Three other providers receive first ever gradings
Five local authority landlords have been given non-compliant consumer gradings in judgements handed out by the Regulator of Social Housing today.
East Suffolk Council, Ipswich Borough Council, Leicester City Council, North Kesteven District Council and Redditch Borough Council were all handed C3 gradings.
They were each found to have failed to meet the Regulator of Social Housing’s (RSH) consumer standards, introduced in April 2024.
The grading indicates serious failings and require the landlords to make significant improvements.
In East Suffolk, the RSH found that half of homes did not meet the Decent Homes Standard and that resolution of hazards and damp and mould cases had not been fully tracked. The regulator has had assurances that the council has addressed previous concerns relating to the Rent Standard.
In its inspection of Ipswich Council, the regulator found significant gaps in its data in relation to assessment of hazards and the needs of its tenants, while in Leicester it found that the council had not conducted an electrical safety test for around 70% of homes.
The RSH found North Kesteven District Council was not meeting its targets for routine repairs or voids service and that only a third of its homes had a Housing Health and Safety Rating System assessment in place as required by the Decent Homes Standard.
Redditch Borough Council was found to have almost 3,000 overdue repairs, as well as around 2,900 overdue fire remedial actions, including around 800 high risk actions that had been overdue for more than 12 months.
“These issues outlined in the judgements published today need to be addressed promptly and we are working intensively with each of the landlords as they put things right for their tenants,” said Kate Dodsworth, chief of regulatory engagement at RSH.
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The regulator also published judgements for 18 further landlords, including first gradings for Grainger Trust (C2/G2/V1), Heart of Medway Housing Association (C1/G1/V1) and M&G UK Shared Ownership (C2/G2/V1).
Heart of Medway, which reached the 1,000-homes threshold that triggers RSH inspections last year, is part of the Kent-based MHS Homes group.
As part of the inspection, the RSH observed a board meeting, held interviews with customers and leadership, and reviewed key documents.
Marie-Claire Delbrouque, CEO of MHS Homes, said: “As the first set of gradings for Heart of Medway, we’re absolutely delighted with this outcome. It reflects the hard work and commitment of our entire team and is a clear sign that we’re delivering on our promise to provide safe homes and services our customers can rely on.”
Sandra Skeete, Chair of Heart of Medway, said: “We’re committed to providing safe, secure homes and quality services, so it’s rewarding to see our work recognised at the highest level.”
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