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Regulator: sector league tables within two years and will include councils
League tables for social landlords could come into effect within two years and would compare housing associations, councils, ALMOs and for-profit providers equally, the regulator has said.
In August, the government’s Social Housing Green Paper proposed tables which would rank landlords based on a series of key performance indicators (KPIs).
Senior sector figures have warned the system could prove “blunt” and “counter-productive”, but Simon Dow, interim chair of the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has said critics have no “compelling case for what to do instead”.
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Speaking to Inside Housing this week, Jonathan Walters, deputy director of strategy and performance at the RSH, said: “If we are asked to develop a suite of metrics we would want to take the time and work with others to make sure we were coming up with the right metrics, while at the same time there will be pressure to get on and do something considering the circumstances in which the green paper came about with the awful tragedy at Grenfell.”
Asked if he thought league tables or an alternative system could be introduced in 18 months to two years’ time, Mr Walters replied: “I think that is probably about right.”
And he suggested league tables would be “cross domain”, applying to all organisations which are currently subject to the RSH’s standard.
“I think the view is that it doesn’t really matter who your landlord is as far as tenants are concerned,” he said.
“I suspect it shouldn’t matter whether if it’s a local authority or a housing association, it would be the same metrics that apply.”
He added: “What we’re saying to people is that if you read the tone of the green paper, I think we’d be very surprised if there wasn’t more consumer regulation coming.
“With regard to league tables, I think the question is what government is trying to achieve with that and I think there are two things really. The first is that league tables are trying to achieve transparency, so tenants can see more about what their landlords are actually like.
“The other thing is that no one wants to be at the bottom of the league table, so this would persuade people who aren’t doing well to do better.
“And what we’ve been saying is that if you really don’t like the idea of league tables, what you need to do is accept the outcome that government is trying to achieve and come up with an alternative system than can meet those aims and help social landlords do better.”
Social Housing Green Paper: full coverage
All our Social Housing Green Paper coverage in one place:
Green paper measures are not enough to create May’s ‘new generation’ of council homes Green paper proposals are welcome but much more is needed to support councils to build, writes John Bibby
Green paper shows ministers now see associations as trusted partners Focusing on the failure of the green paper to address supply misses the point, writes Boris Worrall
Government should focus on building on what is already strong Philippa Jones considers the Social Housing Green Paper through a slightly different lens
We need more than a week of delayed announcements bundled together Jules Birch reflects on the government’s ‘Housing Week’ announcements
The regulator should monitor how associations assist homeless people Government announcements this week are positive, but any enhanced role for the English regulator should include looking at homelessness prevention work, argues David Bogle
The regulator’s role should be limited to dealing with systemic failures Julian Ashby suggests the Housing Ombudsman Service should deal with all complaints
The green paper shows ministers are in listening mode Despite some glaring omissions, the government appears to be in listening mode and it is important the sector takes advantage, argues Emma Maier
A short history of social housing league tables Attempts to create league tables for housing associations are nothing new. Mervyn Jones looks at how they have worked in the past
League tables could prove blunt and counter-productive, sector warns Housing figures criticise government proposals to measure social landlords against performance indicators
Government ‘must decide how proactive regulator should be’ on consumer standards Ministers now face a dilemma over the regulator’s focus, sector figures say
The Green Paper: a golden opportunity missed? Melanie Rees assesses the Social Housing Green Paper against recommendations drawn up by the Chartered Institute of Housing and finds the government comes up short
Longer strategic partnerships and guranteed debt to boost social housebuilding The Social Housing Green Paper outlines key ways of boosting supply
The green paper is remarkable progress but it is still not enough The green paper suggests the government appears to be re-writing much of its policy since 2010, but more needs to be done, writes Jules Birch
Green paper marks a ‘milestone’ on resident involvement The government’s recognition residents need clear information is to be welcomed, now it up to the sector to embrace tenant involvement, writes Paul Hackett
Ministers consider stock transfer programme to community-led associations The stock transfer programme could be revived under proposals in the housing green paper
Access to housing grant could be tied to new league tables Grant could be awarded according to how well landlords meet performance indicators, the paper suggests
Ofsted-style regulation of tenant services proposed The government is considering expanding the Regulator for Social Housing’s remit to intervene over tenant services and give it a more “proactive approach to enforcement”
Government proposes dropping one-for-one Right to Buy replacement commitment A consultation paper published alongside the green paper proposes a broader measurement to replace the one-for-one pledge
A list of recent housing policy U-turns The green paper confirms yet more housing policy U-turns from the government, which has spent the past two years dropping policy ideas developed under the David Cameron government. Here is a rundown of the major changes in policy direction
Sector welcomes green paper but calls for more ‘ambitious investment’ Reaction to the proposals, from the National Housing Federation, Chartered Institute of Housing and more
Morning Briefing: reaction to green paper announcements how the media reported the proposals trailed by the government overnight
Government drops plans to force councils to sell higher-value stock The government drops plans to force councils to sell higher value homes
League tables and ‘sharper teeth’ for regulator in social housing green paper Ministers reveal some of the things in the paper ahead of its publication
Grenfell survivors: green paper does not go far enough survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire have said the measures published in the Social Housing Green Paper do not do enough to rectify issues in the social housing sector
