‘No access’ has long been an operational challenge for councils and arms-length management organisations (ALMOs), but landmark new research shows the issue is increasing in scale, cost and complexity, driven by a wide range of factors and tightened legal duties such as those introduced under Awaab’s Law.

Opening the Door, which has been commissioned by five partners in the council housing sector – the Local Government Association, the National Federation of ALMOs, the Councils with ALMOs group, and the Association of Retained Council Housing – and the sector’s professional body, the Chartered Institute of Housing, reveals the scale of the challenge. According to the research carried out by HQN:

• 60% of respondents consider ‘no access’ a growing concern
• Only 40% have a formal definition of ‘no access’ while 46% have a specific policy and procedure
• 44% had analysed reasons for no access, reporting:• over four in five citing tenant vulnerabilities

  • more than half citing stigmatising issues such as hoarding

  • more than half reporting concerns over disruption

  • around 40% identifying landlord administrative issues

• Only 14% had defined metrics, despite widespread recognition that associated costs are significant.

The research reveals a sector undergoing a significant cultural shift. Rather than treating ‘no access’ as a single tenant behaviour, landlords are recognising the varied reasons why residents may not – or cannot – allow entry. These range from work patterns and caring responsibilities to health conditions, trauma, communication barriers and mistrust of institutions.

Against a post-Grenfell regulatory landscape, landlords are redesigning the way they work: strengthening communication, improving data on households and properties, investing in resident-centred service design, and building trust at the earliest point of contact.

The research highlights that there is no consistent definition of ‘no access’ across the sector and no single explanation for its growth. However, the consequences are shared. Missed visits delay safety work, escalate costs, and can trigger legal action – particularly under the new timescales required by Awaab’s Law.

To meet these pressures, the report findings show that all social housing organisations should:

• Adopt a clear, published definition of ‘no access’ and standardise recording, including missed appointments vs. escalated cases, to support consistent decisions
• Invest in better data and systems on homes and households, linking stock condition, repairs, compliance, complaints, satisfaction and access data
• Use proactive, resident-led communication by co-producing policy wording, letters, communications and using accessible terminology
• Train staff to use professional curiosity and work in smaller, more manageable patches
• Streamline and coordinate visits to reduce disruption and support Awaab’s Law timeframes
• Implement effective and informed triage with staff able to assess risk at first contact and use photos/video where appropriate
• Provide specialist support for complex cases through liaison roles, multi-agency working, and clear escalation routes

To support this shift, the report also highlights that government should:

• Publish clearer Awaab’s Law guidance, especially around definitions and hazard thresholds
• Develop a simpler, nationally recognised legal pathway for cases where access cannot be secured
• Align national guidance on vulnerability and resident support, helping landlords respond consistently where vulnerability is the key barrier to access.

The research comprises two complementary studies conducted by HQN associate Janis Bright:

1. Opening the Door – the first systematic examination of the causes of ‘no access’, exploring why access is becoming more challenging and the solutions emerging across the sector.
2. Preparing for Awaab’s Law: Progress by social housing providers – an assessment of how councils and ALMOs have readied themselves for Phase 1 of Awaab’s Law, introduced in October 2025, and the pressures they anticipate as further phases come into force.

This shows providers taking significant steps to strengthen their approach to managing repair cases and access, including system upgrades, staff training, revised processes and better safety governance. But concerns remain about future capacity and the ambiguity in the legislation.

Commenting on the research, Lydia Dlaboha, Deputy Chief Executive at HQN, said: “With both Awaab’s Law and access to properties such key priorities for social housing providers at the moment, we are pleased to have been involved in this important and timely piece of collaborative research. The research has identified a wide range of root causes behind ‘no access’ issues but also the good work that is taking place across the sector on this as well as preparations for Awaab’s Law.

“HQN will now be looking to build on this work with a series of practical guides and tools to help practitioners.”

Cllr Tom Hunt, Chair of the LGA’s Inclusive Growth Committee, said: “Everyone deserves a safe, warm, and good quality home – it’s a key foundation for a good life and strong community.

“Local authorities and their partners are essential to making sure that there are homes, and that they are of decent quality for their residents. Awaab’s law has helped provide important guidance and motivation to deliver this ambition.

“However, councils need sufficient funding to mitigate the existing pressures on housing stock, and so that health hazards can be investigated and fixed in a timely manner. For councils to deliver all of the decent homes as quickly as they’d like, government must provide them with sufficient funding and resource.”

Dr. Eve Blezard, Policy Lead for Asset, Safety and Culture at the Chartered Institute of Housing, said: “CIH is proud to support this research, which makes clear that good housing management is crucial to achieving the outcomes that both tenants and landlords want to see.

“These reports offer clear, practical insights drawn from existing best practice, and point to where further action is needed. Together, they show that when staff have the time, resources and support to address issues around access they can develop trust and reduce health and safety risks. As Awaab’s Law comes into full effect, investing in people and organisational culture will be essential to keeping tenants safe. We urge housing professionals to take this learning on board.”

Eamon McGoldrick, Managing Director of the National Federation of ALMOs, said: “Good communication with tenants is at the heart of quality housing management and services, and this research confirms the value of our members’ emphasis on listening and learning, rather than simply following formulaic processes.

“At the same time, the findings tell us that systems – as long as they are tenant-focused – must be fit for purpose. NFA members will welcome the contribution these insights make to their efforts to continuously improve.”

Geoff Beale, Chair of the Councils with ALMOs Group, said: “Councils and their ALMOs are striving to deliver on the principles that underlie the new regulations. These timely reports help us to identify and pin down how to make sure Awaab’s Law becomes reality and has a real impact on the quality of tenants’ lives across the council housing sector.”

Janet Sharpe, Chief Executive of the Association of Retained Council Housing (ARCH), said: “ARCH has welcomed the opportunity to be fully involved in this timely and excellent research which has provided useful insight that will help and support our landlords who are demonstrating how they are continuing to improve their services and quality of homes, whilst ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.

“This research clearly shows why ‘no access’ has emerged as a growing challenge for councils beginning to implement Awaab’s Law and makes helpful and important recommendations on how our members can best respond. Equally, the report makes useful recommendations for government to support the sector, chiefly among which is developing a simpler, nationally recognised legal pathway for cases where access cannot be secured.”

While mainly focused on local authorities and ALMOs, the research also draws on HQN’s housing association membership to present a picture across the whole social rented sector.

Read the full reports at: https://www.almos.org.uk/category/publications/sector-publications/

Read the four-page NFA research brief at: https://www.almos.org.uk/category/publications/almo-best-practice/