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Service delivery stable as social landlords work through backlogs, RSH COVID-19 survey finds

The delivery of services by social landlords is stable and most have started addressing backlogs of non-essential repairs, a recent survey by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has found.

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Regulator of Social Housing chief executive Fiona MacGregor at the Housing 2019 conference (picture: Guzelian)
Regulator of Social Housing chief executive Fiona MacGregor at the Housing 2019 conference (picture: Guzelian)
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The delivery of services by social landlords is stable and the majority have started work towards addressing backlogs for non-essential repairs, a recent survey by the Regulator of Social Housing has found #UKhousing

A number of landlords reported that they are preparing for a potential second wave or for future local lockdowns #UKhousing

In its fourth monthly coronavirus survey, the RSH found that the majority of social landlords expect to catch up on all non-essential repairs work by the end of the year, with some predicting that their backlog will be cleared by as early as September.

It also found that a higher percentage of landlords said they had completed all emergency repairs, gas compliance checks and fire safety checks at the end of July compared to the month previous.

This is in part because of a sharp fall in the number of tenants refusing access to their properties, the RSH said, but it added that some providers continue to report challenges in accessing properties.

A similar survey by HouseMark previously found that 70% of social housing providers across the UK had plans to return to a full repairs service by August.


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The vast majority of landlords said they are maintaining safe staffing levels and essential service delivery, however roughly a quarter reported that they are feeling some pressure in this area.

A number of landlords reported that they are preparing for a potential second wave or for future local lockdowns, for example by sourcing personal protective equipment or carrying out health and safety checks earlier than scheduled.

The RSH said it was unable to provide any specific figures from the survey.

All registered providers with 1,000 or more homes, as well as smaller landlords with a high proportion of supported accommodation, have been asked to complete the survey, which had a 98% response rate.

Last month’s report warned that social landlords may face staffing pressures later in the year as a result of workers cancelling leave and working longer hours to cover absences.

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