Decision

NSAH (Alliance Homes) Limited (L4459) - Regulatory Judgement: 30 September 2026

Updated 30 September 2026

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	September 2026
Governance	G1 Our judgement is that the landlord meets our governance requirements.	Assessed and unchanged	September 2026
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	September 2026

Reason for publication

We are publishing a regulatory judgement for NSAH (Alliance Homes) Limited (NSAH) following an inspection completed in September 2026.

This regulatory judgement confirms a consumer grade of C2, a governance grade of G1 and a financial viability grade of V2.

Prior to this regulatory judgement, the governance and financial viability grades for NSAH were last updated in December 2025 following a stability check to confirm a G1 grade for governance and a V2 grade for financial viability. This is the first time we have issued a consumer grade in relation to this landlord.

Summary of the decision

From the assurance gained during the inspection, based on the evidence provided by NSAH, we have concluded that there are some weaknesses in NSAH delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards and improvement is needed, specifically in relation to outcomes in our Safety and Quality Standard and the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard. Based on this assessment, we have concluded a C2 grade for NSAH.

Our judgement is that NSAH meets our governance requirements. NSAH 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 objectives. Based on this assessment, we have concluded a G1 grade for NSAH.

Our judgement is that NSAH meets our financial viability requirements and has the capacity to manage a reasonable range of adverse scenarios. However, NSAH needs to manage its material risks, with increased spending on existing homes impacting on its capacity to respond to adverse events. Based on this assessment, we have concluded a V2 grade for NSAH.

How we reached our judgement

We carried out an inspection of NSAH to assess how well it is delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards and meeting our governance and financial viability requirements, as part of our planned regulatory inspection programme. 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 customer scrutiny panel, spoke with tenants, held meetings with NSAH including its non-executive directors, interviewed staff, and reviewed a wide range of documents provided by NSAH.

Our regulatory judgement is based on all the relevant information we obtained during the inspection as well as analysis of information supplied by NSAH in its regulatory returns and other regulatory engagement activity.

Summary of findings  

Consumer – C2 – September 2026

In relation to the Safety and Quality Standard, we have assurance that NSAH has appropriate systems in place to ensure the health and safety of its tenants in their homes and associated communal areas. NSAH is meeting landlord health and safety requirements and the Decent Homes Standard.

We saw evidence that NSAH has accurate up-to-date records of the condition of its homes at an individual property level through physical surveys and has a process for keeping this information up to date. NSAH also demonstrated that the information it holds on the quality and safety of its homes informs decisions on future investment to maintain and improve the condition of its homes, and to manage risks associated with its three high-rise buildings.

We found evidence of weaknesses in the management of damp, mould and condensation by NSAH, and the number of open cases remains high. NSAH understands the scale of the issue and has implemented a recovery plan, including strengthening its governance arrangements and reporting, and increasing resources. However, NSAH  is not yet able to demonstrate sustained compliance with legally required timescales to investigate, identify and remedy hazards associated with damp and mould. 

We also found evidence of weaknesses in the provision of an effective, efficient and timely repairs service. Repairs performance improved following a significant recovery programme, with evidence of reduced backlogs and increasing tenant satisfaction. However, some aspects of performance remain below target with a substantial number of repairs completed outside published service standards, and a high proportion of complaints relating to repairs.   

In relation to the Neighbourhood and Community Standard, we have assurance that NSAH is managing anti-social behaviour appropriately. NSAH records relatively high levels of anti-social behaviour and lower levels of tenant satisfaction with its approach to anti-social behaviour. However, we have assurance that NSAH is taking steps to improve performance, including working proactively with partner agencies to prevent and address anti-social behaviour and hate incidents. NSAH promotes anti-social behaviour reporting through a range of channels and actively encourages tenants to report incidents. It also uses data analysis and local intelligence to identify anti-social behaviour hotspots and target interventions where they are most needed.

In relation to the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard, we have assurance that NSAH is taking appropriate steps to deliver fair and equitable services to tenants. NSAH uses customer segmentation, behavioural and transactional analysis, and tenant profile information to strengthen its understanding of tenants and inform service delivery. Tenant engagement arrangements are well developed, scrutiny arrangements have been strengthened, and tenant satisfaction is generally strong and improving across most perception measures.

While complaints handling arrangements are improving, and learning from complaints is being used to drive service improvements, further progress is needed to ensure complaints are addressed promptly. NSAH needs to demonstrate sustained improvement in this area.

In relation to the Tenancy Standard, we have assurance that NSAH has a fair and transparent approach to allocations and lettings, considering the needs of tenants and prospective tenants.

Governance – G1 – September 2026

Based on evidence gained from the inspection, we have assurance that NSAH’s governance arrangements enable it to effectively manage its risks and adequately control the organisation, supporting it to deliver its strategic objectives. The board demonstrates effective challenge and oversight of major strategic decisions, including in relation to high-rise buildings, asset disposals, investment planning and organisational structure. We have seen evidence that value for money considerations are embedded into strategic decision making.

NSAH has established and maintained clear roles, responsibilities and accountabilities through its governance arrangements. The board has an appropriate range of skills to support the delivery of its strategic objectives and the management of risks. We have seen evidence of effective board succession planning and management of key changes in board membership. Board effectiveness reviews are conducted annually and feed into the board learning and development plan.

The board and executive demonstrate a strong understanding of the organisation’s operating environment, strategic objectives and risks. NSAH has a mature risk management framework which is aligned to its strategic priorities and supported by regular scrutiny by the board and audit and risk committee. We have assurance that risks are being identified, understood and managed appropriately.

Board papers are well presented and generally contain sufficient detail to enable informed decision making. Financial reporting to board was adequate and board ownership and understanding of stress testing and mitigation strategies was evident through our inspection. Further strengthening of board reporting and assurance over stress testing will support the board in its strategic decision making and risk management.

Viability – V2 – September 2026

Based on the evidence gained through the inspection, we have assurance that NSAH’s financial plans are consistent with and support the delivery of its strategy. NSAH has an adequately funded business plan, with access to sufficient liquidity, and is forecasting compliance with its financial covenants under a reasonable range of adverse scenarios.

NSAH is increasing investment in its existing homes which is weakening its interest cover. NSAH’s development programme includes homes for shared ownership sale, exposing it to housing market risks. These factors, set in the context of economic pressures, including inflationary and interest rate risks, impact on NSAH’s capacity to respond to adverse events. 

Background to the judgement

About the landlord

NSAH currently owns and manages around 7,400 social homes. It operates in the south west of England, primarily in North Somerset, and the surrounding local authority areas of Bristol, Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Bath and North-East Somerset. 

At 31 March 2026, NSAH’s turnover was £61m and it employed 357 full-time equivalent staff.

NSAH plans to build 1,100 new homes over the next seven years.

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