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Welsh government suspends regulatory judgements to monitor coronavirus impact on landlords
The Welsh government’s social housing regulator has temporarily suspended the publication of regulatory judgements as it shifts its focus to monitoring the impact of coronavirus on social landlords.
In new guidance for social landlords, the Welsh government said the publication of regulatory judgements, other than those due before the end of March, has been temporarily suspended, alongside any routine regulatory oversight of assurance plans.
Case management and oversight will continue for any social landlords with which the government has regulatory concerns.
It comes as the government shifts its regulatory focus to the impact of coronavirus on social landlords, with landlords being asked to notify the regulation team of any significant changes to their organisation during the pandemic.
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This includes changes to service provision, health and safety compliance and financial viability, especially in relation to liquidity or significant increases in rent arrears.
On the subject of health and safety, the government said: “We understand the challenges facing registered social landlords (RSLs) in these unprecedented circumstances (including difficulties with access to properties and the associated risks which can, in turn, present risks to other occupiers, particularly in blocks of flats; or the availability of workforce equipment).
“We will take a proportionate approach to compliance in these circumstances, taking account of the risks and the actions taken or planned to deal with issues.”
Landlords have also been given the option to not meet the deadlines set for information submission, apart from the statutory notifications requirements and the development data return, which is still required by 9 April.
The government has confirmed that regulation team members are all working from home but are available for virtual meetings.
It follows similar moves by the English and Scottish housing regulators, which have both announced a shift in approach to regulation in response to the coronavirus crisis.
Yesterday, the Scottish regulator wrote to landlords confirming that annual regulatory returns, which open in April and May, will have deadlines extended to the end of July.
England’s social housing regulator wrote to housing associations and councils last week to say that it will postpone reporting deadlines and survey landlords to identify key issues for the sector as part of a new approach during the COVID-19 pandemic.
