Greater transparency for tenants of private registered providers and a new tenant satisfaction measure covering electrical safety checks are among the potential changes
The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has today opened a 12-week consultation on revisions to certain consumer standards and regulatory requirements.
The proposed changes apply to the transparency, influence and accountability (TI&A) standard relating to the competence and conduct facet of the consumer standards, the consumer standards code of practice, and the tenant satisfaction measures (TSMs).
While the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has already consulted on competence and conduct and social tenant access to information (STAIRs), the RSH’s consultation aims to ensure that the directions MHCLG has given as a result are accurately reflected in its TI&A standard.
The STAIRs requirements will give tenants of private registered providers (PRPs) a similar level of access to information relating to the management of social housing that local authority tenants already have.
This means that PRPs will have to proactively publish certain information about their activities that is set out in the government’s policy statement and tenants will be able to formally request relevant information and receive timely responses.
The competence and conduct requirements are aimed at improving professionalism and raising standards by ensuring relevant housing staff have the required skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours to effectively serve tenants.
Senior housing managers and executives will also be required to hold or be working towards a housing management qualification.
Meanwhile, RSH has also proposed to implement a new TSM covering electrical safety checks.
Fiona MacGregor, RSH chief executive, said: “All the changes being consulted on are intended to enhance the transparency and accountability of landlords to their tenants. We are keen to receive views on the proposals from registered providers, tenants and anyone with an interest in social housing.”
The updated competence and conduct requirements are expected to come into force from October 2026.
RSH’s consultation runs from 9.30am on 9 December 2025 to 6.30pm on 3 March 2026.
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