An inspector calls
Over the past 18 months a new warning has echoed through the offices of more than 50 English social landlords: ‘The inspectors are here, the inspectors are here’.
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Okay, so scenes of panic might be an exaggeration, but the arrival of Audit Commission inspectors with only five days’ notice is certainly not.
The advent of ‘short notice inspections’ is arguably the most important change the Audit Commission had made since it assumed responsibility for inspecting all social landlords seven years ago. Here’s why.
At the most basic level it allows for a much more realistic picture of the services tenants receive - no smell of fresh paint here. Although housing officers may grumble at the ‘surprise’ nature of the inspections, the results we report on as part of our south east special this week show housing associations that have been through the process have generally fared well. As chief housing inspector Roy Irwin points out, this is reassuring since SNIs are aimed at services seen as possible problem areas.
There are, of course, drawbacks to SNIs. They have less scope than the traditional full inspections, lasting three as opposed to 10 days. Does this snapshot provide a fair reflection of a service? Questions have also been raised about the approach’s relevance to large landlords whose services often operate nationwide. Does a poor gas service in, say, Bournemouth mean the same service is poor in Bromley?
These are challenges which the Tenant Services Authority and the Audit Commission must address when they consult on their ‘fundamental review’ of social housing inspection in March. Social landlords will also hope the pair can clear up current confusion over whether the Commission’s ‘key lines of enquiry’ will be relevant in this brave new world. In addition there is nagging doubt over whether these former rivals can bury the hatchet and prove to the new government their changes are worth implementing in October as planned.
The TSA has stated that, from 1 April when it assumes responsibility for regulating all social landlords, it will target its resources on the poorest performers.
If SNIs are the first step towards greater independence for excellent landlords they should be embraced.