East Midlands Housing (EMH) Group has been upgraded to a C1 consumer grade, while Lancaster City Council received its first grading of C2.
The judgements were published by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) yesterday. EMH – previously graded C2 following an inspection completed in November 2024 – improved its rating after responsive engagement with the regulator focused on delivering its improvement strategy.
The housing association demonstrated it had strengthened arrangements for ensuring tenants’ views are considered in strategic decision-making about how landlord services are delivered. Improvements to customer service and complaints handling have also led to a reduction in the number of complaints. EMH group holds a governance grade of G1 and a financial viability grade of V2.
Lancaster City Council received its first consumer grade of C2 following inspection. RSH identified weaknesses in the council’s delivery of the outcomes of the consumer standards, with improvement needed specifically in relation to the Safety and Quality Standard and the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard.
The local authority is broadly delivering repairs in a timely way for tenants, though RSH found a backlog, with a plan in place to complete most overdue repairs by the end of November. Engaged tenants told the regulator they felt listened to and valued, and RSH found a respectful and positive culture towards tenants.
However, the council does not have comprehensive information about the characteristics and diversity of its tenants, restricting its ability to deliver fair and equitable outcomes.
Kate Dodsworth, RSH deputy chief executive, said: “Understanding tenants is fundamental to effective social housing. Landlords can only deliver fair, accessible and accountable services when they understand the diverse needs of their residents and use that insight to shape decision-making and improve outcomes.”
Image credit: Andrey_Popov – Shutterstock
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