Brent Council Faces Regulator Scrutiny Over Housing Compliance

Brent Council Under Scrutiny After Housing Compliance Failings

Brent Council is facing increased scrutiny from the Regulator of Social Housing after a self-referral in April 2025 revealed significant issues with housing compliance data. The council's self-referral, detailed in the Response to Housing regulator findings and Brent graded at C3 document¹, followed an incorrect update to its compliance software, True Compliance, which falsely indicated that up to 12,500 fire safety actions had been completed without proper supporting evidence. These actions included fire risk assessments and essential safety upgrades. The council also reported an inability to reconcile performance data related to asbestos management, water safety, and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. These failings potentially put residents at increased risk of harm from fire, asbestos exposure, water contamination, and carbon monoxide poisoning.

As a result of these failings, the Regulator of Social Housing has graded Brent Council at C3, indicating that serious failings have been identified and significant improvements are required. Failure to comply with the regulator's requirements could lead to customer dissatisfaction, a requirement to submit a Performance Improvement Plan, enforcement notices, fines, or a cessation of grant funding for housing developments.

The Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee met on 19 November 2025 to discuss the council's response to the regulator's findings and the progress of the Housing Improvement Board.

Forensic Audit Reveals Systemic Issues

An independent forensic audit, conducted by Caldiston Ltd in August 2025, confirmed the council's concerns, revealing systemic issues in data management, governance, and policy implementation. Key recommendations from the audit include:

• Developing a comprehensive compliance framework
• Resolving data integrity issues
• Closing overdue fire risk assessment actions
• Establishing central registers for smoke and CO detectors
• Providing staff training on compliance processes
• Implementing dashboards for real-time KPI monitoring and aligning the Strategic Risk Register with actual risks.

The audit concluded that the housing management service had inadequate assurance in relation to managing building safety and compliance.

Ongoing Improvement Work

In response to the regulator's concerns and the findings of the forensic audit, Brent Council has initiated a Housing Management Service Improvement Plan. Actions include:

• Finalising and embedding the re-organisation of the housing management service
• Working with HR colleagues to develop and roll out a comprehensive recruitment campaign for the re-organisation
• Handing over the management of the estate caretaking team to the Public Realm Directorate and embed an effective Service Level Agreement (SLA)
• Developing an induction programme for all new starters which includes vision, values and expectations from senior management
• Refreshing the training staff programme to ensure it aligns with priorities, gaps in knowledge/skills and can respond to emerging training needs
• Centralising all professional memberships held by the service and ensure membership benefits are being effectively utilised
• Finalising the Engagement strategy and work with the Partnerships and Engagement Service to deliver an annual programme of engagement activities
• Reviewing all housing management website pages, ensuring key information and policies are accessible
• Developing a communication plan for the service which includes an approach to regularly sharing performance information (TSM results, complaints analysis etc.)
• Ensuring tenants and leaseholders living in 'high-risk' blocks (7 storeys or more / over 18m high) have access to building safety information unique to their block, have opportunities to provide challenge and know how to report issues
• Establishing a process for more detailed complaints analysis, incorporating tenant and leaseholder reviews of complaint responses and learning from Housing Ombudsman decisions and wider publications
• Reprocuring the repairs and maintenance contract, ensuring tenant and leaseholders have been involved in the process
• Fully embedding True Compliance system, ensuring accurate, reliable and up to date data and reporting is available across all compliance streams
• Developing and embedding an emergency response process for the housing management service
• Developing a clear and robust approach to managing anti-social behaviour (ASB)
• Carrying out a detailed self assessment against the consumer standards, identifying gaps and actions to address them
• Building organisational awareness of social housing regulation and its implications for key stakeholders
• Developing an agreed approach and rolling programme for policy reviews moving forward
• Developing an approach to case auditing across core housing management functions, identifying good and bad practice, training needs, process or system issues etc.
• Implementing a 'grow your own' approach to tackle hard to recruit roles and support career development for existing staff
• Reviewing all SLA's in place across the housing management service and embed a consistent approach to managing them
• Introducing an additional team to Property Services who can deliver quick, responsive service against priority work e.g. damp and mould
• Developing process guidance for core functions of the housing management service
• Using the Tenant Satisfaction Measures² (TSM) results to inform targeted improvements to housing management services and engage with tenants on how this can be best achieved
• Ensuring the service meets the new Decent Homes requirements once published by central government
• Embedding a rolling programme of estate walkabouts so issues on estates can be picked up and tenants have an opportunity to engage with the service in their local area
• Embedding a programme of tenancy audits across all patches
• Working with tenants and leaseholders to review the digital offer when it comes to reporting repairs
• Reviewing and improving opportunities for tenants and leaseholders to communicate with and hear from the service regarding ongoing cases
• Developing a 'tone of voice' guidance document which provides advice on consistency in communication and language style expectations across all written interactions
• Developing a vulnerability / reasonable adjustment policy in line with Housing Ombudsman spotlight report recommendations
• Reviewing core IT system in place across the housing management service to ensure it is fit for purpose
• Developing an effective performance management framework across all core functions
• Embedding structured and consistent approach to horizon scanning which includes keeping ahead of Housing Ombudsman publications and ensuring learning is being taken and improvements to services embedded where identified
• Ensuring all relevant directors, heads of service and managers have achieved (or are working towards) the qualifications like to be required under the new Competency and Conduct Standard
• Developing a clear and robust approach to tenancy sustainment across the service
• Expanding and embedding the QA resource and remit across housing management
• Achieving the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) accreditation

Senior housing management managers are meeting monthly with the Regulator of Social Housing and have developed a good working relationship with them. The regulator is reportedly happy with the pace at which Housing Management is working to recover their position.

The new repairs and maintenance contract, using a multi-contractor approach, is scheduled to go live in 2025. Tenant and leaseholder involvement was ensured through an online session, a targeted workshop, a programme of summer 'roadshows', and tenant and leaseholder involvement in scoring the bids provided by potential contractors.

To ensure tenants and leaseholders in 'high-risk' blocks have access to building safety information and can effectively report issues, the service has launched a programme of Building Safety Engagement Meetings. These meetings include updates on building safety surveys and checks, health and safety reminders, and an opportunity for residents to raise issues or questions.

Resident Engagement

Effective communication and engagement with residents and key stakeholders is central to the overall recovery plan. A multi-channel engagement strategy has been developed in partnership with the council's Communications Team, prioritizing transparency, trust, and keeping all key parties informed of progress and upcoming changes. Activities include a special print edition of The Noticeboard, an e-newsletter with a video message from Cllr Donnelly-Jackson, and updates to the council website. In addition to these communication activities, the council is also using estate inspections and estate walkabouts to engage directly with residents. Area Tenancy Managers use estate walkabouts to engage directly with residents from their patch.

The Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee will continue to monitor the council's progress in addressing these issues and ensuring the safety and well-being of its tenants.