Consultation on the consumer standards

The Regulator of Social Housing is proposing a number of changes to its consumer standards, which are the rules that social landlords must follow in order to provide a good service to their tenants.

The proposed changes are currently out for consultation and are expected to come into force in April 2024. All of the information can be found here: http://www.gov.uk/…/consultation-on-the-consumer-standards (The consultation closes at 6pm on 17th October 2023)

The proposed changes are designed to improve the safety, quality, and transparency of social housing, and to give tenants more power to hold their landlords to account.

Some of the key proposed changes include:

• A requirement for social landlords to physically inspect all of their homes to understand their condition and carry out any necessary repairs.
• A requirement for social landlords to be more open and transparent with their tenants about their finances, performance, and decision-making.
• A requirement for social landlords to give tenants more opportunities to get involved in decision-making and to hold them to account.
• A new focus on the safety and energy efficiency of social housing.

Here is a simple explanation of the proposed changes for tenants:

• Your landlord will need to inspect your home properly and fix any problems.
• Your landlord will need to be more open and honest with you about their finances, performance, and decision-making.
• You will have more opportunities to get involved in decision-making and to hold your landlord to account.
• Your landlord will need to focus on the safety and energy efficiency of your home.

The proposed changes are designed to make social housing better for everyone.