By Alistair McIntosh, HQN CEO

Let’s start this week’s review of RSH consumer ratings at Cobalt. Thankfully, it’s good news. Back in August 2024, Cobalt scored C2 at inspection. Now, after “responsive engagement” with the RSH, they have soared to C1. What changed?

The repairs service wasn’t up to scratch first time around. Cobalt have brought it inhouse and boosted performance. The RSH is now satisfied that Cobalt delivered the improvements it promised to tenants.

Hopefully, Cobalt is a bellwether. We know of other C2s that have switched contractors and want to get to C1. They’ll be poring over the detail of the Cobalt case.

The association’s press release gives some pointers. Action from Cobalt includes:

  • “Listening carefully to feedback”
  • Developing and testing new repair standards with customers
  • Strengthening the complaints service
  • Expanding the investment programme – engaging customers on specifications of kitchens and bathrooms
  • Putting in place a new customer strategy (it’s well worth reading).

Cobalt says, “the regulator recognised that customer feedback and involvement drove improvements that were real and lasting, not short-term fixes”.

The RSH has also been busy further along the M62 at Sheffield. Now, this is a complicated story as it crosses over changing regulatory regimes.

Back in 2023, Sheffield was issued with a Regulatory Notice (RN) due to serious shortcomings against the old Home Standard. The RSH replaced this with the current Safety and Quality Standard. In 2024 the RSH gave Sheffield a rating of C3 against the new standard. Today the RSH has lifted the old RN. But it’s kept the C3, non-compliant, rating. What’s a tenant to make of that?

Mercifully, Sheffield City Council’s press release comes to the rescue. Here’s what they say about lifting the RN:

  • The city council self-referred to the RSH about a backlog of gas safety checks in October 2022
  • Tenant safety has been improved and the RSH accepts this via “responsive engagement” hence the RN is struck out
  • Key steps taken by Sheffield included commissioning an independent audit, improving the speed and quality of data provided to senior leaders and tenants while “embedding a stronger safety culture”.

Sheffield is working towards moving on from C3 and showing full compliance by:

  • Reducing the waiting time for repairs
  • Strengthening its understanding of the city council’s homes.

HQN looks forward to learning from the progress at Sheffield.