Tower Hamlets Council's Housing Management Service is facing serious failings according to a recent report by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH). The RSH concluded there were 'serious failings' specifically related to the Safety and Quality Standard. The findings, presented at a Housing & Regeneration Scrutiny Sub Committee meeting on Tuesday, 15 July 2025, highlight significant improvements needed in delivering consumer standards. The report also notes areas of weakness across the other Consumer Standards, including Neighbourhood & Community Standard (monitoring and reporting around ASB management) and Transparency Influence & Accountability Standard (weaknesses in consistency of services received, particularly around call abandonment rates and missed repair appointments).

The RSH's judgement followed a self-referral by the council after it identified gaps in meeting the required regulatory standard. Darren Reynolds, Head of Regulatory Assurance, stated that the inspection has been a positive experience that brought services together and given us a clear path for improvement.

The council is engaged with the regulator via monthly provider improvement meetings, a process in place for any registered provider that doesn't get a C1 grading. The timeline for improvement will depend on the progress of the council's improvement plan. Inspections occur in 4-year cycles, but the council does not want to wait 4 years for regulatory engagement to cease.

Key Areas of Weakness

The RSH report identified specific weaknesses across other Consumer Standards, including:

  • Neighbourhood & Community Standard: Monitoring and reporting around ASB management.
  • Transparency Influence & Accountability Standard: Inconsistencies in services, notably call abandonment rates and missed repair appointments. The council is working on a recovery plan for the housing call centre, with positive improvements already being seen. An external consultancy called ARC has come in and supported the council, and they're developing and implementing some of those positive changes in terms of how they manage and overview performance and more broadly around being alert and aware of residents' concerns.

Improvement Plan: Your Voice, Our Action

To address these failings, the council has initiated a comprehensive improvement programme called Your Voice, Our Action. This plan encompasses:

  • Governance, Asset Management, Data, Complaints, Rents, Repairs (Damp & Mould)
  • Development of over 20 policies, including those for Vulnerable Residents, Compliance, and Damp & Mould.
  • Large-scale Resident Engagement. The council plans to improve how they evidence that resident's views are taken into account in the consultation processes and improve the provision of performance information and make it more accessible to residents. Gulam Hussain mentioned that the council is undertaking a series of community engagement events across the borough this summer, including a big door knock where officers will actively seek residents' views on policy service and issues that matter to them.
  • Improved Processes