Two social landlords fail to meet RSH’s consumer standards
The Regulator of Social Housing has today published regulatory judgements for seven social housing landlords.
Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council and Willow Tree Housing Partnership were both given a C3 grading by RSH, meaning they failed to meet the new consumer standards, introduced on 1 April 2024, and will need to make significant improvements.
Meanwhile Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council became the first local authority to receive a C1 grading.
Following responsive engagement with Sandwell MBC about the Safety and Quality Standard due to its Tenant Satisfaction Measure (TSM) return, RSH found:
- The council was only able to evidence that required asbestos management surveys or re-inspections had been carried out on around 2% of relevant buildings.
- Although electrical safety inspections had been completed for 96% of its 27,900 homes, the council was unable to monitor or report on the completion of remedial actions.
- A backlog of more than 14,000 overdue repairs, with over 90% of these yet to be assigned for completion.
- Accurate, up-to-date information was available for only 5% of the council’s homes.
Following an inspection completed in October 2024 and earlier responsive engagement carried out following a self-referral from Willow Tree relating to the Rent Standard, RSH found:
- Around 185 tenancies had been overcharged as a result of errors made in setting rents over a prolonged period.
- Limited information on the quality of its homes to assure us that they were meeting the Decent Homes Standard.
- Improvement is needed to more proactively identify and manage of damp and mould.
- Evidence of weaknesses in the provision of an effective, efficient and timely repairs service.
Willow Tree has now corrected its formula rents and has issued refunds worth £133k over the last six years.
Kate Dodsworth, Chief of Regulatory Engagement at RSH, said:
Improving data management can help address the root cause of many of the issues we see. Without accurate, up-to-date information on homes, it is nearly impossible to deliver the outcomes of our standards and provide safe, decent places to live for tenants.
Today’s judgements reflect the range of grades we are seeing across the spectrum in the early days of our new consumer remit. We are working intensively with each of the landlords where there are failings, as they put things right for their tenants.
Even when a landlord has been awarded a C1 grading, there is always room for improvement.
Our governance and financial viability standards remain as important as ever. Landlords need to keep a tight grip on identifying and mitigating risks to avoid problems now and later down the line.
The other five judgements were part of RSH’s planned inspections of all large social landlords (those with over 1,000 homes) over a four-year cycle.
| Provider | Reason for publication | Grades |
|---|---|---|
| Broadacres Housing Association Limited | Inspection | C2 G2 V2 |
| Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust | Inspection | C2 G1 V2 - Issues relating to rent setting have not yet been addressed |
| Lincolnshire Housing Partnership Limited | Inspection | C2 G1 V2 |
| Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council | Responsive engagement | C3 |
| The Industrial Dwellings Society (1885) Limited | Inspection | C2 G2 V2 |
| Willow Tree Housing Partnership Limited | Inspection and responsive engagement | C3 G2 V2 |
| Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council | Inspection | C1 |
Notes to editors
- On 1 April 2024 RSH introduced new consumer standards for social housing landlords, designed to drive long-term improvements in the sector. It also began a programme of landlord inspections. The changes are a result of the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023 and include stronger powers to hold landlords to account. More information about RSH’s approach is available in its document Reshaping Consumer Regulation.
- More information about RSH’s responsive engagement, programmed inspections and consumer gradings is also available on its website.
- RSH promotes a viable, efficient and well-governed social housing sector able to deliver more and better social homes. It does this by setting standards and carrying out robust regulation focusing on driving improvement in social landlords, including local authorities, and ensuring that housing associations are well-governed, financially viable and offer value for money. It takes appropriate action if the outcomes of the standards are not being delivered.