Decision

The Industrial Dwellings Society (1885) Limited (L0266) - Regulatory Judgement: 17 December 2025

Updated 17 December 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.	Based on previous assessment	October 2024
Governance	G2 Our judgement is that the landlord meets our governance requirements but needs to improve some aspects of its governance arrangements to support continued compliance.	Assessed and unchanged	December 2025
Viability	V2 Our judgement is that the landlord meets our viability requirements. It has the financial capacity to deal with a reasonable range of adverse scenarios but needs to manage material risks to ensure continued compliance.	Assessed and unchanged	December 2025

Reason for publication

We are publishing a regulatory judgement for The Industrial Dwellings Society (1885) Limited (IDS) following a stability check completed in December 2025.

This regulatory judgement confirms a governance grade of G2 and a financial viability grade of V2. IDS has a consumer grade of C2 from a planned inspection completed in October 2024. 

Summary of the decision

Based on the relevant information and evidence we reviewed in carrying out the stability check, our judgement is that IDS meets our viability requirements and has the financial capacity to deal with a reasonable range of adverse scenarios. However, it needs to manage material risks to ensure continued compliance. We have therefore concluded the landlord’s grade is unchanged and issue a V2 grade for IDS.

From the stability check there is no evidence to indicate a change in governance grade is required. IDS’ governance grade remains G2.

This regulatory judgement is based on a stability check which did not include a reassessment of IDS’ delivery of the outcomes of our consumer standards.

Prior to this regulatory judgement, the landlord’s most recent consumer, governance and financial viability grades were C2, G2 and V2, which were issued in October 2024 following an inspection.

During the inspection, we considered all four of the consumer standards: the Neighbourhood and Community Standard, the Safety and Quality Standard, the Tenancy Standard, and the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard. 

During the inspection we observed a board meeting and an operations committee meeting, spoke with tenants, held meetings with IDS and its non-executive directors, and reviewed a wide range of documents provided by IDS.

How we reached our judgement

We carried out a stability check of IDS as part of our annual stability check programme.

Our judgement about how well IDS is delivering the viability outcomes of our Governance and Financial Viability Standard is based on a review of a range of documents provided by IDS, as well as analysis of information supplied by IDS in its regulatory returns.

In confirming IDS’ governance grade as part of the stability check, our work was limited to verifying that the information contained in IDS’ regulatory returns did not appear inconsistent with its existing published governance grade.

Our stability checks do not assess a landlord’s delivery of the outcomes of our consumer standards.

Summary of findings

Consumer – C2 – October 2024

Below are the findings of our most recent regulatory judgement about IDS’ delivery of the outcomes of our consumer standards, which assessed IDS’ consumer grade as C2. The regulatory judgement was issued in October 2024 following a programmed inspection.

A regulatory notice was published in June 2022 as a result of IDS not meeting the intended outcomes of the Home Standard in place at the time.

The regulatory notice concluded that IDS did not have a cost-effective repairs and maintenance service for homes and communal areas that responded to the needs of tenants and had the objective of completing repairs and improvements right first time, which had the potential for serious detriment to IDS tenants.

Concerns around property conditions at one scheme, Evelyn Court, included mould, damp, condensation, drainage, and flooding issues. IDS tenants at this, and other schemes, complained of a poor repairs and maintenance service and a lack of responsiveness from IDS. With no cohesive remediation plan, a repairs process that was difficult to navigate, and poor tenant engagement, IDS acknowledged at the time of the regulatory notice that these failings extended beyond Evelyn Court and to its wider properties.

During our inspection IDS provided evidence-based assurance that progress has been made in addressing the issues identified as part of the regulatory notice published in June 2022. However, our inspection confirmed that there is still further work to do that IDS has already identified and has plans in place to address.

IDS has improved its understanding of the current condition of its homes, through a range of processes including stock condition surveys, damp and mould surveys and annual visits to tenants’ homes. Further work is now needed to translate the information gained from its recent stock condition surveys into a clear asset management strategy and for delivery of that to result in clearly improved outcomes for tenants.

IDS has taken action to improve delivery of its repairs and maintenance services, although further work is necessary to ensure this is available to all tenants and can be evidenced through improved outcomes. Through closer working with its contractors and the introduction of a new piloted repairs service, we saw evidence of improvement. Plans are now in place to roll out this approach across its remaining estates.

The Safety and Quality Standard requires landlords to ensure that their tenants’ homes meet the requirements of the Decent Homes Standard (DHS). IDS is working to reduce the number of its homes that do not meet the requirements of the DHS and has identified that windows are a key driver for its homes not meeting this requirement. IDS has replaced windows, with more to be replaced, at a number of its estates.

The Safety and Quality Standard requires landlords to identify and meet all legal requirements that relate to the health and safety of tenants in their homes and communal areas, and to ensure that all required actions arising from legally required health and safety assessments are carried out within appropriate timescales. IDS reports close to full compliance for the majority of Landlord Health and Safety areas, with further work ongoing in relation to damp and mould and overdue fire remedial actions. IDS is focused on managing the risks to tenants, with outstanding action prioritised according to risk.  

In relation to the Neighbourhood and Community Standard, we gained assurance that IDS works in partnership with relevant organisations to deter and tackle anti-social behaviour, including hate incidents, in neighbourhoods where it provides housing. Further work is continuing to strengthen this through formalising its partnerships with key local authorities.  

In relation to the Tenancy Standard, our inspection found evidence that IDS’ approach to lettings and allocations is transparent, and that measures are in place to ensure terms of tenancy are appropriate and meet the needs of tenants. There is a range of initiatives in place to support tenancy sustainment including helping tenants to access support.  

In relation to the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard, we gained assurance that IDS treats its tenants with fairness and respect, and that it has a range of processes in place to support this. IDS has restructured its estates and housing team, improving the availability of staff to act as points of contact for tenants. This is improving IDS’ understanding of individual household needs and allows services to be tailored as appropriate. IDS also builds upon the information it collects at tenancy signups through a rolling annual visit programme.

We saw evidence that tenants have a range of opportunities to influence and scrutinise IDS strategies, policies and services. However, IDS recognises that the scrutiny mechanisms need to be developed further and formalised. While there remains areas for improvement, during the inspection we found evidence of progress in establishing positive tenant engagement that both informs and influences IDS’ policies and service delivery. 

Finally, we have assurance that IDS is making improvements to ensure complaints are addressed fairly, effectively and promptly, and that it is taking a tenant focused approach to improving satisfaction levels. We saw evidence that IDS regularly reviews performance information, complaints and wider customer feedback and uses this to improve the experience and outcomes for tenants.   

We continue to actively engage with IDS to monitor its progress in improving its delivery of the outcomes of our consumer standards.

Governance – G2 –December 2025

From the stability check there is no evidence to indicate that a change in governance grade is required.

Prior to this regulatory judgement, we issued a regulatory judgement in October 2024 following a programmed inspection of IDS. Below are the findings in that judgement about IDS’ delivery of our governance requirements.

Based on the evidence gained from the inspection, there is assurance that IDS’ governance arrangements are meeting the requirements of the Governance and Financial Viability Standard.

IDS was downgraded to G2 in August 2022. Linked to the issues raised in the regulatory notice published in June 2022, weaknesses were identified in IDS’ risk management and board skills, which included its oversight of the condition of its homes and failure to ensure an effective repairs service.

Through the inspection we were able to see evidence of improvement across these areas. While this has been over a relatively lengthy period, IDS has increased its capacity and continues to work towards improved outcomes for tenants.

IDS has undergone a number of changes to its governance structure, including the appointment of new board and executive members that has strengthened its skills, along with renewing its housing management, repairs and estate services models, to respond to resident feedback.

Our inspection confirmed that IDS now has a good oversight of its homes. IDS are starting to see some improvements in outcomes for tenants, however it is important that IDS’ governance continues to develop and functions effectively to drive through all remaining improvements.

We saw evidence that decision making is largely evidence based and considers level of risk, financial implications, value for money and delivery of outcomes for tenants, particularly in relation to their approach to repairs services. IDS’ Headline Social Housing Cost per unit is increasing and above that of its peers, reflecting its increased investment in its existing stock. Board will need to ensure a robust approach to decision making and rigorous appraisal of options for improving performance with clear targets set allowing stakeholders to hold them to account.   

Our inspection confirmed that improvements have been made to IDS’ management of risk, but further work is necessary to ensure that the board is effectively managing all its risks, in particular those around financial viability and safety and quality of tenants’ homes. IDS needs to continue the process it has started to strengthen internal controls and the assurance framework, including the quality of external assurance around key areas such as landlord health and safety. IDS also needs to strengthen its stress testing by extending the severity of the scenarios tested and by showing the impact of stresses on cash and security.

While IDS current strategic focus is on improving the quality of its homes, IDS’ current published corporate strategy has expired and included a limited range of targets, which restricted the ability of stakeholders to assess strategic performance. The board’s role is crucial in ensuring a positive direction of travel continues to ensure a sustainable organisation that is able to deliver its objectives within its available resources. IDS’ longer term viability position continues to be weak. The implications of this will need to be explicit in the board’s rigorous consideration of strategic options for the future and we will engage on this through our landlord improvement work.

We continue to actively engage with IDS to monitor its progress in improving aspects of its governance arrangements.

Viability – V2 – December 2025

Based on evidence gained from the stability check, we have assurance that IDS meets the viability requirements of the Governance and Financial Viability Standard.

Our judgement is that IDS meets our financial viability requirements. IDS’ financial plans are consistent with, and support, its financial strategy. IDS has sufficient liquidity and security in place to support its financial plans and is forecast to continue to meet its financial covenants.

IDS does, however, face material exposures. IDS’ financial performance has deteriorated as a result of high levels of investment in existing homes. IDS has taken the decision to remove all future development from its current business plan in order to focus on increasing its levels of investment in existing homes. 

IDS’ reliance on fixed asset sales to support funding requirements for major repairs works and to maintain overall financial viability, has increased since the previous judgement. These factors weaken financial performance when set in the context of economic pressures, reduce the capacity within IDS’ business plan and its ability to respond to further adverse events. This means that IDS will need to manage these material risks.

We will continue to engage with IDS as it delivers its financial plans and ensure it has a financially sustainable strategy going forward.

Background to the judgement

About the landlord

According to the 2025 statistical data return IDS owns 1,493 homes across London.

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 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

Related documents

• Decent Homes Standard