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Regulator to survey landlords and push back reporting deadlines amid COVID-19 pandemic
England’s social housing regulator will postpone reporting deadlines and survey landlords to identify key issues for the sector as part of a new approach during the coronavirus crisis.
In a letter to housing associations and stock-retaining councils today, the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) said the changes are intended “both to support providers in focusing on frontline operations and to identify where there may be challenges that the sector or individual providers need regulatory support to meet”.
It urged landlords to report fears about tenant safety or their financial viability, while promising to take a “proportionate regulatory approach” and acknowledging that the outbreak may lead to some compliance issues.
The RSH will launch a regular survey aimed at finding out the risks to tenant safety and businesses posed by the pandemic.
Social landlords will be asked about “how they are delivering emergency and urgent repairs and compliance with health and safety requirements and on maintaining care and support services”, the letter said.
Organisations deemed to face “higher financial risks” will be asked to share “more of their own financial information” – including those with fewer than 1,000 homes, where the RSH believes it is necessary.
The first survey is expected to be issued in the next two weeks and is intended to be brief enough not to require detailed data collection.
Some landlords may then be asked to provide more regular information or see increased engagement from the RSH.
In the first instance, the survey “may need to be monthly” but could move to quarterly returns in future, the letter said.
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The quarterly survey on housing associations’ financial positions will also continue, with the March return still needing to be submitted by 23 April albeit in a scaled-back form focusing only on key risks.
In order to “relieve the regulatory burden” on landlords, the letter said, the submission deadline for the Statistical Data Return and Local Authority Data Return will be extended from 31 May to 31 October.
The deadline for Forecast Financial Return submissions will also be delayed from 30 June until later in the year – the letter suggests it is unlikely to be required before the autumn.
The RSH already announced a halt to its in-depth assessments (IDA) programme last week.
Today’s letter said the pause “will continue for the foreseeable future, until we have a better understanding of the impact of coronavirus”.
It added: “Where providers are struggling to meet the challenges presented by coronavirus and there is a resulting threat to tenant safety or the provider’s financial viability, they should contact us as soon as possible.
“The focus on operational risks should be on health and safety and emergency and urgent repairs.”
It also acknowledged that the impact of the outbreak “may mean that there will be some incidence of statutory non-compliance and repairs backlogs”, but said the RSH “will take a proportionate regulatory approach” including “full account of the current context”.
Landlords concerned that “tenant safety is threatened or viability is under strain” should notify the RSH, including where minimum services cannot be delivered because of access issues or staff shortages.
The sector “is well placed to address the financial challenges it faces”, the RSH added.
Signed by Fiona MacGregor, chief executive of the RSH, the letter concluded: “I will close by underlining again that we fully recognise the extraordinary circumstances you are all working in and the unprecedented pressures that brings.
“You have a critical role to play in maintaining the safety of your tenants and the communities you work in, and that role and contribution are hugely appreciated.
“We will do all we can to maintain an appropriate and proportionate approach to our regulation of the sector and our asks of you.”
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