TSA unveils final "landmark" standards for social housing regulation
The Tenant Services Authority this week unveiled the final version of the six standards that will form the bedrock of social housing regulation, just a fortnight before they come into effect.
The six national standards, which apply from 1 April to nearly 1,800 social housing providers in England, relate to:
- Tenant involvement and empowerment – including customer service, choice and complaints, and understanding and responding to diverse needs
- Home – including repairs and maintenance and quality of accommodation
- Tenancy – including allocations, rent and tenure
- Neighbourhood and community – including neighbourhood management, local area co-operation and anti-social behaviour
- Value for money, and
- Governance and financial viability.
The TSA will also have new enforcement powers from next month. These include the ability to issue enforcement notices and direct the transfer of management.
The framework for regulation is intended to mark a major shift in approach, with the focus on outcomes.
Tenants will be able to agree a “locally tailored offer” and have new rights to scrutinise their landlord’s performance. The emphasis will also be on those who govern providers ensuring that there is effective performance and accountability.
Describing the changes as a “landmark” for the social housing sector, TSA chief executive Peter Marsh said: “For the first time, tenants will have the opportunities, backed by the regulator, to influence the services that most affect them and hold their landlords to account.
“I am pleased we have achieved a broad consensus amongst tenants and landlords on our co-regulatory approach – one that ensures that poorly performing landlords are quickly identified but a system that lets good performing landlords get on with that they do best – providing excellent services.”
The Chartered Institute of Housing said it gave “its full backing” to the framework, which believes “will drive forward change and improvements for tenants across the whole of social housing”.
Last month, Local Government Lawyer revealed that the Local Government Association still had four “substantial and significant concerns” about the framework. These related to the length and complexity of the standards, the risk that they could place new information burdens on local authorities, duplication with the Use of Resources judgement of the Audit Commission, and a lack of clarity over how the TSA will feed into Comprehensive Area Assessments.
