Historic Social Housing Legislation Officially Becomes Law with Royal Assent

Transformative reforms for social housing are now law as the government’s new Social Housing (Regulation) Act has officially received Royal Assent today (20 July 2023).

This legislation will propel significant changes in how poorly performing landlords are held accountable, placing tenant needs at the forefront of government reforms aimed at enhancing the quality of life for individuals residing in social housing throughout the nation.

Today’s pivotal act introduces the following groundbreaking modifications:

• enhanced powers for the Regulator of Social Housing to conduct regular inspections of the largest social housing providers, alongside the authority to impose unlimited fines on non-compliant social landlords
• expanded Housing Ombudsman powers to issue best practice guidance for landlords post-investigation of tenant complaints
• authority to impose strict timeframes for social landlords to remediate hazards such as dampness and mould
• new qualification criteria for social housing managers
• the introduction of stronger economic powers to trace inappropriate financial transactions beyond the sector

New enforcement capabilities will be established to address landlords who fail to take prompt action in resolving issues related to damp, cold, and unsafe housing.

In light of the tragic passing of Awaab Ishak, the government has also pledged to implement Awaab’s Law, mandating all landlords to rectify reported health and safety hazards within a designated timeframe.

This Act marks another crucial step in tackling systemic challenges identified after the Grenfell Tower disaster, focusing on not only the safety and quality of social housing, but also the treatment of tenants by their landlords.

Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Rt. Hon Michael Gove MP stated:

Today signifies a critical advancement towards rectifying past mistakes. Our landmark legislation will elevate standards in social housing and empower residents with a genuine voice.

The Social Housing Act aims to guarantee tenants the safe, warm, and adequate homes they rightfully deserve – and those who have long neglected their responsibilities will face consequences.

Awaab’s Law will compel social landlords to act promptly on hazardous damp and mould by enforcing new, strict deadlines for remediation.

I express my heartfelt gratitude to Awaab’s family for their courage, dignity, and leadership in advocating for change and securing these vital reforms.

In addition to the ability to impose unlimited fines, a more robust Regulator will possess greater authority to eliminate rogue social landlords, with the power to access properties with just 48 hours’ notice and perform emergency repairs when tenant safety is at risk.

The Act also revises the activities for which the Regulator can levy fees on landlords, guaranteeing that it has sufficient resources to fulfill its responsibilities.

We anticipate that future adjustments in fee structures will require all social housing providers—both private registered providers and local authority landlords—to contribute to regulatory costs. This will encompass new consumer standards and additional expenses such as investigations of failures.

The Regulator is set to release a consultation on new consumer standards to protect tenants, with the new regime expected to launch in April next year.

Fiona MacGregor, Chief Executive of the Regulator of Social Housing, remarked:

We are pleased with the passage of the Social Housing Regulation Act, which will empower tenants and enhance our ability to hold social landlords accountable.

Our immediate focus is to consult on the new consumer standards landlords must adhere to, and we encourage tenants, landlords, and other sector stakeholders to participate in this consultation next week.

We are preparing to initiate our new series of regulatory inspections starting next April, requiring landlords to prove they are delivering quality homes and services for tenants while complying with our governance and viability standards.

Gavin Smart, Chief Executive Officer of the Chartered Institute of Housing, expressed:

We are thrilled that the Social Housing (Regulation) Act has been enacted and congratulate everyone involved in its creation.

The Act will lay a crucial foundation for amplifying tenants’ voices, enhancing access to recourse, and heightening professionalism within the sector.

Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, stated:

We welcome the Social Housing Regulation Act and have cooperated closely with the government to support this legislation from its inception. It is vital to empower tenants and ensure rapid, fair access to resolutions. Housing associations are dedicated to implementing the Act and exhibiting transparency and accountability to their residents.

In conjunction with stronger regulation, housing associations are committed to collaborating with the government to tackle the acute shortage of social housing and contribute to a long-term strategy aimed at delivering the homes the country will need over the next decade.

Ytterligare information

The government remains engaged with the social housing sector, residents, and experts to address unsafe living conditions. The Act is enacting reforms outlined in the Social Housing White Paper.

Den Social Housing Resident Panel continues to play a vital role in shaping essential social housing policies, uniting residents from across England to share insights on improving quality and living conditions.

The Secretary of State has previously announced a £30 million funding initiative for social housing providers in Greater Manchester and West Midlands Combined Authorities to address damp and mould challenges.

Den Make Things Right campaign is designed to ensure that more social housing residents are aware of how to make a complaint, outlining the complaint process steps.

Den Four Million Homes programme offers complimentary information, guidance, and training to assist residents in working effectively with their landlords to maintain well-kept homes.

A review has recently been launched on the Decent Homes Standard, considering various measures to extend requirements to the private rented sector, providing an updated list of services and facilities for each property, and ensuring standards to combat damp and mould are strengthened.

New reforms will eliminate barriers preventing tenants from advocating for improved living conditions, enabling the Regulator to more effectively address poorly performing landlords.

In a significant shift in the power dynamic between tenants and landlords, residents will now have the right to request information about their landlords and assess their performance through new satisfaction metrics.

Further details on government reforms can be accessed on the Social Housing Quality page.