Social Housing Regulation Bill- an update
1 January 2023
This article was first published on the Batchelor’s Solicitors website prior to its merger with Birketts.
The Social Housing Regulation Bill is continuing its progress through parliament, with a second reading in the House of Commons due in the next few days.
The Bill, which was originally introduced in the House of Lords in June this year, seeks to deliver the proposals set out in the Government’s Social Housing White Paper.
It is due to receive its second reading in the House of Commons on 7 November – which will give MPS their first opportunity to debate the main principles of the Bill. It is then expected to progress swiftly through parliament, although it is subject to amendments at the committee and report stages.
Amongst the planned measures is a recommendation to provide tenants with improved rights when raising complaints with their landlord, including swifter redress when issues are flagged.
The Bill also proposes to give the Regulator for Social Housing greater powers to act where a provider is failing in its duties to tenants.
The measures announced under the Bill include:
- Enabling the regulator to intervene where landlords are performing poorly on consumer issues
- Taking action against the provider where the Regulator believes a home does not meet decency standards
- Giving the Regulatory powers to inspect landlords and order emergency repairs to ensure tenants have a good standard of accommodation
- Introducing a new set of Tenant Satisfaction Measures to give tenants greater insight into their landlord’s performance
- Giving tenants access to information relating to the management of social housing
- Including safety within the Regulator’s remit which would require registered providers to appoint a health and safety lead
- Requiring the Housing Ombudsman and the Regulator to work more closely to deliver better protection for tenants
The full implications of the amendments set out above will only be clear when they are consulted on by the Regulator.
For more information on the specialist legal support we are able to offer the social housing sector, please get in touch with us.
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The content of this article is for general information only. It is not, and should not be taken as, legal advice. If you require any further information in relation to this article please contact the author in the first instance. Law covered as at January 2023.