A new report from the Regulator of Social Housing emphasises the importance of social landlords understanding the condition of tenants’ homes.

Regulatory standards require landlords to have a strong understanding of stock condition. Through its regulatory activity, including inspections, RSH has found that landlords who demonstrated a stronger approach had some or all of the following features:

• Having up to date stock condition survey coverage of their homes, which they use to respond quickly to rectify hazards and Decent Homes Standard failures.
• Using stock condition data to build a strategic approach to investment and provide better value for money, by proactively addressing potential issues through planned major repairs, rather than fixing issues responsively.
• Demonstrating effective data management processes, by triangulating data from a range of sources to inform long-term financial planning and stress test business plans.
• Having effective governance processes and oversight, with clear reporting to boards or councillors.
• Using suitably skilled and accredited surveyors to carry out the work.

Almost all the C3 and C4 judgements that RSH has published since April 2024 related at least in part to the landlord failing to meet the Safety and Quality standard. In nearly three quarters of these cases, the issues included low stock condition survey coverage or a failure to demonstrate an understanding of tenants’ homes.

This finding is borne out by the latest batch of regulatory judgements issued on 30 July, after the report was published.