NEW Consumer Standards published

The Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 (‘the Act’) puts the regulation of the consumer standards on the same footing as the economic standards, removing the current serious detriment test and giving the Regulator of Social Housing (‘RSH’) new powers to enforce and regulate.

The final form of the four new Consumer Standards have been published today (alongside revised guidance from the RSH on, amongst other things, how it inspects providers, issues gradings in respect of the Consumer Standards and uses its powers) and will apply from 1 April 2024, replacing the current Consumer Standards. They set out the specific expectations and outcomes that all registered providers of social housing will be expected to achieve and reflect a new emphasis on ensuring tenant safety, hearing the resident voice, accountability to tenants and the need to use and collect data effectively.  

The new Consumer Standards are:

• The Safety and Quality Standard (replacing the Home Standard);
• The Tenancy Standard (replacing the old Tenancy Standard);
• The Neighbourhood and Community Standard (replacing the old Neighbourhood and Community Standard); and
• The Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard (replacing the Tenant Involvement and Empowerment Standard). 

The Tenant Satisfaction Measures Standard, which came into force in April 2022, will continue unchanged. There will also be a further Consumer Standard, in relation to competence and conduct, which it is anticipated will come into force from April 2025.

Key changes to the new Consumer Standards from the draft Standards published last year for consultation include:

• A greater emphasis on prospective tenants as well as current tenants, such as in relation to the need to treat tenants (and prospective tenants) with fairness and respect;
• Inclusion of a new specific requirement in the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard in relation to providing tenants with access to information (including in respect of their landlord’s legal obligations and regulatory requirements); and
• Amendments to the Neighbourhood and Community Standard to address concerns raised during the consultation period in relation to responsibilities for shared spaces, and a greater focus on addressing hate incidents.

The new Consumer Standards are accompanied by a Code of Practice, designed to amplify the requirements of the Standards and provide an indication of what compliance may look like for a provider. There have been some changes to the Code since the consultation period last year, such as the inclusion of examples of the types of data and information providers might use to keep their understanding of stock condition up-to-date and how RPs might address issues around access to homes.

Keep an eye out for more in-depth briefings on the Standards that we will bring you in due course. We will also be hosting a webinar on 7 March where we will explore the key changes to the current and draft Standards and priority areas to be focussing on for 1 April, register now.

For further information on this topic, do please contact, Samantha Grix, Gemma Bell, Matthew Waters or Kathryn Kligerman.