Decision

Plus Dane Housing Limited (L4556) - Regulatory Judgement: 28 January 2026

Updated 28 January 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.	Based on previous assessment	December 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	January 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	January 2026

Reason for publication

We are publishing a regulatory judgement for Plus Dane Housing Limited (Plus Dane) following a stability check completed in January 2026.

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

Summary of the decision

Based on the relevant information and evidence we reviewed in carrying out the stability check, our judgement is that Plus Dane 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 Plus Dane.

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

This regulatory judgement is based on a stability check which does not include a reassessment of Plus Dane’s delivery of the outcomes of our consumer standards.

Prior to this regulatory judgement, the landlord’s most recent consumer, governance and viability grades were C2, G2 and V2, which were issued in December 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 a tenant scrutiny panel, spoke with tenants, held meetings with Plus Dane including with its non-executive directors, and reviewed a wide range of documents provided by Plus Dane.

How we reached our judgement

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

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

In confirming Plus Dane’s governance grade as part of the stability check, our work was limited to verifying that the information contained in Plus Dane’s 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 - December 2024

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

Plus Dane provided evidence-based assurance that it has appropriate systems for ensuring the health and safety of its tenants in their homes and associated communal areas. Plus Dane demonstrated that it has a clear understanding of its compliance with landlord health and safety requirements, and performance information demonstrated a good level of reported compliance with legal obligations.

Through our inspection we identified that Plus Dane has a programme in place to gain an accurate and up to date record of the condition of its homes at an individual property level through physical surveys. However, it still has more to deliver in order to ensure that there is sufficient understanding of its homes at an individual property level and to make sure it is using this to inform investment plans. There is also a need for Plus Dane to ensure there is sufficient reporting and assurance on damp and mould performance so that the board can have effective oversight and provide appropriate challenge.

There is a need for Plus Dane to ensure there is sufficient reporting and assurance on damp and mould performance so that the board can have effective oversight and provide appropriate challenge.

Through the inspection, we identified weaknesses in Plus Dane’s provision of an effective, efficient and timely repairs and maintenance service. Plus Dane undertook a review of its repairs service to address a significant backlog of overdue repairs and poor customer satisfaction. A detailed repairs improvement plan is underway and there is evidence of outcomes improving.

In relation to the Neighbourhood and Community Standard, we gained assurance that Plus Dane works in partnership with relevant organisations to deter and tackle anti-social behaviour and hate incidents in the neighbourhoods where it provides social housing. During the inspection, we witnessed Plus Dane responding positively to meet the needs of its tenants and to help ensure cohesion within the community.

Plus Dane has demonstrated that, in relation to the Tenancy Standard, it seeks to offer a range of tenures that are appropriate for the homes it lets, taking into account the purpose of the accommodation, the needs of individual households, the sustainability of the community and the efficient use of social housing.

In relation to the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard, we gained assurance that Plus Dane takes tenants’ views into account in decision-making about how services are delivered and communicates how tenants’ views have been considered. Plus Dane has a variety of opportunities for its tenants to engage with it and influence decisions that have an impact on them. Plus Dane seeks to use the information it holds about its tenants to tailor services to meet individual needs to deliver fair and equitable outcomes for tenants in relation to the housing and landlord services it provides. This will be strengthened further once remaining gaps in the information it holds about its tenants are addressed.

Plus Dane’s complaints handling service is in a period of transition. Prior to the inspection in December 2024, a review had taken place which identified a wide range of improvements and led to the establishment of a board-led complaints taskforce. Changes have been made to improve complaints handling performance and Plus Dane has put arrangements in place so that it learns from complaints to help drive service improvement and positive outcomes for tenants.

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

Governance - G2 - January 2026

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 December 2024 following a programmed inspection of Plus Dane. Below are the findings in that judgement about Plus Dane’s delivery of our governance requirements.

Based on the evidence gained from the inspection, there is assurance that Plus Dane’s governance arrangements are meeting the requirements of the Governance and Financial Viability Standard. However, we concluded that it needs to improve aspects of its governance arrangements to support continued compliance with the standard.

Following external reviews and internal audits in 2023, Plus Dane identified weaknesses in the operation of its internal controls and concluded there was a need to improve its risk management and assurance framework. A number of action plans were developed and it has been delivering a range of changes to its structures, policies, processes and systems. As well as a focus on asset management services and complaints, Plus Dane has put in place a data governance programme to address issues with inconsistency in the quality and adequacy of the data it holds.

Plus Dane is continuing to make improvements to strengthen the board’s oversight of key risks across the organisation and there is evidence this is facilitating challenge to drive performance improvements. Plus Dane has undergone significant changes within its leadership team, which has the potential to impact on its capacity while it continues to recruit.

Whilst Plus Dane has made progress in delivering its plans through a period of significant organisational change, its board will need to gain assurance that this has resulted in the significant improvements needed. A revised risk and assurance framework facilitates clearer sight of lines of controls against strategic risks and there is an improved understanding of the adequacy of key controls. Further work is required to ensure the board has sufficient assurance on the effectiveness and consistent operation of controls so that the risk of not delivering outcomes for tenants is managed.

During the inspection, we identified that Plus Dane needs to improve its approach to business planning and stress testing to ensure that all risks to the plan have been robustly tested and understood by the Board, and that the Board’s response is supported by appropriate mitigation plans. Plus Dane is having to manage the impact of increased costs in most areas of its operations and it has included significant cost savings in its base financial plan alongside identifying potential savings as a key mitigating action. At present there is insufficient evidence of the board’s understanding of the deliverability of any savings, and the impact if they are not achieved.

During the inspection, Plus Dane’s board demonstrated that there is regular and appropriate consideration of alternative options to deliver value for money and make best use of resources. During the inspection Plus Dane demonstrated that it reconsiders its strategy in the context of a changing operating environment and has reporting in place to monitor delivery of its purpose and objectives.

Plus Dane provided evidence during the inspection that the relationship between its board and committees has been reviewed to give clarity on where responsibilities and accountabilities for key areas of risk and compliance sit within its leadership and governance structure.

Plus Dane demonstrated during the inspection that it has a structured approach to developing and appraising skills, experience and knowledge of board members to support succession planning. A number of governance reviews have been undertaken and the actions implemented. Plus Dane undertook an external governance review in July 2025.

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

Viability - V2 - January 2026

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

Plus Dane continues to invest in its existing homes and the development of new homes. These cost pressures mean that financial capacity is reduced. Plus Dane continues to assess the impact of these costs on its financial plan.   

The severity and timing of material risks faced by Plus Dane mean that we will continue to closely monitor its financial performance and its capacity to manage adverse scenarios on an ongoing basis. We will continue to engage with Plus Dane as it delivers its financial plans and ensures it has a financially sustainable strategy going forward.

Background to the judgement

About the landlord

According to the 2025 statistical data return Plus Dane owns 13,560 homes across Merseyside and Cheshire.

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