WIREDGOV

The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) and the Audit Commission yesterday signalled a fundamental review of the approach to inspections to better target landlords with performance challenges and where tenants may be getting unsatisfactory services from their landlord.

The TSA, as the social housing regulator, commissions the Audit Commission to carry out inspections of the services that housing associations provide to their tenants such as repairs, gas safety, tenant involvement and estate management. From 1 April 2010 this will also cover local authorities. The results are used by the TSA in determining whether action is needed to ensure tenants get a fair deal from their landlord.

The TSA and Audit Commission will develop a new inspection approach that aligns to the new standards that the TSA expects all social housing landlords to meet from April next year. 

Both the TSA and the Audit Commission will involve landlords, tenants and other stakeholders in helping them shape the future arrangements. A joint consultation document will be published in March 2010. The TSA and Audit Commission Boards will make final decisions on the future approach to inspections around July 2010, with the new arrangements coming into force from 1 October. 

Between 1 April 2010, when the TSA’s new powers come into effect, and 1 October, the TSA will commission inspections from the Audit Commission using a slimmed down version of the current Key Lines of Enquiry framework to support the TSA’s new standards.

TSA Chief Executive Peter Marsh said, “A vital part of our new regulatory framework is that we will ask the Audit Commission to inspect, in a targeted way, the performance of social landlords against our new outcome-focused standards. 
This fundamental review of the inspection methodology will ensure that tenants and providers will be able to help us and the Audit Commission shape the new arrangements.”

Audit Commission Chief Executive Steve Bundred said, “It is important that the inspection arrangements complement the TSA’s national standards and produces information that will help identify if landlords are failing to give their tenants a good deal.  We also want to make sure our reports help inform tenants about how well their landlord is performing.  Working with the TSA to undertake this review with stakeholders supports our joint commitment to improving services to tenants.”

For media enquiries, contact the TSA press office on 020 7393 2094/2118/2115 or by email pressoffice@tsa.gsx.gov.uk or the Audit Commission’s press office via 0844 7982135 or by email m-nicholson@audit-commission.gov.uk

Notes to editors:
1) The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) is the independent regulator for social housing. It launched on 1 December 2008 and currently regulates housing associations. The TSA is consulting with social housing tenants across five million households and their landlords, as well as stakeholders, to develop new standards to improve services for tenants. The statutory consultation, which begun on 12 November and is available at www.tenantservicesauthority.org, will close on 5 February 2010. The Guidance on the Use of Powers sets out the TSA’s proposals on how it intends to use its inspection powers.  This proposes that inspection is used in a targeted way predominantly where the regulator has grounds to suspect a provider may not be meeting the regulatory standards.  The inspection programme for 2010/11 for ALMOs Decent Homes Funding is not affected by these arrangements.

From spring 2010, subject to Parliamentary approval, the TSA will also regulate other providers of social housing, such as local authorities and arm’s-length management organisations.

2) The Audit Commission (AC) is an independent watchdog, driving economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local public services to deliver better outcomes for everyone. Its work across local government, health, housing, community safety and fire and rescue services means that it has a unique perspective. It promotes value for money for taxpayers, auditing the £200 billion spent by 11,000 local public bodies. As a force for improvement it works in partnership to assess local public services and make practical recommendations for promoting a better quality of life for local people. Further details about the role of the Audit Commission can be obtained from www.audit-commission.gov.uk   

3) The TSA is a statutory non-departmental public body, the AC is a statutory corporation and both are sponsored by Communities and Local Government.