Smart regulation is not a bureaucratic hurdle, it’s an enabler

At Housing 2025, I joined a panel with Fiona MacGregor, chief executive of the Regulator of Social Housing, and fellow sector leaders. It reaffirmed what many of us already believe: effective regulation is not a bureaucratic hurdle, it’s an enabler. Done well, it builds trust, ensures accountability and supports providers to deliver safe, decent homes and strong services. The new consumer standards regime – more proactive and collaborative, and ‘always on’ – is already adding value.

Having previously exercised regulatory powers as a local authority chief executive, and in that context having also worked with regulators including Ofsted and the Electoral Commission, I know that the most effective regulatory partnerships are built on clarity.

The Social Housing (Regulation) Act has moved us in the right direction. Tenant satisfaction measures, strengthened consumer standards with residents at the heart, and a shift away from periodic inspections to continuous oversight are all part of a more responsive regime.

Our own recent inspection at MTVH reflected this. The process was rigorous, transparent and rightly focused on how we serve residents. The feedback we received is already informing our new Customer Experience Strategic Plan and a wider programme of cultural transformation.

There will undoubtedly be an opportunity for collective reflection and learning from the early days of the new inspection regime, across providers and the regulator. Such a ‘test and learn’ approach would undoubtedly be helpful and add value.

There is also an opportunity for greater alignment across regulators. As a large G15 landlord, we have a significant portfolio of high-rise homes in London, some of which require cladding to be replaced and other fire safety-related works that are an absolute priority to ensure our residents our safe.

We are not alone in experiencing significant delays obtaining approval from the Building Safety Regulator (BSR), which has led to delays in the completion of remedial works, and prolonged inconvenience for our residents.

As the government shakes up the BSR and applies additional investment, there is a real opportunity for more integrated, cross-regulatory oversight, linking safety, quality and governance to create a more coherent regulatory ecosystem. 

“Regulation should not just hold providers to account for current performance, but support us to meet the demands of the future”

Finally, new supply must not be forgotten in the regulatory conversation. Regulation should not just hold providers to account for current performance, but support us to meet the demands of the future. The housing crisis cannot be solved without building new homes.

We welcome the government’s investment and share its sense of urgency, but regulation must also support the sector’s development role. That means recognising that financial viability, governance and service quality are all connected.

If regulation is to drive long-lasting change, it must enable providers to allocate capital to maintain existing stock and to build new homes for families currently in temporary accommodation or stuck on waiting lists. We have a duty to provide for future and current residents.

We need a regulatory regime that helps us answer the government’s call, where providers must be confident that the framework in which they operate supports innovation, long-term planning and joined-up delivery. 

I am excited about the next decade and see it as a once-in-a-generation opportunity. To seize it, regulation must keep pace with ambition. That means clarity, consistency and a shared commitment to delivery. 

Let’s make this a decade not just of compliance, but of confidence. Confidence in the sector to deliver, and in our shared mission to provide safe, warm and affordable homes for all. 

Mel Barrett, chief executive, MTVH