Sutton Council is set to review its social housing provision following a recent inspection by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH). The Housing, Economy and Business Committee addressed the inspection's findings and discussed strategies for improvement at their meeting on 25 November 2025.
The RSH awarded Sutton Council a C1 rating, the highest possible judgement for compliance with housing consumer standards. The council received positive feedback across all of the consumer standards from the RSH1. According to Lynna Rosler, this achievement places Sutton Council among a small number of local authorities nationally to reach this standard.
The outcome also validates the Council's strategic direction, and it also strengthens our partnership and our relationship with Sutton Housing Partnerships,
said Ms. Rosler. The council works in partnership with Sutton Housing Partnership (SHP).
While the C1 rating signifies a high level of compliance, the council acknowledged areas needing improvement. Inspectors identified 'gaps' between the ideal and Sutton Council's current social housing provision. Specific gaps include strengthening responses to antisocial behaviour, increasing customer satisfaction (especially around complaints), and improving repairs handling, with a focus on remedial works around fire safety.
Work is already underway to address these issues. Specific improvements have already been made in repairs response times and satisfaction with the outcomes of casework tackling antisocial behaviour.
Steve Tucker addressed the committee, stating, We're also clear that it's not saying we're an organisation that gets everything right, because there were many points that the inspectors came across where they said, you know, there's a gap here between what we would ideally see, what's your plan for dealing with it?
Mr. Tucker added that the council was able to show the inspectors plans for dealing with those gaps. He noted that the inspectors would be returning in three or four years to check on the progress of these improvements. The RSH will be looking to see if the plans Sutton Council presented to address the identified gaps have been implemented and if improvements have been made. Councillor Alvarez noted that this follow-up inspection would ensure the council is true to [their] word.
Councillor David Hicks praised Mr. Tucker for his work with Sutton Housing Partnership (SHP), stating, Mr Tucker has at least got the organisation to be responsive to its tenants, its leaseholders, and to respond to issues.
Councillor Ruth Dombey noted that she had been contacted by councillors from other parts of London asking how Sutton had managed to achieve the C1 rating. She suggested that Sutton should share its good practices with other councils through London Councils and the Local Government Association (LGA). The specific good practices to be shared were not detailed in the meeting transcript.
Councillor Wendy Clark expressed concern that councillors only receive feedback when something goes wrong and suggested a plan to publish positive outcomes online.
1 The consumer standards assessed by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) are detailed in the RSH Consumer Standards document. https://moderngov.sutton.gov.uk/documents/s93647/8a.%20RSH%20Consumer%20Standards%20A%20_%20Housing%20Economy%20and%20Business%20Committee%2020251125.pdf
