Swindon Borough Council’s housing services are currently under inspection by the independent Regulator of Social Housing after the Council made a self-referral in September 2024, seeking guidance on how its housing services measure up against new regulatory standards.
Following an internal review that highlighted areas needing improvement, the Council took proactive steps by referring itself to the Regulator for a thorough evaluation. This move came after the introduction of the Social Housing (Regulations) Act 2023, which established four new consumer standards that apply to all providers of social housing, including local authorities. These standards cover key areas such as ensuring homes are decent, maintaining tenant safety, fostering tenant engagement, improving transparency, and requiring landlords to report areas where they are not meeting the standards.
The Regulator confirmed it would begin the first of its scheduled four-yearly inspections, with Swindon’s housing services being the first to be assessed under the new framework. As part of the inspection process, a new Housing Improvement Board, formed by tenants and cross-party councillors, has been tasked with overseeing the improvements outlined in a housing plan submitted to the Regulator.
The inspection will take place in mid-February 2025, with inspectors spending two days in Swindon before the final report is published next spring. The Council has assured tenants it is committed to keeping them updated on progress through regular communications.
In September 2024, the Council invited senior councillors and officers from other local authorities to conduct a “Corporate Peer Challenge,” aimed at evaluating the housing services’ overall performance. The peer review, presented at the recent Cabinet meeting, commended the Council for its openness and transparency in acknowledging the challenges and seeking advice on how to improve.
Councillor Janine Howarth, Cabinet Member for Housing, explained: “All tenants should expect us to deliver decent housing and meet national standards. We acknowledge that we have not been providing the services our tenants deserve, and that’s why we’ve taken the steps to refer ourselves to the Regulator. We welcome this transparent, independent assessment, as it will guide our work to improve services.”
