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Regulator undertakes 77 investigations into breaches of tenants’ rights

The social housing watchdog undertook 77 investigations into tenant-related issues in 2017/18, as it repeats a reminder to associations of the importance it places on health and safety issues.

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The social housing regulator carried out 77 investigations into breaches of tenants' rights in 2017/18 #ukhousing

Figures published today in the Regulator of Social Housing’s consumer regulation review for 2017/18 show it received 534 consumer referrals in the financial year, 204 of which were considered by its consumer regulation panel and 77 investigated.

It found breaches of the consumer standard in just five instances.


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These numbers are broadly consistent with the previous year, when it received 532 referrals, considered 217 and investigated 105, resulting in one breach.

Referrals are only considered if the regulator deems the issues raised within its remit and considers there may have been a breach.

The panel then considers whether the issues are true and whether there has been a risk of serious harm to tenants. An investigation is only carried out if this is satisfied.

The regulator said it believed the dip in the proportion of investigations – from 21% to 14% of referrals – was “attributable to the increase in self-referrals from registered providers and associated improvements in the quality of information provided to the regulator from registered providers, which meant that further investigations were not required”.

 

Consumer regulation is currently in the spotlight, following suggestions after the Grenfell Tower fire that tenants were not listened to enough and lacked an outlet for complaints against their landlord.

The Social Housing Green Paper, due this month, is widely expected to beef up the regulator’s powers with regard to tenant complaints.

These were radically stripped back in 2010 when the coalition government axed the Tenant Services Authority.

In its introduction to the report, the regulator said: “As with last year’s report, we acknowledge that the messages will be read within the context of the terrible fire at Grenfell Tower.

“Complying with health and safety obligations remains the most fundamental responsibility for governing bodies of registered providers (boards and councillors). It is essential that registered providers are able to demonstrate that they are meeting their health and safety obligations, and that tenants are not at risk in their homes.”

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