Agenda item

This report seeks to update Committee on actions to ensure regulatory compliance of the Council’s social housing landlord function following the non-compliance notice issued by the Regulator of Social Housing.

The Cabinet Member of Housing and Property introduced the report around landlord health and safety issues. It was confirmed that the Chief Executive, Director and Assistant Director of Housing, Cabinet Member and the Leader of the Council had continued to hold regular meetings.

A further ‘All Member’s Briefing’ for housing was due to be arranged to ensure all Member’s were updated with key areas: Housing Revenue Account Business Plan, Progress on Digital Housing Management System and collective communication with Member’s with housing enquiries service.

The report outlined changes within the performance and measures on moving them to high compliance percentages. The Council continued to work with tenants, and occasionally tenants do not cooperate in relation to gas and electrical inspections in their homes.

The Head of Housing Services was due to provide a working list for each Member of the Council to see if they can assist by communicating with tenants that are not allowing the Council’s representatives to enter their homes. 

The Assistant Director of Housing provided the Committee with the compliance figures as of the end of October:

·       Legionella performance was still at 100%.

·       Gas compliance had slightly improved to 99.66%, with 16 properties being non-compliant.

·       Electrical safety had increased to 86.68% compliance.

·       Asbestos, fire risk assessments and lifts all remained at 100% compliance. 

The Assistant Director of Housing confirmed that the team were in the process of scoping an external audit to be undertaken on the Council to verify the position to report to the Regulator of Social Housing. This should hopefully then result in a sign off from the regulatory notice.

One Member raised a query in relation to properties where warrants had previously been issued and whether the warrants had now been executed.

It was confirmed that the 17 warrants that were listed for court in August 2022 had not been called into court on that date, they were therefore carried forward. Access was gained through tenant engagement on the Council’s behalf. The Council continued to go through the court warrant system regarding gas compliance.

The Assistant Director of Housing highlighted that there were 16 warrants outstanding at the end of August 2022. Therefore, 4613 gas safety checks had been completed in the last 12 months.

It was queried as to whether there had been sight of the Health Safety Executive (HSE) reports following safety breaches at Riverside, Grantham.

The Assistant Director of Housing noted that the Council had been in constant communication with the HSE and had not yet received the reports in question. The Council escalated this within the HSE, assurance had been provided by HSE that they would be in communication by the end of October 2022.

The Chief Executive and the Leader of the Council had jointly written to the HSE to express the Council’s concern as to why the reports had not been received. An acknowledgement from the HSE was received in October 2022, including that contact would be made by the end of October 2022.

A query was raised on the expected timescale for the Council to be signed off from the Regulator of Social Housing.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Property confirmed that the Director of Housing and Property was working on the procurement for the final external audit.  Once completed, the Regulator of Social Housing would receive and review the audit and should sign the Council off from Regulator of Social Housing.

Members compared compliance special measures figures to current compliance figures and congratulated the team on their hard work.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Property stated that Officers had already tried to knock on doors of non-compliant tenants regarding gas and electrical. It was highlighted that non-compliant tenants may trust their Ward Members.

The Chairman suggested posting a ‘calling card’ with the Ward Members details for non-compliant tenants who were not present at their property.

One Member suggested whether Ward Members could receive notifications of non-compliant tenants in their Ward.

It was confirmed that members of the Working Party had designated areas of the District and would focus on their non-compliant tenants. 

One Member requested a written update on the outcome of the Housing Working Group meeting that took place on 5 October 2022.

The Cabinet Member of Housing and Property highlighted that the Working Group assisted with streamlining communication with tenants on a one-to-one basis.

A mechanism was discussed where individual housing enquiry outcomes would be forwarded onto all relevant Officers and Members to avoid duplication of issues raised.

The Workgroup Group had considered:

·       Member contact and challenging customers

·       Member enquiries and complaints

·       Compliance Update

·       Voids and turnaround times

·       Digital Housing Management System

·       ‘Big Listen’ Update

·       Earlesfield project

It was clarified that the Working Group would establish a visiting slot for other Members to attend and highlight any issues.

The Cabinet Member for Housing and Property invited Councillor Ashley Baxter to the next Working Group meeting.

ACTION: For the Working Group update to be included within the Housing Regulatory Compliance Update agenda item at future Rural & Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee. 

Further clarification was sought around the timeframe that the Council would become out of special measures with the Social Housing Regulator.

The Assistant Director of Housing confirmed that the Audit would be commenced in November 2022, with the report to be received by late November 2022. It was estimated that the report would be supplied to the Social Housing Regulator in December 2022. The timeframe would depend on the time it takes the Regulator to sign off the regulatory notice however, the Council’s goal was January 2023.

That Committee:

 1. That the Committee notes the latest compliance position following the ongoing meetings with the Regulator of Social Housing.

2. That the Committee receives a further update report at its next scheduled meeting.