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Government launches review of social housing staff training to improve tenant treatment
The government will launch a new wholesale review of training and qualifications for those working in social housing in a bid to drive up standards and ensure landlords are equipped to deal with tenant complaints.
Eddie Hughes, minister for homelessness and rough sleeping, today announced the Social Housing Professionalisation Review, which will explore the qualifications currently available for staff, and consider whether any additional training is needed to improve services to residents.
The review will make up a crucial part of the reforms to social housing that will be brought forward in the Social Housing Regulation Bill. The bill, which is expected in March, will bring forward many of the proposals set out in the Social Housing White Paper, published in November 2020.
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In the white paper, the government promised a review of all training and development for social housing staff, including management staff. It said that this would be informed by a working group made up of landlords, professional bodies and academics, which would explore the relevance of current standards.
The government has said that the working group will include representatives from the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), tenant engagement experts Tpas, Sanctuary Housing and North Star Housing Group.
It comes after surveys carried out by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities found that thousands of social housing residents felt that their landlords were failing to treat them with respect and courtesy.
This has also been supported by a deep-dive investigation by ITV News that has revealed examples of squalid conditions that social housing residents have been forced to live in – to which social landlords often take months to respond.
The latest English Housing Survey report shows that more than 59% of social housing residents who complained were not happy with the response to their complaint.
In addition to the review of training, the Social Housing White Paper set out a number of other proposals regarding social housing reforms, with the key one being the expansion of the Regulator of Social Housing to now regulate on consumer standards.
Late last year, the regulator published plans on regulating consumer standards. It is set to look at different indicators such as safety performance, engagement, transparency and accountability.
Mr Hughes said: “Too many social housing residents have told me they feel like they are not listened to or treated with respect – raising complaints time and time again only for the problems not to be fixed.
“This needs to stop. This review announced today will drive up the standard of services received by residents, making sure their concerns are taken seriously and they have somewhere safe to live.
Gavin Smart, chief executive of the CIH, said: “We are pleased to have the opportunity to take part in the review to help make sure that housing professionals have the right tools to deliver good-quality homes and services with people at the heart.”
Landlords, residents and other interested parties can contribute to the Social Housing Professionalisation Review by emailing Professionalisation.Review@communities.gov.uk
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