Regulator of Social Housing finds two borough councils in breach of consumer standards

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has issued regulatory notices to two councils, Wigan and Woking, this week (14 December), after concluding that they have breached its consumer standards.

The RSH said both authorities had failed to meet a range of health and safety requirements in a number of their tenants’ homes.

In Wigan’s case, the notice said the council did not carry out annual gas safety inspections in more than 1,000 homes (the council has since reduced this to around 700). It had installed around 16,000 carbon monoxide detectors in its tenants’ homes, but failed to install them in another 10,000.

Wigan also reported that around 275 homes did not have valid electrical inspection certificates and that more than 150 high-risk fire safety actions were overdue.

Woking meanwhile had completed fire risk assessments for the majority of blocks requiring them, but RSH found there were more than 400 overdue safety actions from the assessments. In addition, the council was unable to confirm whether smoke detectors are installed in over a quarter of its tenants’ homes.

The two councils have both put programmes in place to address these issues, RSH said, adding that it would continue to monitor each council as they carry out this work.

Kate Dodsworth, Chief of Regulatory Engagement at RSH, said: “Wigan Council and Woking Borough Council both failed to meet our consumer standards and need to put things right promptly for tenants.

“It is vital that all social landlords have accurate, up-to-date health and safety data and use it to ensure their tenants’ homes are safe. As well as our ongoing investigations, we will be out on the front foot from next April inspecting landlords to make sure they are providing good-quality homes and services.”

Responding to the RSH’s announcement, Woking said the regulatory notice followed a self-referral earlier this year.

Cllr Ann-Marie Barker, Leader of the Council, said: “There is nothing more important than the safety of our residents, yet this regulatory notice is a stark warning that the council has fallen short in its health and safety duty toward tenants on this occasion.

“I would like to apologise, on behalf of the council, to our housing tenants for failing to deliver the quality of service that is expected. We understand that the notice issued by the Regulator of Social Housing may cause tenants concern.”

She added: “Last year, with the support of council tenants, the council brought the management and maintenance of our social housing back in-house to help improve housing services. It was following this change that we were able to fully understand the issues with the standard of our homes.

“Most significantly, we undertook an extensive programme of fire risk assessments over the spring and summer which identified a significant number of remedial actions are required. 

“The council is fully aware of its health and safety responsibilities and will work with the regulator closely to put in place a comprehensive programme to rectify these failures.”

The financially-troubled council, where government-appointed Commmissioners have just published their second report, said a “robust plan” to address the concerns identified in the regulatory notice was being developed. Actions already taken include: 

• Commissioned inspections of all properties where the council does not hold robust data on carbon monoxide and smoke detectors and resolve any issues identified. 
• Undertaken specialist surveys on some housing blocks.
• Instructed a number of fire safety remedial works that are considered high risk.
• Surveyed all emergency lighting in housing blocks.
• Where required commenced loft compartmentation surveys.
• Implemented quarterly fire door inspections to all four and five storey housing blocks and all temporary accommodation schemes with shared facilities.
• Introduced sterile communal areas policy in housing blocks.

Woking’s Executive will this evening (Thursday 14 December 2023) consider a proposal to add the Housing Programme to the council’s wider Improvement and Recovery Plan. “The comprehensive improvement programme will include increasing our resident engagement, creating a 30 year business plan for the Housing Revenue Account and the actions required to meet all regulatory standards,” the council said.

A Wigan Council spokesperson said: “Ensuring our residents have access to good quality, affordable and safe homes is a key priority for Wigan Council.

“We have been engaging with the Regulator of Social Housing to ensure that the Council is ready for the upcoming new regulations which come into force in April 2024.

“We acknowledge there is some work to do before then to ensure we are fully compliant with its existing consumer standards and will continue to work with the regulator to ensure this is completed as soon as possible.”