Tower Hamlets Council has approved a new five-year Housing Asset Management Strategy, committing £609 million to maintain, invest in, and future-proof its housing stock.

The strategy, which covers the period 2026-2031, aims to ensure homes are safe, warm, and well-maintained, while meeting Decent Homes, Building Safety, and Net Zero commitments. The significant investment will be directed towards essential repairs, fire safety improvements, and upgrades such as new kitchens and bathrooms. This plan is a key part of the council's regulatory improvement plan, following extensive consultation with leaseholders and tenants.

Illustration depicting housing management strategy, including financial investment, risk assessment, and property management.
Illustration depicting housing management strategy, including financial investment, risk assessment, and property management.

Key priorities outlined in the strategy include addressing damp and mould, enhancing building safety, and improving energy efficiency. The plan also commits to increasing the supply of family-sized accommodation and reviewing the use of community assets.

Measuring Success and Key Performance Indicators

The success of the £609 million investment will be measured through a range of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). These include the growth in the proportion of stock meeting resident priorities and needs (specifically 3+ bedroom properties), growth in new social housing, and resident satisfaction. Decent Homes and Building and Fire Safety compliance will also be tracked, alongside the completion of damp and mould actions within timescales aligned with Awaab's Law. Furthermore, the strategy will monitor the percentage of stock with up-to-date stock condition survey data, the percentage of the capital plan delivered, and the percentage of properties reaching EPC-C. Capital investment contributing to Net Zero Carbon (NZC) goals, the securing of NZC funding, overall growth in Net Present Value (NPV) across the portfolio, and the number of options appraisals conducted for poorest-performing properties will also be key metrics. These KPIs will be reported regularly to senior leadership and the Housing Cabinet Sub-Committee.

Addressing Damp, Mould, and Repairs

The strategy prioritises 'Damp, Mould, Building Safety, and Repairs' as a key area. Specific actions include allocating and recruiting additional staffing resources to facilitate proactive, timely, and accurate diagnoses and treatment of damp and mould. The response to damp and mould is aligned with Awaab's Law, which mandates that the council respond to a report and complete any remedial works within a reasonable timescale aligned with Awaab's Law based on the severity, urgency, and complexity of the remediation required. To improve the repair process, the council will improve our digital offer by putting systems in place to make it easier for residents to arrange repairs. The strategy also commits to investing £609 million to ensure 100% of properties meet the Government's Decent Homes Standard by 2030.

A worker uses a drain snake to clear a blockage in a toilet, with a bucket and plunger nearby.
A worker uses a drain snake to clear a blockage in a toilet, with a bucket and plunger nearby.

Decent Homes and Building Safety Standards

The council is committed to meeting the Government's Decent Homes Standard, with a target to achieve 100% compliance across all properties by 2030. For Building Safety, the strategy aims to have building safety cases and related action plans in place for all high-risk buildings by June 2026, and develop our approach to buildings above 11m. Compliance will be verified through monthly monitoring of health and safety compliance checks, regular engagement with the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH), internal audits of governance effectiveness, and regular reporting against KPIs.

Mitigating Key Risks

During the Housing Management (Cabinet) Sub-Committee meeting on Friday, March 27, 2026, councillors reviewed the strategic risk register for the Housing Management service, which identified seven key risks. Actions are in place to mitigate these. Three risks – maintaining a resident-focussed culture, business performance, and economic uncertainty – have seen their scores reduced. The highest remaining risks are stock condition, data quality, and response to major incidents.

To mitigate the risk of poor stock condition, a stock condition survey programme is underway, targeting 100% up-to-date surveys by December 2026. This will inform targeted improvements, supported by a proposed procurement strategy for term contracts. To address data quality concerns, progress is being made on consolidating processes within the NEC system, and lessons are being learned from service ICT and digital disruption. A Data Management Strategy for housing management services has been agreed and is being implemented, covering data security, cleansing, and data integrity.

For the response to major incidents, the division has an established out-of-hours service supported by an on-call rota for senior managers and technical/housing staff. This function is integrated with the council's wider Civil Contingencies function and the CCTV room, with clear escalation policies in place for large-scale emergencies.

A risk matrix illustrating the likelihood and impact of various housing management strategic risks, with identified risks categorized by color-coded severity.
A risk matrix illustrating the likelihood and impact of various housing management strategic risks, with identified risks categorized by color-coded severity.

Community Asset Review

The strategy commits to reviewing the use of community assets to ensure they are well used and meet need. The council owns and manages approximately 55 community buildings, with the approach to managing these properties detailed in the 'Strategic Asset Management Plan 2024-2029'. The specific potential outcomes of this review are not explicitly detailed beyond ensuring optimal use and alignment with community needs.

Ongoing Resident Involvement

To ensure continued involvement of leaseholders and tenants beyond the initial consultation, the council will draw up a resident engagement plan for different aspects of the asset management service. This is supported by a new Tenant and Leaseholder Engagement Strategy offering various opportunities for residents to influence decision-making and hold the council accountable. This includes the established tenant committee, Tenants' Voice, which scrutinises performance and helps shape service design. Residents will see more reporting on how their feedback has been acted upon. The council will also use quarterly complaints reports to learn lessons and improve asset management services in partnership with the Tenants' Voice resident scrutiny panel. Efforts will be made to make stock condition surveys more accessible to residents and TRAs, and to develop more innovative and accessible resident engagement solutions to increase participation.

A diverse group of people collaborate around a table, reviewing documents and using laptops, illustrating a council meeting discussing housing management strategies and policies.
A diverse group of people collaborate around a table, reviewing documents and using laptops, illustrating a council meeting discussing housing management strategies and policies.

The Housing Management Cabinet Sub-Committee will monitor the action plan, with key deliverables to be published alongside the strategy. Further details can be found in the public reports pack for the Housing Management Cabinet Sub-Committee meeting on March 27, 2026 here.