The Regulator of Social Housing has today (Wednesday 8 May) published the outcome of its consultation on changes to its fee principles.
The feedback to the consultation was supportive of RSH's overall approach. The changes will ensure RSH has the resources, skills and capacity to deliver its wider regulatory role. This includes its new programme of inspections for all social landlords owning over 1,000 homes, as well as its ongoing regulation of private registered providers' financial viability and governance.
The changes mean that social landlords will pay for the full cost of their regulation, in line with the government's requirements.
RSH's new fee regime will come into effect on 1 July 2024. The key changes are:
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Increased fees for social landlords, to recover the full cost of their regulation.
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The introduction of fees for councils owning over 1,000 homes to cover RSH's more active regulation of them against the consumer standards, including the new inspection programme.
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New charges for organisations that apply to become registered providers, in place of the current approach where they pay after successfully registering.
RSH will continue to charge a flat annual fee to smaller private registered providers (those owning fewer than 1,000 homes). It will charge larger social landlords, including local authorities, according to the number of homes they provide.
Fiona MacGregor, Chief Executive of RSH, said:
The changes to our fee principles will give us the resources we need to deliver our new regulatory role, which will help to drive long-term improvement in social landlords for the benefit of tenants.
We are grateful for the feedback we received during the consultation, which we carefully considered in reaching the final outcome. We recognise the importance of providing value for money for fee payers and we will continue to focus on regulating in an effective and efficient way.
Notes
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RSH's consultation on changes to its fees regime ran from 5 September 2023 to 31 October 2023. The decision statement and associated documents are available on RSH's website.
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RSH promotes a viable, efficient and well-governed social housing sector able to deliver more and better social homes. It does this by setting standards and carrying out robust regulation focusing on driving improvement in social landlords, including local authorities, and ensuring that housing associations are well-governed, financially viable and offer value for money. It takes appropriate action if the outcomes of the standards are not being delivered. Following an expansion of its powers, from 1 April 2024, it has begun carrying out regulatory inspections of social landlords.
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