Regulator launches investigation of social housing provider over governance and financial viability concerns

A social housing provider that operates a peer support alcohol recovery home and a women's recovery home is being investigated by the Regulator of Social Housing over financial viability and governance concerns.

The regulator said it is currently investigating RCVDA Community Housing CIC over matters that could result in the provider being assessed as non-compliant in relation to the regulator's Governance and Financial Viability Standards.

The Governance and Financial Viability Standard is one of the regulator's three economic standards that it asks providers to meet. It looks at how well the organisation is run and if it is financially viable.

RCVDA Community Housing CIC was set up by an independent non-profit-making charitable company named Redcar & Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency (RCVDA). RCVDA has supported local charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises in the Redcar and Cleveland area since 1984.

RCVDA Community Housing CIC, which became a registered provider in October 2020, runs a residential peer support alcohol recovery home which it said was quickly operating at full capacity.

The provider then built a women's recovery home in Brotton, North Yorkshire. According to the regulator, it owns and manages fewer than 1,000 homes.

In its most recent financial statements, dated September 2020, RCVDA Community Housing CIC said it had also joined with the Redcar & Cleveland Children's Directorate "to look for new ways of working with and housing care leavers and others for whom the Local Authority has an ongoing corporate parenting responsibility".

It added that the work is in support of the "No Wrong Door" programme, an initiative devised by North Yorkshire County Council which replaces traditional council-run young peoples' homes with hubs which combine residential care with fostering.

RCVDA Community Housing CIC and RCVDA have been approached for comment.

Adam Carey