There’s been plenty of discussion about the new Competence and Conduct Standard, but with it coming into force on 1 October 2026, the time for landlords to start turning the requirements into action has arrived.

Although there’s a transition period for the qualification requirements – three years for providers with 1,000 homes or more and four years for those with fewer than 1,000 – that doesn’t mean organisations can afford to wait.

One of the first challenges is working out exactly who is in scope.

The Regulator of Social Housing’s Code of Practice is clear that providers should be able to assure themselves, and provide evidence, about which members of staff meet the definition of ‘relevant staff’ and which roles fall within the qualification requirements.

For many organisations, that will mean looking across different teams, job descriptions, responsibilities and existing qualifications – and making consistent, evidenced decisions about what happens next.

To help members get started, HQN has developed a brand-new Competence and Conduct role assessment tool, available through our new HQN People and Culture Network.

The tool is designed to help organisations:

• Assess individual roles against the requirements of the new standard
• Identify which roles are likely to fall within the qualification requirements
• Record and review an individual’s existing qualifications
• Identify where an existing qualification may be sufficient, or where further qualifications or top-up learning may be required
• Build a clearer picture of the work needed across the organisation.

With providers already juggling major regulatory and operational demands, we hope to take some of the uncertainty out of the process and give organisations a practical starting point for preparing for October and beyond.

Below, we take you through how the new tool works.

Members of the HQN People and Culture Network can access the tool and accompanying support. To find out more or book a demonstration, contact [email protected].