November 2023 - update on government’s work to improve the quality of social housing
The government is committed to improving the quality of social housing in England. In response to the tragic death of 2-year-old Awaab Ishak, we are reforming the sector so that every tenant has a decent, safe and secure home. We report our progress every month.
Applies to England
Consultations on new powers and tenants’ rights
Regulator of Social Housing consultation: statutory guidance on use of powers
On 7 November, the Regulator launched a consultation on updated statutory guidance which sets out how it proposes to use its powers. The Regulator’s existing powers were strengthened by the Social Housing (Regulation) Act, which received Royal Assent in July 2023. It gave the Regulator stronger powers to act when things go wrong, including requiring Performance Improvement Plans for landlords and issuing financial penalties of any amount for breaches of its standards.
Consultation on directions to the Regulator of Social Housing: tenant rights and complaints
The government’s consultation on new directions to the Regulator of Social Housing relating to tenant rights and complaints closed on 22 November. The department will consider the responses received and direct the Regulator to introduce new requirements for registered providers of social housing, which will require them to give tenants information on their rights and how they can make a complaint.
Making sure tenants’ voices are heard
The Housing Ombudsman
The Housing Ombudsman published its Annual Complaints Review, which showed an increase in severe maladministration findings against landlords by 323%. These are the most serious cases where residents have experienced problems over an extended period and there have been missed opportunities by the landlord to resolve them. We continue to ‘name and shame’ landlords who receive a severe maladministration finding by sending them a letter from the Secretary of State.
The Housing Ombudsman also finished its consultation on 23 November about its updated Complaint Handling Code, which sets out to landlords and residents how a complaint should be handled. They will consider the responses and publish an updated Code next year.
Building Safety
The Secretary of State has been clear that everyone deserves a safe and decent home. Social housing providers have a number of obligations they must consider, such as improving decency, building safety and delivering new social homes.
On 16 November the Regulator of Social Housing published the results from its first survey on the progress being made by registered providers of social housing in their fire safety remediation progress. This was accompanied by a written ministerial statement.
On 28 November, the Regulator also wrote to registered providers informing them of the launch of a second fire remediation survey in early December. We will also be publishing provider-by-provider building-level data early in 2024 on the progress being made in the social sector to fast track building safety remediation.
Resident Panel
In November, up to 40 members of the Resident Panel met with the department’s most senior official on housing quality to share their views on the government’s social housing quality policies.
We also invited all 250 residents to join the next online community to share their thoughts on their landlord’s role in the local community (an online community is like a social media page or online survey where people can share their views on a topic). The community closes on 3 December and the results will be shared with the Panel in spring next year.
Four Million Homes
Our Four Million Homes programme provides free information, guidance, and training on residents’ rights. It will run until March 2025. It helps residents know their rights and to work with their landlords to make sure homes and neighbourhoods are well-maintained, clean and safe.
In November, there were in-person training about legal requirements in social housing in Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool and London. There were also online sessions about how to get involved in landlords’ resident panels and residents’ associations.
November’s webinar was on neighbourhood management and keeping the neighbourhood and communal areas around residents’ homes clean and safe. The recording will soon be available to view online alongside other recent webinars on the complaints process and other topics.
The programme will launch its first three training videos in December. They will be about knowing your rights as a resident to engage and be heard, residents’ panels, and how to run an effective residents’ association. These videos will add to the in-person training, live online training and webinars that are already available on the website.
Looking ahead
All timings are indicative and subject to change.
Autumn / winter
The government continues to progress its programme of reform. Over the autumn / winter period, we will set out next steps on:
- Time limits for repairs and hazards (Awaab’s Law)
- A new competence and conduct standard for the social housing sector
- Social Housing Tenant Access to Information Scheme for tenants of private registered providers
- Minimum energy efficiency standards
- Supported housing regulatory oversight
- The Decent Homes Standard
We also plan to publish:
- Our consultation response on changes to electrical safety requirements
Following its consultation, which closed on 17 October, the Regulator will publish the revised consumer standards ahead of the introduction of the proactive consumer regulation regime in April 2024.
By Autumn 2024
- Publication of the first Tenant Satisfaction Measures data, provided by landlords to the Regulator. This information will help show whether landlords are delivering the standards of accommodation, services and respectful treatment that residents deserve. Tenants will be able to see how well their landlord is doing and to hold them to account for their performance.
- Case studies on good practice approaches to dealing with anti-social behaviour. This will help landlords and partner agencies who are working to reduce repeat offending that is committed by perpetrators with underlying support needs such as mental health needs.
Further information and resources
- More details on our reforms can be found on the Social Housing Quality page.
- Find information and guidance on social housing residents’ rights and the services landlords are required to provide at Four Million Homes guidance.