meets requirements across all the legal health and safety areas and remedial actions are reported and actioned promptly. Guildford BC makes regular use of both internal and external assurance reviews across all health and safety areas and has a track record of implementing any recommendations arising.

In relation to the Neighbourhood and Community Standard, we gained assurance that Guildford BC works in partnership with other organisations to deter and tackle anti-social behaviour and hate incidents in the neighbourhoods where it provides social housing. Guildford BC has an up-to-date anti-social behaviour policy that incorporates its approach to hate crime. A new approach to triage enables more timely intervention and the prioritisation of cases, and open cases are reviewed on a frequent basis. Guildford BC is continuing to monitor trends to help it develop wider awareness of the service. It offers a range of mechanisms for tenants to report incidents, including online and in-person.

In relation to the Tenancy Standard, we saw evidence that Guildford BC offers tenancies or terms of occupation that are compatible with the purpose of its accommodation, the needs of individual households, the sustainability of the community, and the efficient use of its housing stock. At the time of our assessment, Guildford BC was updating both its Allocations Scheme and Tenancy Strategy, to bring them in line with legal and regulatory requirements.

Guildford BC meets the outcomes of the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard. It is committed to treating tenants with fairness and respect. Throughout our inspection we saw a respectful, fair and positive culture towards tenants by both officers and councillors, and evidence of a collaborative and constructive culture between engaged tenants and the council.

Guildford BC understands the diverse needs of its tenants and can tailor its approach to meeting individual needs. While it holds protected characteristics information for most tenants, particularly for age, gender and ethnicity, it has limited information in relation to nationality and language preferences. A programme of tenancy visits is underway which will enhance Guildford BC’s tenant information. Guildford BC has implemented policies that enable it to identify and make service adjustments and tailor support to best meet the needs of tenants and help them sustain their tenancies. We have assurance that Guildford BC actively considers the impact of new policies and service changes on tenants with protected characteristics.

Guildford BC takes tenant insight into account in its decision making and communicates how tenants’ contributions have been considered. Guildford BC’s Tenant and Leaseholder Engagement Strategy 2025-2028 sets out the opportunities for engagement, and we saw evidence of how the strategy is being delivered at pace to ensure positive outcomes for tenants are delivered. The Tenant Engagement Group meets monthly and representatives from it are part of the Housing Operations Board. At the meetings we observed, it was evident that Guildford BC welcomed tenant input and considered the representatives’ views. Tenant insight impacts Guildford BC’s policies, services and its wider approach. Tenants have been actively involved in reviewing the standards that some of Guildford BC’s empty homes have to meet, and co-produce the council’s newsletter to tenants, which includes information on how Guildford BC uses learning to improve services.

The quality and range of information that Guildford BC makes available to tenants meets the expectations set out in the consumer standards. Guildford BC provides tenants with an accessible range of written information, in both digital and non-digital formats and produces three separate annual reports, including in relation to compliance and complaints. The Tenant Engagement Group receives regular performance information, including targets. At the meetings we observed, tenants were provided with detailed performance information and were able to challenge officers. The regulatory judgement published in July 2024 outlined that Guildford BC had failed to collect Tenant Satisfaction Measures information for the 2023/24 reporting year, which meant it was unable to publish this information. Guildford BC has rectified this serious failing, collecting and publishing information for the 2024/25 reporting year and ensuring that it has the correct mechanisms in place to continue to collect and publish Tenant Satisfaction Measures annually.

Guildford BC addresses complaints fairly, effectively, and promptly. Guildford BC identified complaints handling as an area requiring improvement following the publication of the 2024/25 Tenant Satisfaction Measures. While there are still actions to be delivered in Guildford BC’s improvement plan, we have seen an improvement in outcomes for tenants. In 2024/25, 54% of Stage 1 complaints and 55% of Stage 2 complaints were handled within Housing Ombudsman Service timescales. Internal reporting shows for 2025/26 this has increased to 91% for Stage 1 complaints and 98% for Stage 2 complaints. Guildford BC provided evidence of how complaints are tracked and monitored, including quality assurance processes. Guildford BC promotes the complaints process through several channels and learning from complaints is captured and reported to the Housing Operations Board.

Background to the judgement

About the landlord

Guildford BC owns around 5,200 social homes. It provides mostly general needs accommodation, with some supported/sheltered accommodation. It is responsible for all statutory landlord functions within the Housing Revenue Account.

Our role and regulatory approach

We regulate for a viable, efficient, and well governed social housing sector able to deliver quality homes and services for current and future tenants.

We regulate at the landlord level to drive improvement in how landlords operate. By landlord we mean a registered provider of social housing. These can either be local authorities, or private registered providers (other organisations registered with us such as non-profit housing associations, co-operatives, or profit-making organisations).

We set standards which state outcomes that landlords must deliver. The outcomes of our standards include both the required outcomes and specific expectations we set. Where we find there are significant failures in landlords which we consider to be material to the landlord’s delivery of those outcomes, we hold them to account. Ultimately this provides protection for tenants’ homes and services and achieves better outcomes for current and future tenants. It also contributes to a sustainable sector which can attract strong investment.

We have a different role for regulating local authorities than for other landlords. This is because we have a narrower role for local authorities and the Governance and Financial Viability Standard, and Value for Money Standard do not apply. Further detail on which standards apply to different landlords can be found on our standards page. 

We assess the performance of landlords through inspections and by reviewing data that landlords are required to submit to us. In-Depth Assessments (IDAs) were one of our previous assessment processes, which are now replaced by our new inspections programme from 1 April 2024. We also respond where there is an issue or a potential issue that may be material to a landlord’s delivery of the outcomes of our standards. We publish regulatory judgements that describe our view of landlords’ performance with our standards. We also publish grades for landlords with more than 1,000 social housing homes. 

The Housing Ombudsman deals with individual complaints. When individual complaints are referred to us, we investigate if we consider that the issue may be material to a landlord’s delivery of the outcomes of our standards. 

For more information about our approach to regulation, please see How we Regulate.

Further information

• Regulating the standards

• Regulatory standards for landlords

Related documents

• Decent Homes Standard