The long-awaited Social Housing (Regulation) Act has received Royal Assent, meaning the bill has now been enacted into law.
The act enhances tenants’ rights, making it easier for them to hold failing landlords to account and seek recourse when faced with mistreatment or neglect.
The law brings forward the following changes:
- Strengthening the Regulator of Social Housing to carry out regular inspections of the largest social housing providers and the power to issue unlimited fines to rogue social landlords
- Additional Housing Ombudsman powers to publish best practice guidance to landlords following investigations into tenant complaints
- Powers to set strict time limits for social landlords to address hazards such as damp and mould
- New qualification requirements for social housing managers
- Introducing stronger economic powers to follow inappropriate money transactions outside of the sector
Following the death of Awaab Ishak – the investigation into which concluded at the end of last year – the government is also introducing Awaab’s Law, which requires all landlords to fix reported health and safety hazards within a strict timeframe.
‘Righting wrongs of the past’
Commenting on the act’s ascension, Housing Secretary Michael Gove said: “Today is an important step towards righting the wrongs of the past; our landmark laws will drive up standards of social housing and give residents a proper voice.
“The Social Housing Act will help to ensure that tenants get the safe, warm, and decent homes they deserve – and those who have seriously neglected their responsibilities for far too long will face the consequences.
“Awaab’s Law will force social landlords to take immediate action on dangerous damp and mould as we introduce new strict time limits to fix their homes.
“I am incredibly grateful to Awaab’s family, who have displayed such courage, dignity, and leadership in pushing for change and securing these vital reforms.”
The regulator
Alongside powers to issue unlimited fines, a stronger regulator now has greater authority to flush out rogue social landlords, with the capability to enter properties with only 48 hours’ notice and make emergency repairs where there is a serious risk to tenants.
The act also makes changes to what activities the regulator can charge landlords fees for, ensuring it has the resources it needs to do its job.
The government says it expects future changes to fee-charging will see all social housing providers – both private registered providers and local authority landlords – paying for regulation costs.
This will include new consumer standards as well as other costs such as investigating when things go wrong.
Fiona MacGregor, chief executive of the Regulator of Social Housing, said: “We welcome the introduction of the Social Housing Regulation Act, which will empower tenants and give us stronger powers to hold social landlords to account.
“Our next step is to consult on the new consumer standards that landlords will need to meet, and we encourage tenants, landlords and others in the sector to have their say when we launch the consultation next week.
“We’re gearing up to start our new programme of regulatory inspections from next April, and landlords will need to demonstrate how they’re providing good quality homes and services for tenants as well as meeting our governance and viability standards.”
Sector reaction
Gavin Smart, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing, said: “We’re delighted to see that the Social Housing (Regulation) Act has now been passed and congratulate all involved in its development.
“The act will provide an important foundation for giving tenants’ a greater voice, improving access to redress and increasing the focus on professionalism in the sector.”
Kate Henderson, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said: “We welcome the Social Housing Regulation Act and have worked closely with the government to support this legislation from the outset.
“It is essential that we strengthen powers to tenants and improve access to swift and fair redress.
“Housing associations are committed to taking the act forward and demonstrating transparency and accountability to their residents.”
She added: “Alongside stronger regulation, housing associations are committed to working with the government to address the severe shortage of social housing and helping to deliver a long-term plan, focused on delivering the homes the country needs over the next decade.”
History
The Social Housing White Paper was originally published by the government in November 2020.
The purpose of the paper was to address various issues and challenges faced by the social housing sector and propose reforms to improve the quality and standards of social housing.
The Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, a lack of tenant empowerment, and the long-running housing crisis were some of the issues that prompted the initial drafts of the act.
Image: Roman Bodnarchuk/Shutterstock
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