First Report - The Regulation of Social Housing
Select Committee
Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
HC 18
20 July 2022
Recommendations
6 results
5
Not Addressed
Para 30
To reduce the social housing sector’s reliance on outdated stock, we recommend that the Government...
Recommendation
To reduce the social housing sector’s reliance on outdated stock, we recommend that the Government introduce funding specifically for regeneration that does not require the delivery of net additional housing and deliver on its commitment to increase the supply of …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The response focuses on setting clear outcome-based expectations for registered providers and seeking assurance that they are achieving them, but it does not address the specific recommendations regarding funding for regeneration or amending the Affordable Homes Programme.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View Details
6
Not Addressed
Para 31
To prevent the further erosion of the social housing stock, we urge the Government to...
Recommendation
To prevent the further erosion of the social housing stock, we urge the Government to set out how it plans to fully fund the one-for-one and like-for-like replacement of every home sold under the proposed extension of the statutory right …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The response focuses on setting clear outcome-based expectations for registered providers and seeking assurance that they are achieving them, but it does not address the specific recommendations regarding funding for regeneration or amending the Affordable Homes Programme.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View Details
8
Not Addressed
Para 37
We recommend that the Government provide an update on social housing providers’ access to funds...
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government provide an update on social housing providers’ access to funds for building safety remediation and commit to ensuring they have exactly the same access to funds as private landlords. It should also provide an assessment …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The response discusses the roles of the RSH and the Housing Ombudsman, not addressing the recommendation about funding for building safety remediation and decarbonisation.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View Details
10
Para 41
We urge all providers of social housing to support tenants who, through no fault of...
Recommendation
We urge all providers of social housing to support tenants who, through no fault of their own, cannot heat or ventilate their homes properly. This support should include the provision of dehumidifiers and mechanical ventilation systems to deal with condensation …
Read more
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View Details
20
Para 82
We recommend that the Government establish the Social Housing Quality Resident Panel on a permanent...
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government establish the Social Housing Quality Resident Panel on a permanent basis as the national tenant voice body that tenants representatives have been calling for. The Government should send the strongest possible signal to tenants that …
Read more
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View Details
25
Not Addressed
We call on the Government to provide an update on the progress of its review...
Recommendation
We call on the Government to provide an update on the progress of its review of qualifications and professional training in the social housing sector, including a timeline for implementation of any new qualifications. (Paragraph 103) The Housing Ombudsman
Read more
Government Response Summary
The response states that they look forward to continuing to work with tenants and other stakeholders as they develop a new proactive consumer regulation regime, but does not provide an update on the progress of its review of qualifications and professional training in the social housing sector, including a timeline for implementation of any new qualifications.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
View Details
Conclusions (6) Observations and findings — click to expand
3
Conclusion
Para 28
The level of disrepair in some parts of the social housing sector can undoubtedly be attributed partly to the age and design of the housing stock, some of which was never built to last and is now approaching obsolescence. For this, some blame must attach to successive Governments for not …
4
Conclusion
Para 29
We are concerned, however, about the Government’s decision to extend the statutory right to buy to all tenants of private social housing providers. The existing policy has reduced the number of homes available for social rent and increased the proportion of the social housing stock that is hard to maintain, …
7
Conclusion
Not Addressed
Para 36
The social housing sector is under serious financial pressure, and the Government is asking it to do far too much without sufficient resources. We therefore welcome the progress made towards finding a financial solution to the building safety crisis and the Government’s commitment to exploring ways of exempting social housing …
Government Response Summary
The response discusses the new standards to set clear outcome-based expectations for registered providers, but it does not address the financial pressures on the social housing sector or the need for equal access to building safety remediation funds.
11
Conclusion
Para 49
Whilst social housing providers cannot be blamed for the age of their stock or for government policy, they must certainly take responsibility, where they have failed to respond properly to requests for repairs, have preferred quick fixes to structural problems, have failed to properly investigate the causes of serious disrepair, …
19
Conclusion
Para 81
We are pleased the Government is setting up the Social Housing Quality Resident Panel, but we believe there is a strong argument for committing now to making it a permanent national voice for tenants, or at least to establishing such a body in The Regulation of Social Housing 71 one …
24
Conclusion
Whatever external or impersonal forces might be contributing to the very poor treatment some tenants have to endure, ultimate responsibility must lie first with the individuals concerned and then with senior management. We therefore strongly welcome the Government’s review of qualifications and professional training. Ensuring those working in the sector …