The Regulator of Social Housing has launched a 12-week consultation on 25 July 2023 on a revised set of consumer standards and a draft Code of Practice. This is an invitation for you to respond to the consultation.

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) welcome the enhanced consumer regulation role that we have been given by the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, which alongside additional powers, gives us the tools we need to fulfil this new role and maintain our economic regulation.

We want to understand your views on four proposed consumer standards. Following our consultation, these standards will set the requirements registered providers will be expected to meet from April 2024, replacing the consumer standards that are currently in place.

Where appropriate, we have incorporated the government’s directions to us in the proposed consumer standards. We expect to be directed on other areas of the standards in due course, which will be subject to separate consultation, before we include them in our standards.

As part of this consultation, we are also seeking views on a draft Code of Practice to amplify the proposed consumer standards and assist registered providers in understanding how they might achieve compliance.

We are keen to receive views on our proposals from registered providers, tenants and anyone with an interest in social housing, and I hope that you will be able to respond.

We ask that you make tenants and shared owners aware of the consultation and consider how you can support them to respond if required.

We will review the responses we receive to the consultation before finalising the standards and Code of Practice.

The full details of the consultation can be found on our website: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-the-consumer-standards.

A summary of the consultation document is also available at the above link on our website, as well as an accessible ‘Easy Read’ summary.

Please respond via our online survey, or by email or post if preferred. The consultation will remain open until 17th October 2023.

If you have any questions about the consultation, please email our Referrals and Regulatory Enquiries team: enquiries@rsh.gov.uk.

RSH’s privacy notice can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/regulator-of-social-housing-privacy-notice.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Fiona MacGregor

Chief Executive