Regulator of Social Housing to evaluate impact of consumer regulation

RSH has appointed an independent research consortium to carry out the evaluation, comprising RAND Europe, Shared Intelligence and the Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research.

RSH Director of Strategy Will Perry said: “We want to understand if and how the reforms have led to change for social housing landlords and tenants.

“As well as supporting our accountability to stakeholders, we will take on board learning and insights throughout this evaluation to help inform any future decisions about the way we regulate and ensure RSH continues to provide proportionate, risk based and outcome focused regulation.

“We would encourage anyone who is contacted to get involved and help shape the evaluation – your input matters.”

The project will span over two years, with the final report expected to be published in 2028.

The new consumer standards for social housing landlords were introduced on 1 April 2024 following the passing of the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023 and were designed to drive long-term improvements in the sector.

At the same time the Regulator also began a programme of landlord inspections, with councils and other landlords graded from C1 (the highest) to C4 (the lowest).

In April this year Basildon Borough Council became the latest local authority to be handed a C4 grading, with the RSH finding very serious failings during an inspection, including in the council's engagement with tenants and a lack of meaningful opportunities for them to scrutinise the landlord. Norwich City Council became the eighth local authority to receive a C1.