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Housing association breached regulator’s standards over multiple safety issues

A North West housing association has been criticised by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) for health and safety failings across several areas.

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Picture: Getty
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Housing association breached @RSHEngland standards over multiple safety issues #ukhousing

A North West housing association becomes the latest social landlord in trouble over health and safety issues #ukhousing

Cheshire Peaks & Plains Housing Trust, which manages around 5,000 homes, breached the RSH’s Home Standard, causing “the potential for serious detriment” to its tenants, a regulatory notice published this morning said.

It has buildings where actions from fire risk assessments have not been carried out and “hundreds” of homes where electrical safety checks have not been completed, the regulator found.

The association is also “unable to evidence” that it has done work relating to “a significant number” of actions following domestic asbestos surveys needed to remove risk to tenants.

And it has “a significant number of communal areas where it has been unable to evidence” that gas, electrical, asbestos and water safety checks are not required, the notice added.


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The RSH, which added Peaks & Plains to its grading under review list last month, is now considering how its findings will impact on the association’s governance grading.

The association currently has a regulatory grading of ‘G1 V1, indicating the highest possible rating for governance and financial viability.

The Home Standard requires social landlords to meet specific statutory requirements on gas, fire, asbestos and electrical safety, as well as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Peaks & Plains self-referred to the RSH after discovering potential health and safety failings.

It has also commissioned external support and put in extra resources to complete outstanding safety actions, address data weaknesses and minimise the risk of similar problems in future.

The RSH noted Peaks & Plains self-reported but said: “However, taking into account the seriousness of the issues identified, and the range of health and safety areas where failings were identified, the regulator has concluded that it is proportionate to find a breach of the Home Standard.”

No regulatory enforcement powers will be used on the association, as the RSH “has assurance that the breach of the standard is being remedied”.

Health and safety compliance “is important because of the potentially fatal consequences if tenants’ homes are unsafe”, the notice added.

Peaks & Plains becomes the latest in a series of social landlords to be censured by the RSH for health and safety failings since the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017.

John Hudson, chair of Peaks & Plains, said: “The RSH acknowledges we are working effectively to make improvements that will ensure compliance with the Home Standard.

“This follows our self-notification to the regulator, which was based on an independent report that we commissioned. This report outlined where we could improve our health and safety compliance. Of course, this is a hugely important area and our key focus.

“Since these issues first came to light we have been working hard on remedial works and how we record data. We will continue to work through our detailed action plans until we have successfully embedded new, safer ways of working.

“It is the board’s priority to complete this series of improvements as quickly, responsibly and as considerately as possible for the continued safety of all our customers and staff.”