Decision

Housing 21 (L0055) - Regulatory Judgement: 14 May 2025

Updated 14 May 2025

Applies to England

Our Judgement

	Grade/Judgement	Change	Date of assessment
Consumer	C2 Our judgement is that there are some weaknesses in the landlord delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards and improvement is needed.	First grading	May 2025
Governance	G1 Our judgement is that the landlord meets our governance requirements.	Assessed and unchanged	May 2025
Viability	V1 Our judgement is that the landlord meets our viability requirements and has financial capacity to deal with a wide range of adverse scenarios.	Assessed and unchanged	May 2025

Reason for publication

We are publishing a regulatory judgement for Housing 21 following an inspection completed in May 2025.

This regulatory judgement confirms a consumer grading of C2, a governance grading of G1 and a financially viability grading of V1.

Prior to this regulatory judgement, the governance and financial viability gradings for Housing 21 were last updated in December 2023, following a stability check to confirm a G1 grade for governance and a V1 grade for financial viability. This is the first time we have issued a consumer grade in relation to this landlord.

Summary of the decision

Based on the evidence and assurance gained during the inspection it is our judgement that there are some weaknesses in Housing 21’s delivery of the outcomes of the consumer standards. Housing 21 provided evidence of a good understanding of service outcomes at a local level, but improvements are needed in how it consolidates this performance information and reports the overall position to its board. Further improvements are required to its systems for board-level reporting on repairs and landlord health and safety remedial actions. Based on this assessment, we have concluded a C2 grade for Housing 21.

Our judgement is that Housing 21 meets our governance requirements. Housing 21 has provided evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of its governance arrangements and that it continues to effectively manage the risks of its activities, allowing it to deliver its strategic and charitable objectives. Based on this assessment, we have concluded a G1 grade for Housing 21.

Our judgement is that Housing 21 meets our financial viability requirements and has the financial capacity to deal with a wide range of adverse scenarios. Housing 21 has a strong financial profile and stress testing demonstrates that financial capacity is built into its business plan. Housing 21 has provided appropriate assurance that it has access to sufficient liquidity and adequate funding is in place. Based on this assessment, we have concluded a V1 grade for Housing 21.

How we reached our judgement

We carried out an inspection of Housing 21 to assess how well it is delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards and meeting our governance and financial viability requirements. During the inspection, 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.

During the inspection, we observed a board meeting and a resident forum meeting, spoke with tenants, held meetings with Housing 21’s management and its non-executive directors, and reviewed a wide range of documents provided by Housing 21.

Our regulatory judgement is based on all the relevant information we obtained during the inspection as well as analysis of information received from Housing 21 through its regulatory returns and other regulatory engagement activity.

Summary of findings 

Consumer – C2 – May 2025

During the inspection, Housing 21 provided evidence-based assurance that it has appropriate systems in place to ensure the health and safety of its tenants in their homes and associated communal areas. It also demonstrated that it has a good understanding of its compliance with landlord health and safety requirements, its performance information demonstrated a good level of reported compliance with legal obligations, and it has recent third-party assurance that its reporting in this area is up to date and accurate. Housing 21 is making further improvements in the level of reporting to its board on tracking the completion of some remedial actions identified through its programme of landlord health and safety checks.

Housing 21 maintains an accurate and up to date record of the condition of its homes through a range of physical stock condition surveys of all homes at an individual property level. Additional assurance on the current condition of its properties is provided by a programme of annual visits to residents in their homes, which covers the wellbeing of residents and the internal condition of their home.

Housing 21 has provided information to demonstrate that it provides an efficient, effective and timely repairs service to tenants. Reported satisfaction levels amongst tenants presents as being at relatively high levels and there is limited evidence of issues being found with the service delivery at a local level. However, the board’s oversight of Housing 21’s overall performance reporting does not include a wide range of performance metrics, and this is an area for improvement.

Housing 21 tailors its approach to delivering outcomes to tenants effectively and gains evidence of performance through its local and onsite services. However, there are weaknesses in how it captures and reports its services at an organisational level. This has been identified by Housing 21, including through its programme of internal audits, and there are plans in place for a series of system-based improvements that will strengthen the board’s assurance and improve the timeliness of information about its homes.

In relation to the Neighbourhood and Community Standard, we saw evidence that Housing 21 is working in partnership with relevant organisations to deter and tackle Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) and hate incidents in the neighbourhoods where it provides social housing. Having identified concerns about its approach to ASB and hate crime and the completeness of its reporting, Housing 21 has completed an end-to-end review of its approach in consultation with residents and its new approach is due to be launched in April 2025.

We gained assurance that, in line with the Tenancy Standard, Housing 21 has arrangements in place to ensure properties are let in a fair and transparent way, working with appropriate third parties to allocate homes according to individual need. We saw evidence that Housing 21 ensures tenants are supported in sustaining their homes, including successfully helping tenants to access financial support.

In relation to the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard, we saw evidence that Housing 21’s complaints process is accessible and publicised to tenants, and that complaints are addressed fairly, effectively, and promptly. Housing 21’s board and all tenants receive reporting on complaints handling performance and insight. Themes identified from complaints are monitored, but further work is being undertaken to strengthen how Housing 21 demonstrates these are being used to drive improvements in services to all tenants.

Housing 21 provides a wide range of opportunities for tenants to influence and scrutinise its strategies, policies and services. We saw evidence that Housing 21 has arrangements in place to seek the views of tenants and enables them to provide scrutiny. There are clear arrangements in place through which Housing 21 hears from its tenants and there is evidence of a wide range of meaningful engagement activities available to tenants. We also saw evidence that tenant scrutiny and feedback has directly and positively impacted service delivery.

Housing 21 has provided appropriate evidence that it makes use of its performance and insight information. It has planned improvements in how this information is shared with its tenants, including through changes to its website.

Governance – G1 – May 2025

Based on the evidence gained from the inspection there is assurance that Housing 21’s governance arrangements enable it to effectively manage risk and adequately control the organisation, allowing it to deliver its objectives.

Housing 21’s board has a clear purpose, supported by its strategic plan and business plan. The strategic direction of Housing 21 is regularly reviewed by the board. There are arrangements in place for the board to review reporting on its strategic delivery, oversight of its financial risks, success of its development and growth programme, landlord health and safety, and building safety. We saw evidence that the board, supported by its committees, applies relevant scrutiny and oversight to the performance of the organisation.

An appropriate risk management and control framework is in place that is aligned with the activities of the organisation. Housing 21’s board actively seeks and gains appropriate levels of assurance across a range of areas. The board seeks regular assurance that Housing 21 is performing in line with its risk appetite.

We identified some areas of improvement relating to board reporting. The board identified the need to strengthen areas of its performance reporting framework and has been implementing changes, with further work needed.

Housing 21 provided evidence that it has established and maintains clear roles, responsibilities and accountabilities within its leadership and governance structure, including well established roles for tenants. There is evidence that the relationship between the board and committees is working in line with its delegations to strengthen assurance in key areas of risk and compliance. There are some areas for improvement in how relevant committees and the board ensure recommendations from internal audit and other commissioned reviews are completed in a timely way.  The most recent external review of Housing 21’s governance took place in December 2024, and we saw evidence of regular committee effectiveness reviews.

Board members’ skills, experience and knowledge are aligned with the activities of the organisation and there is a structured approach to effectiveness reviews and the development and appraisal of skills, which also feeds into succession planning. We have seen evidence of this through board observation, meetings with non-executive directors and executive team members, as well as reviewing relevant documents including meeting minutes.

Housing 21’s board has demonstrated that there is regular and appropriate consideration of alternative options to deliver value for money and make best use of resources. Board ownership of stress testing and mitigation strategies is evidenced and is used to inform decisions, supplementing the wider control framework. Reporting to the board provides sufficient detail to ensure effective oversight.

Viability – V1 – May 2025

Based on the evidence gained from the inspection we have concluded that there is appropriate assurance that Housing 21’s financial plans are consistent with, and support, its financial strategy. Housing 21 has appropriately evidenced that it has an adequately funded business plan, sufficient security in place to support its financial plans, and Housing 21 is forecast to continue to meet its lenders financial covenants under a wide range of adverse scenarios. Housing 21’s board has effective oversight of its financial position.

There is financial capacity built into Housing 21’s business plan and there are strong levels of forecast headroom with no reliance on the sale of homes. Housing 21 continues to forecast sufficient levels of headroom over its lender’s financial covenants. However, Housing 21’s forecast financial position is slightly weaker than in previous years, primarily due to higher management costs and investment in its existing homes, including homes Housing 21 has recently acquired. Housing 21 continues its investment while also developing new homes.

Stress testing demonstrates that financial capacity, including sufficient liquidity, is built into its plans for development and investment in homes, and that there is adequate funding in place.

Background to the judgement

About the landlord

Housing 21 is a charitable community benefit society and RSH registered entity. It primarily provides extra care and retirement living for older people. Housing 21 is the asset holding group parent and sole registered provider in the group.

At 31 March 2025, Housing 21 had 19,916 homes for social rent and 1,567 shared ownership homes in 210 local authority areas across England.

Housing 21 has two unregistered Private Finance Initiative subsidiaries:

• Kent Community Partnership manages 340 care and supported housing properties for Kent County Council, and
• Oldham Retirement Housing Partnership Limited manages 1,429 sheltered housing properties.

Housing 21 has 50 rent and 36 leasehold properties in Guernsey that are owned and managed through a third un-registered subsidiary, and in addition, a small number of leasehold and market rent properties.

At 31 March 2024 Housing 21 employed 3,265 full-time equivalent staff. Turnover for the year ended 31 March 2024 was £275m.

Housing 21 has plans for the development of 1,541 new homes by the end of 2027.

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 Regulating the standards.

Further information

• Regulating the standards

• Regulatory standards for landlords