Change is coming and it’s bound to bring challenges for the sector. But it’s also a chance to make things better for tenants
Professionals who go into social housing do so to make a difference and improve lives, so none of us likes to hear about things going wrong for tenants.
But we’re also aware that the UK’s social housing stock has more than its share of issues. And coupled with this are the barriers tenants can face when trying to stand up for their rights.
In fact, when the government quizzed more than 200 tenants on its social housing resident panel, 65 per cent said their experience of making a complaint to their landlord was below par. They cited things like the time taken, poor communication, lack of respect and the complexity of the process.
And while respondents to the English Housing Survey 2020-21 were overwhelmingly satisfied with repairs to and maintenance of their accommodation, it also found that 27 per cent of those with a complaint chose not to pursue it because they didn’t believe that their landlord would help them.
But the dial may now be shifting. While many tenants are already well versed on how to ensure their rights are upheld, those who are in the dark have been targeted in a bid to demystify the process for them.
Make Things Right
Since the start of March, a campaign backed by the UK government has been encouraging social tenants to speak up if they feel their housing isn’t meeting standards they should reasonably expect, or if their landlord isn’t meeting their responsibilities.
The campaign is called Make Things Right and has been run across radio, social media and Spotify, winding up at the end of this month (April). It has been encouraging tenants to contact their landlord in the first instance with their complaint.
But it also highlights to tenants that it’s now easier for them to take their grievance directly to the Housing Ombudsman if they’re unhappy with how their landlord responds. Since October 2022, tenants no longer have to speak to a councillor or their MP, and the eight-week wait after completing the landlord’s process has now been axed.
Housing Secretary Michael Gove said the campaign would make sure tenants know their rights and give them the confidence to take action.
Awaab’s Law
It’s just one of a raft of recent moves to offer more protections to social tenants. After the tragic case of Awaab Ishak, the Rochdale two-year-old whose death from a respiratory condition was attributed to extensive mould in the one-bedroom flat he shared with his parents, landlords face strict time limits for dealing with mould in their properties.
Awaab’s Law is set to be part of the new Social Housing (Regulation) Bill making its way through parliament. The bill is aimed at driving up standards in the sector across England and Wales, and it’s expected there will be a consultation later this year to determine the timeframes within which landlords must act.
The rules will then be baked into tenancy agreements so tenants can be absolutely clear about their rights.
Another part of the Bill will ensure managers in the sector have professional qualifications – equivalent to a Level 4 or 5 certificate or diploma, or a foundation degree from the Chartered Institute of Housing. It’s hoped this requirement will ensure that tenants receive a better service from their landlord.
The bill has enjoyed cross-party support and all the government’s amendments have been passed (including ‘Awaab’s Law’).
Other amendments include new powers for the Housing Ombudsman to get landlords to self-assess during complaint processes.
And the Social Housing Regulator will also have new powers to ensure tenants are informed and know how to complain to their landlords.
But while the proposals have been broadly welcomed, it’s not lost on those in the sector that they’re coming at a time when budgets are squeezed and staff are under pressure to do more with less.
And housing shortages will continue to be a problem across the country, with no quick and easy fix on the horizon.
Nonetheless, the National Housing Federation has welcomed the changes proposed in the bill, which as it sees it will give tenants more agency and quicker access to redress if things go wrong.
“Some of these proposals will have significant implications for the sector and we are aware that members will be keen to know [more] to ensure housing associations can deliver meaningful change for residents.
“We also support the goal of ensuring everyone who works in social housing has the skills and experience to deliver the best possible service to residents. The vast majority of housing staff across the country work incredibly hard to deliver a good service to their residents.
“All social housing should feel like a home for those who live there, a place for people to feel comfortable, to live well and thrive.”
Image: Mike B/Pexels
