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Welsh regulator ‘needs cash boost’ as fear of missed failings grows
Wales’ housing association regulator urgently needs extra resources, a report to the housing minister has warned.
The Regulatory Board for Wales (RBW), which scrutinises the work of the Welsh government’s housing regulation team, said whistleblowing is increasing because of a shortage in staff and funding.
And it expressed concerns that there are “too many specific instances of significant governance failings” requiring action from the regulator, with self-reporting of issues happening consistently across the sector.
Seven of the 39 regulated associations in Wales have below standard gradings for governance, which RBW described as “a concerning proportion” and “significantly higher than anticipated”.
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In its annual performance report published this week, RBW said the regulatory system in Wales “remains a robust, appropriate and modern model for the housing association sector” and that most landlords demonstrate effective governance, financial management and service delivery.
But it warned the regulator’s resources “are below the minimum level needed”, increasing the risk that governance failures at housing associations go unresolved.
“If further resource cannot be made available, it will be incumbent on the RBW to consider the options for potentially significantly reducing or stopping some of the current regulatory activity to reflect a more realistic limited range of functions,” the report added.
Elsewhere the report argued that the regulator should be made more independent from government, suggested that a fee-based model of regulation should be considered and expressed concern at the lack of performance standards for local authority housing.
And it said the currently regulatory framework does not go far enough to “put tenants at the heart of regulation”.
Helen White, chair of the RBW, said in the introduction to the report: “The regulatory board quite rightly wanted this report to do more than advise the minister on the retrospective performance of housing associations in Wales.
“That is why we have not shied away from highlighting some of the future challenges and debates needed to further strengthen existing regulatory arrangements and governance.”
A spokesperson for the Welsh government said: “We are encouraged that that the board believe that the regulatory model is working well.
“The report highlights a number of issues that stakeholders and the minister will wish to consider over the coming months.”
