The Bill will provide the legal basis for implementing measures in the 2020 Social Housing White Paper. The intention is to empower residents, provide greater redress, better regulation and improve the quality of social housing. By strengthening the regulatory regime for social housing, the Bill aims to ensure landlords are held to account for their performance and focus more effectively on addressing the needs and concerns of tenants.
The Bill started out in the House of Lords in June last year, completing first and second readings in the House of Commons by November 2022. The Bill has now reached its third reading in the House of Commons (having already completed its third reading in the Lords). At this stage no further amendments can be made to the Bill. The final stage of the legislative process will see the Bill returned to the Lords for a final debate and consideration of amendments. Royal Assent is expected before the end of the current Parliamentary session.
Important amendments added to the Bill:
Awaab’s Law
On 9 February 2023, the Secretary Of State introduced an amendment known as ‘Awaab’s Law’, which will require landlords to investigate and fix damp and mould in their properties within specified timeframes. A consultation will be held later this year to set the timeframes within which landlords will have to investigate hazards and make repairs.
Professionalisation
The Bill will introduce new rules intended to protect residents and raise standards in the sector. Managers in the social housing sector will in future be required to have a minimum set of professional qualifications.
Amendment 47 requires the regulator to set out professional standards ensuring that those with management responsibilities within the social housing sector have, or are working towards getting, professional qualifications.
The change is intended to bring social housing into closer alignment with other sectors such as social work, teaching and health.
Complaints and the Housing Ombudsman
The Bill identifies a new responsibility on the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) to set standards for providers on the handling of complaints. In addition, the Housing Ombudsman will be granted powers to issue and publish guidance on good practice in the sector.
