UK housing compliance brief
What the regulator now expects from repairs evidence
This week’s regulatory judgements show that completing repairs is only part of the assurance requirement. Landlords also need reliable information showing which hazards are outstanding, whether work was completed within the required timescale, what the resident was told and whether the outcome was verified. Surveyors, managing agents and contractors contribute to that evidence chain, so their records must be structured, timely and transferable.
1Repairs data must distinguish an appointment or contractor completion claim from a verified outcome.
2Survey coverage does not provide assurance if overdue hazards and remedial actions cannot be identified.
3Boards need current information on damp and mould performance, vulnerabilities and externally managed homes.
4Environmental monitoring can support early intervention, but alerts do not replace case-by-case triage and professional investigation.
New regulatory judgements
Haringey’s C4 judgement exposes the cost of fragmented repairs evidence
The Regulator of Social Housing found very serious failings, including a substantial backlog of overdue repairs containing damp and mould cases, unreliable repairs information, missed appointments, communication failures and weak performance oversight. Haringey reported that only around half of non-emergency repairs were completed on time in 2025 to 2026.
What housing associations should take from this
A repair order or contractor attendance record is not enough on its own. Providers need evidence that the reported issue was investigated, the necessary work was completed, outstanding risk was managed and the resident received accurate updates.
What surveyors and contractors should record
Use clear property and case identifiers; date and time of attendance; access outcome; areas inspected; observations and measurements; photographs; limitations; recommended actions; responsible party; target timescale; work completed; remaining work; and whether a follow-up inspection is required.
Home Group reinforces that damp-and-mould oversight belongs at board level
Home Group received a C2 consumer grade and a G2 governance grade. The regulator identified high damp, mould and condensation case volumes, evidence that some reports were not answered within appropriate timescales, weaknesses in keeping tenants informed and gaps in information about some homes. It also called for better board reporting and stronger oversight of homes managed by external managing agents.
What housing associations should take from this
Damp and mould performance should be visible at board and executive level, with enough detail to understand overdue cases, repeat problems, tenant impact and whether improvement is being sustained. Responsibility must remain traceable where another organisation manages the home or delivers the work.
What external partners should provide
Managing agents, surveyors and contractors should return information in an agreed format and without delay. The record should show who became aware of the issue, who made each decision, what evidence supported it and which organisation owns the next action.
Tamworth’s C3 judgement turns ‘overdue’ into a required management question
Tamworth Borough Council received a C3 consumer grade. Although physical surveys had been completed for 87 percent of its homes, the regulator found insufficient reporting on the number of overdue hazards and the timeliness of remedial action. It also identified weaknesses in keeping stock-condition information current and using it to plan improvements.
What housing associations should take from this
A survey programme needs an action-management layer. Landlords should be able to move from a survey finding to an accountable action, target date, status, evidence of completion and verification without losing the link to the original hazard.
What surveyors should make explicit
Reports should identify the hazard or concern, its location and extent, evidence date, relevant household circumstances supplied to the assessor, likely cause, urgency, recommended next step and any limits on the conclusion. Avoid closing the evidential chain with a vague status such as ‘complete’ where work or verification remains outstanding.
Phase 2 preparation
The case-management requirement becomes wider on 30 November.
- Confirmed scope
- From 30 November 2026, Awaab’s Law significant-hazard requirements extend beyond damp and mould to excess cold, excess heat, falls, structural collapse, fire and explosions, electrical hazards and domestic hygiene. Emergency hazards remain in scope, except overcrowding.
- Monitoring expectation
- The guidance says environmental monitoring alerts do not necessarily establish that a landlord is aware of a potential significant or emergency hazard. Consistent adverse readings should, however, prompt timely investigation and intervention. The guidance does not prescribe a numerical sensor threshold or a specific data-retention period.
- Evidence expectation
- The guidance recommends current resident and property information, clear records of engagement, investigations and communications, documented access attempts, evidence of when a written summary was issued and continuing progress updates. Communication should reflect the tenant’s preferences, language and accessibility needs.
- Practical implication
- Keep a monitoring notification, landlord awareness event, triage decision, investigation finding and repair outcome as separate events. A sensor trend can support triage and investigation, but it should not be presented as a legal hazard determination by itself.
Questions for providers this week
- Can we identify every overdue hazard and the number of days it is overdue?
- Can we distinguish attendance, partial completion, contractor completion and verified resolution?
- Does our board reporting show damp and mould volume, timeliness, repeat cases and tenant impact?
- Do managing agents and contractors know when and how to escalate a potential hazard?
- Can we prove when a written summary and subsequent update were issued?
- Are monitoring alerts reviewed through a documented human triage process?
- Will our current case model support the wider Phase 2 hazards from 30 November?
Source list
- Haringey London Borough Council regulatory judgement · 28 October 2026
- Home Group Limited regulatory judgement · 28 October 2026
- Tamworth Borough Council regulatory judgement · 28 October 2026
- Awaab’s Law Phase 2 guidance for social landlords
- Awaab’s Law Phase 2 hazards guidance for social landlords
- Hazards in Social Housing (Prescribed Requirements) (England) Regulations 2025
- RSH regulatory judgements, enforcement notices and gradings collection
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