February 4, 2025
3 mins read

Portsmouth falls short on housing safety standards 

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has issued Portsmouth City Council with a C3 grading after identifying serious failings in its housing safety and quality standards. 

Portsmouth City Council has been issued a C3 grading by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) following an investigation that uncovered significant failures in meeting consumer standards, particularly concerning the Safety and Quality Standard. 

The RSH’s engagement with Portsmouth City Council began in August 2024 after concerns were raised in the council’s Fire Safety Remediation Survey return. While the initial focus was on fire safety, further inquiries expanded to broader landlord health and safety concerns. The council subsequently conducted a self-assessment and made a self-referral to the regulator in September 2024. 

Following an in-depth investigation, RSH identified multiple serious failings, including: over 1,000 unresolved fire safety remedial actions; more than 85% of council homes had not undergone an electrical condition test in over five years, including homes located in high-risk communal blocks; less than 40% of homes had been surveyed within the last five years, with over a third last surveyed more than a decade ago, and nearly 10% with no survey record at all; previous stock condition surveys failed to assess potential hazards, leaving crucial safety concerns unaddressed; a lack of clarity for tenants regarding the repairs service and what they can expect. 

Kate Dodsworth, Chief of Regulatory Engagement at RSH, stressed the importance of tenant safety and the necessity of accurate data in housing management. 

“The health and safety of tenants is non-negotiable. Providing safe, decent homes for tenants starts with accurate, up-to-date data. Without this, it is impossible to deliver the right services to residents.” – Kate Dodsworth, Chief of Regulatory Engagement, RSH

Despite these serious shortcomings, the regulator acknowledged the council’s cooperation. “Portsmouth City Council has engaged constructively with us and we welcome their transparency in making a self-referral. This is the first step towards addressing the serious failings identified and making significant improvements,” Dodsworth added. 

Alongside Portsmouth City Council’s grading, the RSH also released regulatory judgements for other landlords. Aspire Housing received a C1 for its first consumer grading, was upgraded to a G1 governance grading, and retained its V2 viability grading. Sanctuary Housing Association received a C2 grading while retaining its G1 and V2 gradings. 

Furthermore, RSH published 12 regulatory judgements through its stability check programme. Incommunities Limited and Magenta Living were both downgraded from V1 to V2, while the remaining 10 landlords retained their viability and governance ratings. 

The stability check programme is a yearly review where RSH examines financial data submitted by housing providers, including business plans and annual accounts, to assess financial viability risks. These checks apply to all private registered housing associations owning over 1,000 homes but do not include local authorities, as governance and financial viability standards do not apply to them. 

This regulatory action follows the introduction of new consumer standards on 1 April 2024, as part of the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023. Under these new measures, all large social landlords (managing more than 1,000 homes) are subject to a four-year inspection cycle designed to drive long-term improvements in the sector. The updated framework grants RSH greater powers to hold landlords accountable and ensure compliance with its standards. 

The regulator reaffirmed its commitment to promoting a well-governed, financially viable social housing sector that delivers high-quality, safe homes for residents. RSH continues to take appropriate action where landlords fail to meet required standards, ensuring improvements are made to protect tenants and the quality of social housing nationwide.

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