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Exempt provider operating in Birmingham breaches regulator’s standards
An exempt accommodation provider has been found non-compliant with the English regulator’s Governance and Financial Viability Standard, partly over concerns around rent-setting and health and safety.
An exempt accommodation provider has been found non-compliant with the English regulator’s Governance and Financial Viability Standard, partly over concerns around rent-setting and health and safety #UKhousingEasy Housing Association, which is London-based but manages around 200 homes in Birmingham, has “underdeveloped and inadequate” governance arrangements, according to the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH).
The regulator discovered the governance issues after initially launching an investigation into one of Easy’s properties that is alleged by Birmingham City Council to have been established without the necessary planning permission, a regulatory notice published today said.
Birmingham has seen a growth in the exempt accommodation sector in recent years, and nationally issues have arisen about regulation and governance with a number of non-compliant providers.
Exempt accommodation is supported housing that is exempt from certain housing benefit provisions.
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In today’s regulatory judgement, the RSH said Easy’s board “failed to exercise adequate oversight of the organisation” and its directors do not receive “adequate reporting on performance and health and safety”.
It added: “We have seen limited assurance regarding the board having the right competencies, experience and technical knowledge appropriate to the size, scale and risk profile of the organisation, or that this is regularly assessed.”
The RSH said it also lacked assurance that “financial forecasts are based on appropriate and reasonable assumptions”.
On rents, the notice added: “Easy has not been able to provide the regulator with sufficient evidence to demonstrate how it complies with the Rent Standard, or how its stock meets the definition of social housing.”
The regulator said the landlord has acknowledged its failings and is “working positively” with the agency.
“Although work is in its early stages, there has been some initial progress against its improvement plans over recent months,” the notice added.
Harold Brown, senior assistant director for investigations and enforcement at the RSH, added: “Easy Housing Association and its new chair have started to address these issues, and we will monitor it closely as it works to return to compliance with our standards”.
Easy Housing Association has been contacted for comment.
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