Competence & Conduct Standard – Frequently Asked Questions
This page answers questions raised during the consultation we carried out before setting the Competence and Conduct Standard. It provides additional information and clarification on issues raised by landlords and other stakeholders.
Applies to England
By landlords we mean registered providers of social housing, and use this term throughout the FAQs.
How this guide can help
The Competence and Conduct Standard was published on 9th July 2026, coming into effect from 1st October 2026, as part of RSH’s consumer standards. These FAQs answer questions raised during the consultation we carried out before setting the Competence and Conduct Standard. They aim to provide additional information and clarification on specific issues raised by stakeholders and landlords.
The standard includes a requirement for landlords to meet all applicable requirements as set out in Chapters 1 to 6 of the Government’s Policy Statement on Qualifications Requirements for Social Housing (the Policy Statement). Many of the answers to the questions we have received are set out in the Policy Statement. For example, it includes which roles are within scope of the requirements and the different qualification requirements that apply to different roles. It is therefore important that registered providers understand what is said in the Policy Statement and that they meet its requirements.
These FAQs are intended to help landlords ensure that they understand the requirements of the Competence and Conduct Standard. However, they are not to be used in place of landlords reviewing the standard, the Consumer Standards Code of Practice, the Policy Statement and any relevant legislation directly to ensure that they understand and are delivering the outcomes of the standard.
Required Outcomes
Is there a definition of the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours needed by staff for the landlord services to be of good quality?
We are not able to provide a definitive definition here. Landlords should be able to understand the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours that their relevant staff (and the relevant staff of their services providers) require to deliver good quality landlord services. Exactly what these are will depend on the landlord’s particular circumstances, for example the type of social housing they provide and the needs of their tenants. Similarly, the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours needed of relevant staff are likely to vary between different roles.
We make clear in the Consumer Standards Code of Practice that we consider that part of delivering good quality landlord services involves delivering fair and equitable outcomes for tenants (and, where relevant, prospective tenants) and treating them with fairness and respect. We also make clear that landlords should consider how their approach to managing and developing their relevant staff supports delivering fair and equitable outcomes for tenants.
Which members of staff must landlords ensure have the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours needed to deliver good quality services?
Landlords must secure that their staff who are involved in the provision of services in connection with the management of social housing provided by the landlord have the necessary skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours to deliver good quality services.
Landlords must also take appropriate steps to secure the staff of services providers who are involved in the provision of services in connection with the management of social housing provided by the landlord have the necessary skills, knowledge and experience, and exhibit the behaviours needed.
Qualifications
Which roles are in scope of the qualification requirements? How do we assess this?
Chapters 1 to 5 of the Policy Statement sets out the qualification requirements that apply in relation to a landlord’s officers, employees and apprentices where they:
- are a senior housing executive or senior housing manager as defined in the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008; and
- meet the criteria set out in paragraph 15 of the Policy Statement.
Chapter 6 of the Policy Statement sets out the qualification requirements that apply in relation to officers, employees, apprentices and, where relevant, partners of a landlord’s services provider where:
- the services provider delivers a comprehensive social housing management service to the landlord;
- the individual is a senior housing executive or senior housing manager of the services provider as defined in the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008; and
- they meet all the criteria set out in paragraph 47 of the Policy Statement.
Annex A of the Policy Statement provides guidance for landlords and services providers on identifying which roles are in scope of the qualification requirements.
What qualifications do people need to hold, or be working towards?
Where the qualifications requirements apply in respect of a landlord’s senior housing managers or senior housing executives, the landlord must secure that those people hold or are working towards a ‘Relevant Qualification’ as defined in Chapter 3 of the Policy Statement. This definition differs depending on whether the person is a senior housing manager or a senior housing executive.
For senior housing managers, a Relevant Qualification must be a level 4 qualification regulated by Ofqual that meets the course content requirements in section 3.2 of the Policy Statement. For senior housing executives, a Relevant Qualification must be a foundation degree or level 5 qualification regulated by Ofqual that meet those course content requirements.
A senior housing manager or a senior housing executive of the landlord will not need to hold or be working towards a Relevant Qualification if they hold or are working towards an equivalent or higher-level qualification or apprenticeship as set out in section 3.3 of the Policy Statement. Neither will they need to hold or be working towards a Relevant Qualification if they hold or are working towards a Partially Compliant Qualification and the related criteria set out in section 3.4 of the Policy Statement are met.
Where the qualifications requirements apply in respect of relevant managers of services providers of a landlord, all of the above also applies in relation to the requirement for the landlord to take steps to secure that those people hold or are working towards a ‘Relevant Qualification’, except that Chapter 3 of the Policy Statement must be read as modified by paragraph 49.
When do the qualification requirements come into effect?
As set out in Chapter 4 and in sections 6.3 and 6.4 of the Policy Statement, there are transition periods in relation to the qualifications requirements.
Broadly speaking:
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for landlords that own 1,000 or more social homes, the qualifications requirements do not apply until 1st October 2029; and
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for landlords that own fewer than 1,000 social homes, the qualifications requirements do not apply until 1st October 2030.
Landlords should be aware that paragraph 46 of the Policy Statement sets out some specific steps they must take in reference to their services providers, which are not subject to any transition period.
How does a landlord assess when topping up an existing qualification would be an option?
As set out in section 3.4 of the Policy Statement, a person is not in scope of the qualification requirements if they hold a Partially Compliant Qualification and have completed, or are working towards completing, the additional training modules needed to meet the remaining course content requirements.
A person working towards a Partially Compliant Qualification is also outside the scope of the qualification requirements where the landlord, or its services provider, has plans in place to ensure they are working towards completing the required training modules within 12 months of receiving the partially compliant qualification.
For these purposes:
- Partially Compliant Qualification has the meaning set out in paragraph 31 of the Policy Statement. Broadly, it is a qualification at the required level (or higher) that only partially meets the course content requirements in section 3.2 of the Policy Statement.
- Top-up modules are additional training modules of an appropriate volume, quality and level that address the course content requirements not covered by the Partially Compliant Qualification (see paragraphs 31 and 32 of the Policy Statement).
The term working towards has a specific meaning in the Policy Statement (see paragraphs 13, 27, 33, 34, 45(b), 48 and 49). Further detail on examples of additional training modules are set out in Annex A of the Policy Statement.
Will relevant experience within the housing sector be recognised for certain roles?
The requirements of the standard state that landlords must secure (and take steps to secure in relation to services providers) that individuals in scope of the qualifications requirements hold or are working towards a relevant qualification which meets the requirements set out in the Policy Statement.
Some qualifications providers may choose to take into account relevant experience when awarding qualifications but that is not a matter for the regulator, as long as the qualification meets the requirements set out in the Policy Statement.
Are there any exemptions for people who are unwilling to take qualifications?
All exemptions from the qualifications requirements are set out in the Policy Statement. There are no exemptions for people who are unwilling to undertake qualifications.
Are there any exemptions for people who work part-time?
All exemptions from the qualifications requirements are set out in the Policy Statement. There are no exemptions for people who work part-time.
In response to feedback to its consultation on the Competence and Conduct Standard for social housing, the government said that it strongly encourages qualification providers to put reasonable measures in place to accommodate some flexibility for part-time staff or staff with caring responsibilities in terms of timescales for completing qualifications.
Is ‘working towards’ a relevant qualification considered sufficient to meet the requirements?
Yes. For their senior housing managers and senior housing executives in scope, the requirement is for landlords to secure that those individuals either hold or are working towards a relevant qualification which meets the requirements set out in the Policy Statement. Similarly, for relevant managers of their services providers in scope of the qualifications requirements, the requirement is for landlords to take steps to secure that those individuals either hold or are working towards such a qualification.
The Policy Statement sets out the definition of “working towards” a relevant qualification.
Do unpaid volunteers need to obtain qualifications?
No. Paragraphs 15 and 47 of the Policy Statement set out that unpaid volunteers are not in scope of the qualifications requirements.
Do small landlords need to meet the qualifications requirements?
Yes, all landlords are required to meet all the requirements of the Competence and Conduct Standard.
The Government’s Policy Statement sets transition periods to help landlords meet the qualifications requirements. Broadly speaking, for smaller landlords (those that own fewer than 1,000 social homes) the qualifications requirements do not apply until 1st October 2030 (except for paragraph 46 of the Policy Statement). The transition periods are set out in Chapter 4 and sections 6.3 and 6.4 of the Policy Statement.
There are only transition periods for the qualifications requirements – there is no transition period for the other areas of the Competence and Conduct Standard.
What are the consequences if landlords do not meet the qualifications requirements?
Landlords are responsible for ensuring they meet the requirements of our standards. We will be regulating the Competence and Conduct Standard from 1 October 2026. We will regulate landlords’ compliance with the Competence and Conduct Standard in the same way as our approach to regulating all of our other consumer standards.
What action will you expect landlords to take if an employee refuses to undertake a qualification?
It is not for the regulator to determine exactly what action a landlord should take if an employee refuses to obtain a qualification, but landlords must deliver the outcomes of our standards.
Written Policy and Code of Conduct
What should landlords include in the written policy?
The Competence and Conduct Standard sets out what must be included in the written policy as a minimum. It is for landlords to develop a written policy that is appropriate for the landlord, taking into account their own particular circumstances - for example the type of social housing they provide and the needs of their tenants. Landlords must ensure that their tenants are given meaningful opportunities to influence and scrutinise the policy’s development, and that the policy meets the requirements of the standard.
As explained in our Consumer Standards Code of Practice, landlords must also ensure that the written policy ultimately supports the delivery of the required outcome in 1.1 of the standard.
How do you define meaningful opportunities?
Landlords must use their own judgement when designing and implementing measures to allow tenants to influence and scrutinise the development of the written policy and decisions relating to the development or adoption of the code of conduct. Landlords need to assure themselves that tenants have been given those opportunities and that they are meaningful. Landlords should also bear in mind that our Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard also includes outcomes they are required to deliver in relation to tenant influence and engagement, and that our Consumer Standards Code of Practice includes information to help landlords understand what they should consider in delivering the outcomes of the standard.
Are local authority landlords expected to have a separate specific code of conduct where they have a local authority wide code in place?
We recognise that some local authorities may have a council-wide code of conduct that apply to all their staff, and not only “relevant staff” as defined in the Competence and Conduct Standard.
Local authority landlords who use council-wide codes to deliver the outcomes of the Competence and Conduct Standard will need to assure themselves that their code fully meets the relevant requirements of that standard. This includes ensuring that:
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tenants have been given meaningful opportunities to influence and scrutinise decisions relating to its development or adoption, and
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it is kept up to date, fit for purpose, accessible to tenants and embedded within the landlord’s organisation.
As explained in our Consumer Standards Code of Practice, landlords must also ensure that the code of conduct ultimately supports the delivery of the required outcome in 1.1 of the standard.
Could the regulator recommend any existing code of conduct to sign up to?
It is for landlords to develop or adopt a code of conduct which meets the relevant requirements of the standard and is appropriate for their own specific context. Tenants must be given meaningful opportunities to influence and scrutinise decisions relating to the code of conduct’s adoption or development.
Services providers
Who is responsible for ensuring the requirements are met in relation to services providers? What role do landlords have in ensuring this?
RSH regulates landlords, not services providers.
Landlords must take appropriate steps to secure that relevant staff of their services providers have the necessary skills, knowledge and experience, and exhibit the behaviours needed, for the landlord services to be of good quality. Relevant staff are staff involved in the provision of services in connection with the management of social housing provided by the landlord.
Where the qualifications requirements apply in respect of relevant managers of services providers of a landlord, the landlord must take steps to secure that those people hold or are working towards a relevant qualification which meets the requirements set out in the Policy Statement.
Section 217A of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 supports landlords in taking such steps by implying certain terms into relevant management services agreements with their services providers (whether the services provider is a contractor or a sub-contractor). Broadly speaking, these implied terms include that where a services provider has relevant managers who are in scope of the qualifications requirements in relation to the landlord, the services provider will be under a contractual obligation to secure that those relevant managers have or are working towards a relevant qualification which meets the requirements set out in the Policy Statement.
Paragraph 46 of the Policy Statement (which is not subject to any transition period) sets out some specific steps landlords must take in reference to their services providers. These include considering how they will use the terms which are implied into management services agreements by section 217A and taking steps to secure that their services providers are aware of their obligations under those implied terms.
We will expect landlords to be able to provide evidence-based assurance as to how they ensure they are meeting their responsibilities under all of the above-mentioned requirements.
Which job roles of a landlord’s services providers are in scope of the qualification requirements?
Landlords must take steps to secure that the services providers’ relevant managers who are in scope meet the qualifications requirements as set out in Chapter 6 of the Policy Statement.
The Chapter 6 qualification requirements apply to officers, employees, apprentices and, where relevant, partners of a services provider where:
- the services provider delivers a comprehensive social housing management service to the landlord (see paragraph 59 of the Policy Statement);
- the individual is a senior housing executive or senior housing manager, as defined in sections 194B(5) and 194B(8) of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008; and
- they meet the criteria set out in paragraph 47 of the Policy Statement.
For these purposes, service provider has the meaning given in section 194B(2) of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 and includes contractors and subcontractors providing, or arranging the provision of, services connected with the management of the landlord’s social housing. This could include, for example, ALMOs and TMOs.
Annex A of the Policy Statement provides guidance on identifying which roles are within scope of the qualification requirements.
Regulation
How will you regulate the Competence and Conduct Standard?
We will regulate the Competence and Conduct Standard in line with our regulatory approach for all our other consumer standards. We focus on landlords delivering the outcomes of our standards.
We regulate at the landlord level and are co-regulatory, risk based and assurance based.
We have a statutory duty to carry out our work in a way that minimises interference and, as far as is possible, is proportionate, consistent, transparent and accountable.
We focus our attention where there is evidence of a greater risk that the outcomes of our standards are not being delivered, for example where landlords are unable to provide us with evidence-based assurance that they have appropriate processes and controls in place to deliver those outcomes. In our regulatory approach, where we identify issues or potential issues the factors we may consider include the scale, impact and risk of poor outcomes for tenants. Our focus remains on outcomes for tenants –the new requirements should help drive landlords to make improvements in outcomes for tenants.