Three landlords given C3 grade in latest round of judgements

Anchor has been placed on the regulator’s gradings under review list as it investigates “whether the landlord continues to meet the governance elements of the Governance and Financial Viability Standard”.

The provider of housing and care for older people currently has a G1/V1 rating for governance and financial viability.

The results of the investigation will be confirmed in a regulatory judgement once completed, the RSH said.

Anchor said it had self-referred to the regulator in December 2024 after finding a backlog of remedial works arising from electrical installation condition reports (EICRs) and incorrect data and delays to the remediation of some damp, mould and condensation cases.

The association said it had brought in new contractors to get through the EICR backlog and aims to clear it by the end of 2025. It has also set up weekly meetings of its senior management team to monitor progress.

Anchor said it is “thoroughly overhauling” its damp, mould and condensation policies with external consultants and has launched a new repairs platform.

Sarah Jones, chief executive of Anchor, said: “We are deeply sorry for what has happened and for the concern that it will raise for residents and their families.

“As a provider of older people’s housing, Anchor has a high in-person presence at our locations and resident safety is always at the forefront of our minds, but the process and support for frontline colleagues has let them and residents down.”

At Wandsworth Council, a planned inspection revealed there were almost 1,800 fire safety remedial actions overdue by more than 12 months. The RSH also found that 40% of homes and almost 80% of communal areas had not had an electrical safety test. 

Only 6.5% of its 17,000 homes had been surveyed in the past 10 years, the RSH said.

There were also “weaknesses in how tenants’ views are taken into account in decision-making”, with opportunities to get involved limited to those who were already members of a resident association.

Wandsworth Council said in a statement: “We want to reassure residents that we are taking swift and decisive action to make improvements in relation to building health and safety.”

Since the inspection, Wandsworth Council said three-quarters of communal areas and 70% of homes now have electrical safety checks completed. It plans to survey 20% of its homes each year for the next five years. 

It also said that none of the overdue fire safety remedial actions “were assessed to be serious, or place residents at risk, by an independent fire risk assessor”.

The RSH said the council now has a plan for completing these actions.

Aydin Dikerdem, cabinet member for housing at Wandsworth Council, said: “Since we took control of the council over two years ago, we have invested significant new resources into our housing management teams and reforming our tenant participation structures.

“While it is not what we hoped for, this report will help us in targeting where we need to improve and the areas of the new housing regulatory framework we need to adapt to.”

The RSH’s inspection of Central Bedfordshire Council found more than 1,800 overdue repairs orders and more than 300 outstanding fire safety actions. 

There was also “no tracking, monitoring or reporting of the number and age of damp and mould cases”, while tenants had “a limited range of opportunities” to scrutinise their landlord.

The council said it had self-referred to the regulator in November 2024 and was developing a housing regulatory improvement plan.

Steve Watkins, executive member for assets, business and housing at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: “We are treating these issues with the utmost seriousness and taking swift and decisive action to improve and will continue collaborating with the regulator and tenants until we meet their expectations.

“All tenants deserve to live in safe, high-quality and well-maintained homes, and we are fully committed to making the necessary improvements as quickly as possible.”

The RSH also graded eight other social landlords.

It gave a C1 rating to West Lancashire Borough Council and Westminster City Council, while Mansfield District Council and Waverley Borough Council received a C2 grade.

ForHousing was given a governance upgrade from G3 to G2 after the RSH found the association had “delivered an agreed improvement plan, including significant restructuring that involved removing an unregistered parent and disposal of its interest in another unregistered company that was part of the same parent group”.

Peabody and One Manchester retained their G1/V2 gradings, while Bolton at Home retained its G2/V2 gradings. 

Kate Dodsworth, chief of regulatory engagement at the RSH, said: “While our engagement is the most intensive with landlords that fail to meet the outcomes of our standards, even landlords that receive a C1 grading have room for improvement.

“Along with our consumer regulation, our scrutiny of governance and financial viability remains as important as ever.”

Other recent judgements include a C3 grade for Newcastle City Council and Nottingham City Council over a lack of stock condition surveys, overdue disrepair cases and poor repairs services.