The Regulator of Social Housing has reported that service charge income for housing associations soared by 15.8% to £1.9 billion in the year to March 2024. Also in 2024, service charge disputes brought to the First Tier Tribunal concurred that tenants and residents had been overcharged in over 70% of cases. Taken together, these figures… Continue reading Tribunals Research Finds Overcharging in 70% of Cases as HA Service Charge Income Soars
By Suzanne Muna and Lindsay Bush There is a golden web at the top of the housing association sector. A club whose members are former colleagues and friends from other parts of the sector. The connections they share provide the pathways through which housing associations influence the institutions that fund, scrutinise, and regulate them. Parts… Continue reading The Golden Web
By SHAC with additional commentary by Carl Davis KIM in this context stands for knowledge and information management, and is the subject of a new Spotlight report by the Housing Ombudsman. The report is a combination of casework data and fresh, specially commissioned research. The report is well-evidenced and reaches 21 logical recommendations for social… Continue reading Housing Ombudsman on Good KIM
Over recent weeks Government has finally taken some action to improve housing associations and their performance. A few of the ideas were already in train, but others have been triggered by recent catastrophic events such as the coroner’s ruling on toddler Awaab Ishak's death. One such initiative comes directly from Michael Gove’s Department for Levelling… Continue reading A Flurry of Reaction
Take our poll! With new housing laws rogressing through Parliament, there has been a flurry of interest in what the Regulator of Social Housing, should be doing. As part of this drive, the Regulator is consulting on which tenant satisfaction measures it should require from social housing providers. The consultation is open to anyone, and… Continue reading Should the Regulator Regulate Service Charges?
In 2021, government began an inquiry into the regulation of social housing, covering both the Regulator of Social Housing and Housing Ombudsman. As part of the inquiry, the Committee issued a call for written evidence. SHAC was invited to respond. We submitted a written response and also gave evidence in person to the Inquiry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joKCP9PmFDI… Continue reading SHAC Gives Evidence on Social Housing Regulation
