Better Social Housing Review finds both ‘inspiring’ and ‘shocking’ practice in sector

An independent panel has found examples of ‘inspiring practice’ as well as some areas of ‘shocking practice’ and discrimination in the social housing sector.

The Better Social Housing Review, which said the sector was under “huge pressures”, has published a report of its findings with a set of seven recommendations for consideration.

In light of the report, the Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation has said it will develop a “thorough nationwide action plan” which will set out how housing associations will respond systematically to all the recommendations.

The report notes that when social housing works best, it creates “good quality, safe and secure homes”.

The panel said in the report that it has seen some examples of social housing achieving “exactly that”. However, it also found evidence of “too many people now living in housing which doesn’t live up to these ambitions”.

The report notes that the investigation into social housing was structured around two “key pillars”:

1. the suitability and quality of housing stock, and
2. the housing association’s culture and responsiveness to tenants’ concerns and complaints

The report states that the social housing sector faces “many external pressures”, which include the cost-of-living crisis and the cost of heating homes, which it describes as a “very real and rapidly increasing problem for many social housing tenants”.

Additionally, it notes that “funding taps have been turned on and off with minimal notice” and successive governments have not invested enough in “providing funding for critical areas such as regeneration”.

The seven key recommendations for the housing sector to consider are:

1. Every housing association, and the sector as a whole, should refocus on their core purpose and deliver against it.
2. Housing associations should work together to conduct and publish a thorough audit of all social housing in England.
3. Housing associations should partner with tenants, contractors and frontline staff to develop and apply new standards defining what an excellent maintenance and repairs process looks like.
4. The Chartered Institute of Housing should promote the traditional housing officer role as a supported and valued employment opportunity with a Chartered Institute of Housing recognised programme of training and continuing development.
5. Housing associations should work with all tenants to ensure that they have a voice and influence at every level of decision making across the organisation, through both voluntary and paid roles.
6. Housing associations should develop a proactive local community presence through community hubs which foster greater multi-agency working.
7. Housing associations should support tenants and frontline staff to undertake an annual review of the progress each organisation is making in implementing this review’s recommendations.

In response to the Better Social Housing Review, Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, said: “Housing associations accept in their entirety the recommendations from the Better Social Housing Review, commissioned by us and the Chartered Institute of Housing six months ago.

“At our core, housing associations exist to provide safe, good quality homes. This commitment was clear in the conversations the panel carried out with residents, housing association staff and stakeholders during the review.

“But elsewhere the report is undoubtedly not an easy read. There are very serious issues with the quality of some social homes and the report asks housing associations to make sure they are prioritising the needs of their tenants at all times.”

Henderson added: “We will develop a thorough nationwide action plan which will set out how housing associations will respond systematically to all the recommendations. This begins with checking every single housing association home to make sure we know where problems exist, like damp and mould, and fix them. 

“Housing associations will also work with tenants and partners to set a clear standard for excellent repairs and maintenance services that everyone living in a housing association home can expect.

“I hope these swift and far-reaching actions reflect the gravity with which we take these findings and our residents’ experiences. Thank you to the independent panel for carrying out such a thorough review.”

Gavin Smart, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing, said: “All tenants of social housing should live in good quality, well-managed homes and always be treated with dignity and respect. Where this is not the case, we must work quickly to put that right, so I welcome the findings and recommendations set out by the Better Social Housing Review panel which provide a practical framework for the sector.

“As the professional body for housing, we are committed to working with our members and the National Housing Federation to develop an action plan focusing on the recommendations outlined by the panel. The increased focus on consumer regulation and professionalism, set out in the Social Housing Regulation Bill, will help to underpin this.

“I’m grateful to the panel for the time they have taken to engage with residents, communities, partners, and housing professionals to understand where improvements are needed, to highlight good practice and to make recommendations that will help the sector move forward.”