Organisation

Regulator of Social Housing

27 stories · discussed at 15 council meetings · 19 councils

Councils are currently addressing Regulator of Social Housing judgements and aligning housing policies with its consumer standards, with improvement plans underway.

Councils are actively responding to Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) judgements and preparing for inspections. In September 2026, an EY report noted Tower Hamlets Council's social housing governance needs further improvement despite progress. Islington Council is implementing a Housing Improvement Programme to rectify a C3 regulatory judgement from May 2026, approving a £2.4 billion plan in August 2026. Croydon's Housing Services are preparing for an RSH inspection in Q3 2026/2027, with concerns raised in July 2026.

Other councils are aligning policies with RSH Consumer Standards. Redbridge Council adopted housing policies in September 2026 to strengthen management and tenant engagement, and Haringey Council implemented a Clear Communal Areas Policy in January 2026 for safety and compliance. Sutton Council approved a new not-for-profit social housing provider in August 2026, to be registered with the RSH. Upcoming discussions include Tower Hamlets' Housing & Regeneration Scrutiny Sub Committee on 5 October 2026 and Barking and Dagenham's Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 7 October 2026.

The Regulator of Social Housing is the UK government body responsible for regulating social housing providers in England. While some councils, such as Barnet Homes in March 2026 and Enfield Council in July 2025, have achieved the highest C1 rating, others like Hillingdon received a C2 rating in September 2025, indicating areas for improvement.

Key facts

  1. An EY report in September 2026 stated Tower Hamlets' social housing governance needs further improvement. Source
  2. Redbridge Council adopted four housing landlord policies in September 2026 to comply with Regulator of Social Housing Consumer Standards. Source 1 Source 2
  3. Islington Council is implementing a Housing Improvement Programme to address a C3 regulatory judgement from May 2026. Source
  4. Islington Council approved a £2.4 billion plan in August 2026 to improve its housing stock over 30 years. Source
  5. Sutton Council approved a new not-for-profit social housing provider in August 2026, to be registered with the Regulator of Social Housing. Source
About this summary

This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.

Latest stories

  1. Social Housing Governance in Tower Hamlets Requires Further Improvement Despite Progress Tower Hamlets Council's governance of its social housing stock requires further improvement, according to a report presented to the Audit Committee. Tower Hamlets 25 September 2026
  2. Council's housing strategy targets affordability and safety Hammersmith and Fulham Council has unveiled its new Housing Strategy for 2026-2031, a comprehensive plan designed to tackle the borough's housing challenges by focusing on... Hammersmith and Fulham 17 September 2026
  3. Redbridge housing engagement strategy reviewed Redbridge Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee reviewed the authority's housing engagement strategy on Monday, September 14, 2026. The committee noted the adoption of four... Redbridge 16 September 2026
  4. Council housing asset management strategy adopted Redbridge Council has formally adopted its Council Housing Asset Management Strategy, a key component of its commitment to ensuring tenants live in safe, decent, and... Redbridge 16 September 2026
  5. Housing Improvement Programme aims to fix RSH judgement Islington Council is implementing a comprehensive Housing Improvement Programme to address a critical regulatory judgment and enhance housing services for its residents. The... Islington 2 September 2026
  6. Sutton Council to launch new social housing provider Sutton Council is set to establish a new not-for-profit social housing provider as part of its strategy to increase the supply of affordable homes in the borough. Sutton 15 August 2026
  7. Islington Council approves £2.4bn housing improvement plan Islington Council has approved a significant £2.4 billion plan to improve its housing stock over the next 30 years, following a critical judgement from the Regulator of Social... Islington 3 August 2026
  8. Council housing improvement programme Phase Two approved Tower Hamlets Council has approved the second phase of its housing improvement programme, Your Voice, Our Action: Safe Homes, Great Services. The decision was made during a... Tower Hamlets 31 July 2026