How we are Regulated
Like any other Housing Association Stoke on Trent Housing Society is regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) who expects us to meet certain standards.
Where required, we provide the Regulator with information which gives them assurance of our compliance to the standards. Our policies are developed in line with all relevant regulation and legislation and our board receive assurance throughout the year to support them in ensuring compliance with all regulation.
Here is some information about the regulatory standards that we work to:
The Regulator of Social Housing introduced 4 new regulatory Consumer Standards for social housing providers from 1st April 2024. These standards are set around:
♦ Safety and Quality
♦ Transparency, Influence and Accountability
♦ Neighbourhood and Community
♦ Tenancy
Here’s what we have been doing to ensure that we meet the standards:
◊ We have reviewed our services against the standards to identify any gaps or opportunities for improvement
◊ An improvement plan has been developed to capture the actions that we now need to take
◊ Shared our self-assessments with our Board and we plan to monitor progress with our customers.
◊ Our improvement plan will be completed by 31st March 2026.
Here’s a link to some further information on the Consumer Standards
The Decent Homes Standard is a standard set by the UK Government for the condition of social homes, it does not cover shared owners, private renters or leaseholders.
As a social landlord, we must provide homes which:
♦ Meet the current statutory minimum standard for housing
♦ Are in a reasonable state of repair
♦ Have reasonably modern facilities
♦ Provide a degree of thermal comfort
The Decent Homes Standard also helps us to uphold the Safety and Quality aspect of the Regulator of Social Housing’s Consumer Standards
How we Monitor the Decency of Your Home
We follow Decent Homes guidelines when checking the condition of your home and deciding if any work might be needed to continue to meet the necessary standards.
⇒ We carry out stock condition surveys and use this information to plan any improvement works needed.
⇒ We aim to survey every communal space, like hallways between flats, at least once every five years.
If you think your home does not meet the Decent Homes Standard, please let us know.
The government is currently reviewing the Decent Homes Standard and when this is complete Stoke on Trent Housing Society will ensure its stock continues to meet the standard.
Stoke on Trent Housing Society is committed to providing safe and compliant homes for our tenants and there are several areas we must comply with to meet legal Safety Standards.
♦ GAS – we have a duty to make sure all gas appliances, fittings and flues that we own are safe. It is a legal requirement under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, that we carry out a gas service every 12 months by Gas Safe registered Contractors.
◊ ELECTRICAL – we carry out periodic electrical testing every 5 years, to guarantee that electrical installations are in top condition. Electrical testing, including fixed wire tests and Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR), is crucial for maintaining safe living environments and is carried out by qualified electricians.
♦ FIRE SAFETY – we have a fire safety policy to ensure compliance with legislation and we work with the Fire Service to ensure that our buildings are safe. Our high-rise buildings are also registered with the Building Safety Regulator and we have a Building Safety Manager, Hadrian Noble who is responsible for managing the safety of your homes.
◊ ASBESTOS – where any of our buildings may contain asbestos it is our legal obligation to manage any asbestos containing materials in line with the relevant legislation (Control of Asbestos Regulations (CAR) 2012). Ahead of any qualifying work we will carry out an asbestos survey to check for the presence of asbestos so we can plan this work accordingly.
♦ LIFTS – we have a responsibility to comply with legislation including the Lifting Operation and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998. We are responsible for ensuring the safe working, operation and statutory compliance of lifts in our properties, and that we have systems in place to inspect, maintain and repair this equipment. We know that lifts breaking down can present a risk to tenants and cause considerable inconvenience, so it is important that they are regularly serviced and well maintained.
◊ WATER – legionella bacteria can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a form of pneumonia, which is potentially fatal. It is caused when droplets of water containing the bacteria are inhaled e.g. spray from a shower or taps. We carry our regular Legionella Risk Assessments (LRAs) which help us to keep our water supplies safe. LRAs are carried out to all our buildings with communal water supplies and properties that have stored water. We also include management of this in long term empty properties.
♦ DAMP & MOULD – in response to growing concerns around damp and mould , Awaab’s Law has been introduced in the UK, compelling social housing providers to take quicker action when mould and damp problems are reported. The law imposes strict time frames for landlords to respond to reports of damp and mould and mandates necessary repairs within a legally set time frame. From October 2025 social landlords will be required to address damp and mould hazards that pose serious health risks within legally set time frames.
Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) were introduced by the Regulator of Social Housing in 2023.
They help us to understand how we are performing, whether you are happy with our service and where we need to improve. They include 12 resident satisfaction measures and 10 performance measures
Our last TSM survey was completed in Autumn 2023, when:
♥ 89% of tenants overall were satisfied with the service provided by Stoke on Trent Housing Society
♥ 89% of tenants felt that Stoke on Trent Housing Society treats them fairly and with respect
We plan to complete a new TSM survey in Autumn 2025.
Where our scores were low, we’re planning improvements and focusing on your comments from the survey. We’ve already started making changes and hopefully you should be able to see improvements.
Here are our latest results Tenant Satisfaction Measures 23-24
If you would like any further information on any of the above please let us know.