“No Access”’ is the shorthand phrase a landlord traditionally records when a tenant doesn’t give permission or doesn’t respond to reasonable requests for entry to their home.  New research commissioned from the Housing Quality Network by ARCH with sector partners shows how the approach of council and ALMO landlords to difficult ‘no access’ cases is evolving in response to a wide range of factors and tightened legal duties, including those introduced by Awaab’s Law.

Opening the Door is the first-ever systematic analysis of ‘no access’ in the social rented sector and reveals the scale of the challenge, with 60 per cent of respondents considering ‘no access’ a growing concern. The research provides a snapshot of a sector undergoing a significant cultural shift. Rather than treating ‘no access’ as a single tenant behaviour, landlords are recognising the various ways that residents may not – or cannot – allow access. Of those who have analysed reasons for no access, over four in five cite tenant vulnerabilities, with more than half citing stigmatising issues such as hoarding. Around 40% identify landlord administrative issues.

Against a post-Grenfell regulatory landscape, landlords are re-designing the way they work: strengthening communication, improving data on households and properties, investing in resident-centred service design, and building trust at the earliest point of contact.  The research highlights that there is no consistent definition of ‘no access’ across the sector and no single explanation for its growth. However, the consequences are shared. Missed visits delay safety work, escalate costs, and can trigger legal action – particularly under the new timescales required by Awaab’s Law.

To meet these pressures, the report findings show that all social housing organisations should:

• Adopt a clear, published definition of ‘no access’ and standardise recording, including missed appointments vs. escalated cases, to support consistent decisions
• Invest in better data and systems on homes and households, linking stock condition, repairs, compliance, complaints, satisfaction and access data
• Use proactive, resident-led communication by co-producing policy wording, letters, communications and using accessible terminology
• Train staff to use professional curiosity and work in smaller, more manageable patches
• Streamline and coordinate visits to reduce disruption and support Awaab’s Law timeframes
• Implement effective and informed triage with staff able to assess risk at first contact and use photos/video where appropriate
• Provide specialist support for complex cases through liaison roles, multi-agency working, and clear escalation routes

To support this shift, the report also argues that government should:

• Publish clearer Awaab’s Law guidance, especially around definitions and hazard thresholds
• Develop a simpler, nationally recognised legal pathway for cases where access cannot be secured
• Align national guidance on vulnerability and resident support, helping landlords respond consistently where vulnerability is the key barrier to access.

Opening the Door is complemented by a second study, also conducted by HQN associate Janis Bright, Preparing for Awaab’s Law is an assessment of how councils and ALMOs have readied themselves for Phase 1 of Awaab’s Law, introduced in October 2025, and the pressures they anticipate as further phases come into force. This shows providers taking significant steps to strengthen their approach to managing repair cases and access, including system upgrades, staff training, revised processes and better safety governance. But concerns remain about future capacity and the ambiguity in the legislation.

Both studies were commissioned by ARCH in partnership with the Local Government Association, the National Federation of ALMOs and  the Councils with ALMOs group – and the sector’s professional body, the Chartered Institute of Housing.