English regulator expects many landlords to have ‘work to do’ to reach top grade for consumer regulation

C1 means that overall, a provider is delivering the consumer standards outcomes. C2 means that there are “some weaknesses” in how the social landlord is delivering against the consumer standards outcomes and improvement is needed.

C3 means that there are “serious failings” in how the landlord is delivering against the consumer standards outcomes and “significant improvement” is needed.

C4 means that there are “very serious failings” in how the provider is delivering against the consumer standards outcomes and that it must make “fundamental changes” so that improved outcomes are delivered.

Jonathan Walters, deputy chief executive of the RSH, told Social Housing that there is “room for improvement” in the sector and for many landlords, the regulator expects they “will have work to do” before achieving the top C1 grade.

“From April we will begin our new inspection programme and start to give consumer grades to larger social landlords,” he said.

“We see through our existing regulation that the sector has room for improvement. For many landlords, we expect they will have work to do before achieving the top C1 grade.

“Landlords who are graded C2 will have some weaknesses in their approach and need to make improvement. Landlords with C3 to C4 grades will have serious or very serious failings and need to make significant or fundamental improvements.

“We will have robust conversations with landlords where this is the case and push them to put things right.”