Correspondence

Annex A: 2026/27 Data Requirements – key messages and changes (Local Authorities)

Published 11 March 2026

Applies to England

Introduction

This note provides an overview of the changes to data returns for 2026/27 for local authority providers (‘providers’). These changes have been made to ensure that they continue to effectively support our regulatory approach and reflect provider structures and risks. Providers will be informed in good time if there are any changes or additions during the year to either our submission requirements or our deadlines.

Key messages

The following points are applicable to all returns:

• Timely and accurate data submission is a cornerstone of the co-regulatory settlement and we rely on the information supplied by providers to ensure proportionate and risk-based regulation. Failure to supply quality data in line with the timescales we outline may be reflected in our published regulatory judgements.

• Data provided through these returns may be published at a provider level and we will publish a list of all late or missing returns.

• It is essential that providers read the guidance available on the NROSH+ website prior to starting any of the returns.

• Providers have a responsibility to correctly categorise and record their stock according to the latest applicable legislation.

• During the checking of submissions, we may contact some providers to discuss their data returns before signing them off for further analysis. Subsequently, we may contact providers where there are any regulatory issues arising from this analysis of the validated data.

• Please access NROSH+. For help and advice please refer to the guidance available and contact the Referrals and Regulatory Enquiries Team (NROSHenquiries@rsh.gov.uk and 0300 1245 225).

Local Authority Data Return

The Local Authority Data Return (LADR), collecting information on social housing stock and rents, was first collected in 2020 and allows us to regulate compliance with the Rent Standard. We collect this return annually^{[footnote 1]} from all local authorities registered with us.^{[footnote 2]}

It is important that guidance materials are reviewed before the completion of the LADR, and that stock is correctly categorised and recorded accurately according to the latest applicable legislation.

Changes have been made to update terminology and to ensure the LADR continues to provide us with the data required to support our regulatory activity. These changes include:

Guidance

Some updates have been made to the LADR guidance to improve clarity and alignment between RSH returns. These can be summarised as:

• Introduction of a definition of ownership (of units) for the purposes of the LADR return.
• A change to the treatment of leased stock.
• Clarification of differences between LADR and LAHS requirements.

Pilot stock condition questions

Introduction of a set of voluntary pilot questions on stock condition.

Prior year survey data

Tables displaying the number of units reported in the 2025 LADR have been added for Questions 1-3 of the Stock Information section. Comments boxes allowing LARPs to explain year-on-year changes have also been included.

For more details on the LADR questions and changes, please refer to the LADR Guidance materials available on the NROSH+ website including the LADR changes for 2026 document.

Tenant Satisfaction Measures

Changes have been made ensure the Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) Return continues to provide us with the data required to support our regulatory activity. These changes include:

Survey completion

• Question 2 has been restructured into three distinct questions and some wording has been revised to improve clarity.

Background

• Two drop-down options for Question 6 have been combined into one.

Published TSMs

• Non-emergency and emergency repairs timescales reported in Section 3 Question 5a and Question 5d have been added to the list of responses to be checked against published information.

TSMs reported by all

• Question 6 has been structured as a balance sheet with the addition of a new question asking for the number of responsive repairs at year end as reported in the 2025 TSM return.

Additionally, care should be taken to ensure the number of owned dwelling units at year is consistent between the TSM Return and the LADR. Similarly, landlords should take care to ensure they understand and can explain any differences between the Decent Homes Standard information reported in the TSM return and their reporting in the Local Authority Housing Statistic.

For more details on the TSM questions and changes, please refer to the TSM Guidance materials available on the NROSH+ website including the TSM Return changes for 2026 document.

Please note that the requirements for your collection and calculation of the 2025/26 TSMs themselves have not changed. We have updated one part of the TSM Technical Requirements, ensuring the detail of the requirements on repairs timelines (RP02) provides clarity on how to report repairs that represents emergency and significant hazards as defined in Awaab’s Law. This clarification applies to TSM data collection from 1 April 2026 (i.e. TSMs for 2026/27 onwards).

Fire Safety Remediation Survey

There are no notable changes to the Fire Safety Remediation Survey (FRS) for 2025/26 Q4. Guidance notes for the FRS will be updated for each release of this survey and providers should refer to these to note any changes to our requirements.

National Remediation System (NRS)

Providers are no longer required to submit a quarterly Building Level Survey spreadsheet alongside the FRS. Instead, we are asking registered providers to continue working with Homes England through their system (for self funded social sector buildings and applications for the Cladding Safety scheme), ensuring building details and progress is updated accurately and in line with the agency’s scheme requirements. Please contact Homes England at: ssdataingestion@homesengland.gov.uk if you have any questions about your obligations or the required data requirements.  

We expect the number of relevant 11m+ buildings with current or historically remediated external wall systems defects to align between the NRS and FRS. Please ensure consistency between your building level details and aggregate submission to the regulator.

We are working with Homes England to minimise duplication in how we work together.

You should continue to submit aggregate level data returns to the FRS in the NROSH+ system in the usual way.

Organisational data

The NROSH+ website requires your organisation to enter and maintain a suite of organisational and contact details. It is the responsibility of each individual provider to ensure that this contact information is kept updated and accurate throughout the year. This is important because we use this information to contact your organisation on regulatory matters. We take our duties in relation to data protection seriously, but to do this we rely on providers updating their contact information in a timely fashion. Guidance on how to access and amend this data is available on the NROSH+ website.

Providers must keep this information up to date. Any changes to this information should be made as soon as is reasonably possible or at a minimum within two weeks of the change happening. When publishing this information providers should ensure that in doing so they meet all the requirements of our standards. Further details about the requirement can be found on our website.

1. The LADR and TSM Return are both included on the single data list and must be completed by all LAs registered with us. ↩

2. All local authorities who own any social housing stock are required to register with us. The rent standard applies to all providers. ↩