The existing social housing rent settlement will be rolled over by a further year until April 2026, meaning annual rent increases will continue to be capped at Consumer Price Index (CPI) +1% for 2025-26, the government has said.

The announcement follows the beginning of the new social housing regulatory regime, which came into effect on 1 April. The government says that social landlords will now be routinely inspected and held to account, to make sure they provide their residents with quality homes and services.

The Regulator of Social Housing has been given powers to drive up standards and take action if necessary. Landlords that fail to abide to the new rules face a range of potential sanctions, including appointing new management or unlimited fines.

The rules now require landlords to:

  • Have an accurate record on the condition of every home, based on checks of properties so landlords can understand any problems and take action
  • Set clear timelines for the completion of repairs, maintenance and planned improvements, communicating them clearly to tenants
  • Give tenants opportunities to influence and scrutinise their landlord’s services such as through meetings with tenant organisations
  • Provide tenants with information about their rights and how to make complaints
  • Publish the new tenant satisfaction measures to make it clear how tenants feel their landlord is performing and hold them to account.

Social landlords are now also required by law to abide by the requirements of the Housing Ombudsman Service’s Complaint Handling Code, meaning they will have to respond to complaints effectively and within set timescales.

Minister for Social Housing Baroness Scott said: “Everyone deserves a decent home and to be treated with fairness and respect. That’s why we are taking strong action to improve the quality of social housing and the services landlords provide. If landlords fail their residents, there will be consequences.

“This is a significant milestone in our work to put right some of the issues laid bare by the devastating Grenfell Tower tragedy, and I have huge admiration for the bereaved families, survivors and community who have campaigned tirelessly for improvements in the sector.”

Fiona MacGregor, Chief Executive of the RSH, said: “We welcome the new powers, which will put our consumer regulation on an equal footing with our economic role.  We will hold landlords to account for delivering the outcomes of our new consumer standards and drive improvement across the social housing sector, for the benefit of tenants.“

Kwajo Tweneboa, Social Housing campaigner, said: “I hope this change in legislation will now mean a more proactive stance in scrutinising providers. For a long time Social Housing Providers have evaded accountability for providing substandard housing to many across the country.

“As someone who has experienced this first hand, I hope this change in regulation will be enforced with maximum effect and put an end to the misery so many are going through. The recognition that a safe and decent home is a necessity to the lives of us all and isn’t exclusive to those living outside of social housing should – I hope, mean a new era for many millions across the UK.”