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Housing Ombudsman highlights complaint handling learning ahead of Code becoming statutory

The Housing Ombudsman has released its latest Complaint Handling Failure Order report, sharing learning where it has seen poor complaint handling in the previous quarter. Ahead of the Complaint Handling Code becoming statutory on 1 … Read more

RSH publishes final consumer standards and plan for inspection

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) today set out its new standards for social housing landlords, designed to protect tenants and improve the service they receive. RSH also confirmed how it will regulate and inspect landlords … Read more

Calls from UK for ‘action and justice’ as fatal Valencia fire linked to flammable cladding

Grenfell United and the Fire Brigades Union have renewed their calls for ‘action and justice’ in the wake of a major fire in a block of flats in the Spanish city of Valencia. The fire, … Read more

HQN publishes the Value for Money metrics a year early!

By Alistair McIntosh, chief executive, HQN So now we know. Today the RSH has released from captivity its data on how housing associations spend their cash. You can see who did what during 2022/23 in … Read more

Housing associations invest £12.5 billion in new and existing homes – RSH VFM report

Housing associations used their operating surpluses to invest £12.5 billion in new and existing homes in the last financial year, it has been revealed. The Regulator of Social Housing has today published its value for … Read more

Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code becomes statutory as cases continue to rise

The Housing Ombudsman and the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) have today launched their aligned Complaint Handling Codes which they hope will result in best practice in complaint handling and ultimately better services … Read more

Government’s new ‘competence and conduct’ standard will ‘improve service for all social housing tenants’

The government says social housing tenants will receive a fairer and better service from their housing provider, under new plans it has unveiled today. Under the new standards, providers will need to arm their staff … Read more

Clock ticks: Latest from regulator and ombudsman as new regime looms

By Roger Jarman, HQN Associate Introduction On 1 February HQN hosted an event with over 140 delegates which examined the key changes in housing regulation due this year. The event was chaired by Alistair McIntosh … Read more

Government launches consultation on social housing allocations revamp ‘to make system fairer’

An overhaul of how social housing is allocated, which the government claims will make the system fairer and not available to those who abuse it, has been announced today. Much-trailed ‘three strikes and you’re out’ … Read more

Opinion: Give boards a bigger range of voices – and stop worshipping the governance gurus

By Alistair McIntosh, HQN CEO If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. Why does no one ever follow that advice? A year or so ago I was on the train and got talking … Read more

Ombudsman report urges council to tackle cause of complaints

A Housing Ombudsman inspection report has found that despite a council’s improvements, the efforts haven’t been “seen and felt by its residents”. An inspection of Lambeth Council was launched by the ombudsman after it remained … Read more

HQN appoints Chloe Fletcher as new director

HQN is delighted to announce the appointment of Chloe Fletcher as a new director. A well-known and highly regarded figure in the social housing sector, Chloe joins from the National Federation of ALMOs, where she … Read more

Social landlord to pay nearly £11,000 to residents after failings in damp and leak repairs

The Housing Ombudsman has ordered a social landlord to pay £10,800 in compensation to households after it made four findings of severe maladministration across three cases. In Case A (202121016) the ombudsman found severe maladministration … Read more

Awaab’s Law: Rogue landlord clamp down plans announced

Plans to clamp down on rogue social landlords who fail to provide safe homes have been announced by the government, as part of its pledge to deliver Awaab’s Law. Two-year-old Awaab Ishak died from a … Read more

RSH confirms social housing rent levels for 2024/25

The Regulator of Social Housing today confirmed rent levels for 2024/25. Following much conjecture about the repeat of a rent cap, the government has decided to revert to its old rent setting formula for 2024/25 … Read more

RSH’s global accounts show record investment in social housing repairs

Housing providers have made a record investment in repairs and maintenance, spending £7.7 billion over the year (20% more than in 2022), the Regulator of Social Housing’s (RSH) Global accounts for 2023 have revealed. According … Read more

HQN’s housing regulation quiz 2023

Who doesn’t look forward to a housing regulation quiz at this time of year? And we have one for you that gradually gets harder to really test hardcore regulation fans! If you don’t get 100%, … Read more

Council must pay over £5,000 after letting ‘unhabitable home’

The Housing Ombudsman has made three findings of severe maladministration over how a council let a property in poor condition to a young family, which resulted in significant distress and inconvenience for the household.  Despite … Read more

Shared ownership inquiry: written evidence published

The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (LUHC) Committee has published an initial tranche of 10 written evidence submissions for its shared ownership inquiry. The submissions have been received from a range of individuals and stakeholders, including … Read more

Ground rent reforms will save leaseholders £thousands, says government

The government has unveiled new proposals to slash ground rents, which it says will save homeowners thousands of pounds. Housing secretary Michael Gove has launched a consultation that will set out options including capping ground rents at … Read more

LHA freeze will make 60,000 Londoners homeless, warning

Almost 60,000 Londoners living in the private rented sector are likely to become homeless over the next six years if the government maintains the freeze on Local Housing Allowance (LHA), London Councils has said. According … Read more

Developers to be held to account as Levelling-Up Bill comes into force

The government says developers are to be held to account after the new Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill received Royal Assent. The new laws also aim at speeding up the planning system, cutting bureaucracy and encouraging … Read more

‘Claims farmer’ warning after tenant ordered to pay £10,000

Council tenants are being reminded to report repairs to their local authority rather than make legal claims, after a judge ordered an unsuccessful claimant to pay over £10,000 in costs. The advice comes after a … Read more

Housing ombudsman reveals 323% rise in severe maladministration findings

The Housing Ombudsman’s Annual Complaints Review has revealed a sharp increase of severe maladministration findings, as individual performance reports were published for 163 landlords where the service made most findings. According to the ombudsman, they … Read more

First Things First episode 86

£80m in funding for social housing energy efficiency upgrades

Thousands of social housing tenants will be helped to cut bills with additional grants available for home energy efficiency upgrades, the government has said. Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Claire Coutinho yesterday announced that … Read more

Social landlord pays compensation after vulnerable residents left living in damp and mould

The Housing Ombudsman has awarded two vulnerable residents £8,000 in compensation after a social landlord was found to have failed them both. In Case A (202100078) the ombudsman ordered A2Dominion Group’s chief executive to apologise … Read more

Opinion: His nibs

Opinion: His nibs Many of you wonder if Alistair actually reads all the books on the shelves behind him on First Things First. We think it’s a stock image but here’s his attempt to explain … Read more

Levelling Up Committee Chair writes to government on RAAC housing risks

The chair of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee has written to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Local Government and Building Safety) to request an update on the department’s assessment of the risk of reinforced autoclaved … Read more

Post-2025 rent settlement coming in 2024, says housing minister

A post-2025 social rent settlement will be decided in the first half of 2024, housing minister Rachael Maclean has said. According to Maclean, a consultation on the settlement is due to be published before the … Read more