Decision

Current regulatory judgement: Beyond Housing Limited (27 March 2024)

Updated 27 March 2024

Applies to England

RSH Narrative Regulatory Judgement

• Provider: Beyond Housing Limited
• Regulatory code: LH4401
• Publication date: 27 March 2024
• Governance grade: G1
• Viability grade: V1
• Reason for publication: Governance upgrade
• Regulatory route: In Depth Assessment

Regulatory judgement

This regulatory judgement upgrades our previous published assessment of Beyond Housing Limited’s governance from G2 to G1 and confirms its existing V1 grade for financial viability.

Our previous regulatory judgment for Beyond Housing Limited (Beyond) was in September 2022. It stated that Beyond needed to make improvements to its risk management and internal control assurance arrangements to ensure the effective management of risks around rents. The regulator also published a Regulatory Notice in September 2022 regarding failures around rent setting.

Based on evidence gained from an In Depth Assessment (IDA), the regulator has assurance that Beyond has strengthened its risk and internal control framework, including rent setting to ensure effective management of the process. Beyond has also demonstrated continuous improvement in its governance processes and wider risk management approach. Its performance and reporting framework supports effective board oversight of risks and delivery of Beyond’s strategy. The Regulatory Notice will be retained while Beyond continues to complete its work resolving rent setting issues.

Based on evidence gained from the IDA the regulator has assurance that Beyond’s financial plans are consistent with, and support, its financial strategy. The provider has an adequately funded business plan, sufficient security in place, and is forecast to continue to meet its financial covenants under a wide range of adverse scenarios.

Other providers included in the judgement

None

About the provider

Origins

Beyond Housing Limited is an exempt charity and community benefit society. Most of its homes are for general needs, but Beyond also provides homes for older people, shared ownership, and some supported housing and market rent accommodation.

Registered Entities

Beyond is the only registered entity.

Unregistered Entities

Beyond has two unregistered entities:

• Beyond Housing Developments Limited which is currently dormant.
• Viola Homes Limited which carries out non-charitable open market sales activities.

Geographic Spread and Scale

Beyond owns and manages 15,000 homes in nine local authority areas across Teesside and North Yorkshire.

Staffing and Turnover

At 31 March 2023, Beyond employed 705 full-time equivalent staff and had a turnover of £91.4m

Development

Beyond intends to develop 2,750 homes by 2031.

About our judgements

Key to Grades

Governance:

	Compliant
G1	The provider meets our governance requirements.
G2	The provider meets our governance requirements but needs to improve some aspects of its governance arrangements to support continued compliance.

	Non-compliant
G3	The provider does not meet our governance requirements. There are issues of serious regulatory concern and in agreement with us the provider is working to improve its position.
G4	The provider does not meet our governance requirements. There are issues of serious regulatory concern, and the provider is subject to regulatory intervention or enforcement action.

Viability:

	Compliant
V1	The provider meets our viability requirements and has the financial capacity to deal with a wide range of adverse scenarios.
V2	The provider 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.

	Non-compliant
V3	The provider does not meet our viability requirements. There are issues of serious regulatory concern and, in agreement with us, the provider is working to improve its position.
V4	The provider does not meet our viability requirements. There are issues of serious regulatory concern, and the provider is subject to regulatory intervention or enforcement action.

Note: The use of an asterisk (*) against a grade indicates that the assessment refers to a provider that is designated as being for-profit.

Definitions of Regulatory Routes

In Depth Assessment (IDA): An IDA is a bespoke assessment of a provider’s viability and governance, including its approach to value for money. It involves on-site work and considers in detail a provider’s ability to meet its financial obligations and the effectiveness of its governance structures and processes.

Stability Checks: Based primarily on information supplied through regulatory returns, a Stability Check is an annual review of a provider’s financial position and its latest business plan. The review is focused on determining if there is evidence to indicate a provider’s current judgements merit reconsideration.

Reactive Engagement: Reactive engagement is unplanned work which is triggered by new information or a developing situation which may have implications for a provider’s current regulatory judgement.

Stability Checks and Reactive Engagement: In some cases, we will publish narrative regulatory judgements which combine evidence gained from both Stability Checks and Reactive Engagement.

For further details about these processes, please see Regulating the Standards.