Regulator of Social Housing hits North East council with lowest grading for “very serious failings”

The Regulator found that the council only has up-to-date information on the condition of around 3% of its homes.

RSH also discovered:

• Limited evidence that health and safety assessments are accurately recorded or routinely monitored, or that actions are being addressed within appropriate timescales
• The council does not respond to all complaints in a timely way
• A lack of meaningful opportunities for tenants to scrutinise performance and influence services
• Serious failings in meeting the outcomes of the tenancy standard.

Northumberland County Council joins Arun District Council, Gosport Borough Council, London Borough of Newham and Tandridge District Council in receiving a C4 grade after inspection. Castle Point Borough Council was downgraded having not proved to sufficiently understand potential risks to tenants.

RSH said Northumberland had been engaging constructively and now needed to develop a comprehensive improvement plan urgently. This should be shared with tenants.

Kate Dodsworth, Chief of Regulatory Engagement at RSH, said: “These failings are unacceptable and the council urgently needs to develop a full understanding of the root causes of these issues and the current risks to tenants.

“We will engage intensively with the council while they put things right and our priority will be that they ensure that risks to tenants are properly managed and mitigated.”

The Leader of Northumberland County Council has announced plans to drive forward improvements in how its housing stock is managed following the inspection.

Following publication of the report, Council Leader Glen Sanderson said: “We’re disappointed by the report but of course, we accept it.

"We take these findings very seriously because we always strive for excellence in all we do and we know our tenants are amongst the most satisfied in the region with our housing services.”

He added: “Going into the inspection, we were already carrying out a stock condition survey which would give us an up-to-date assessment across all our housing.

“However inspectors want us to go faster on this and I’ve instructed our officers to deliver the plan at pace to ensure all of our stock is surveyed by the end of next year, and we have the right resources in the right place to ensure our health and safety data is fit for the future.

“We'll also ensure oversight of our housing service is strengthened as well as learning from our partners in the social housing sector.”

Cllr Sanderson said he would look to introduce a cross-party Housing Scrutiny Committee, which he would like to have chaired by an opposition member.

Northumberland’s Leader claimed that recent tenant satisfaction surveys showed Northumberland’s tenants were the most satisfied in the North East, with 99% of repairs completed within timescale.

Harry Rodd