As part of a number of measures published at the end of March to improve the regulation of social housing, the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has confirmed plans to establish a new resident panel titled the “Social Housing Quality Resident Panel” as a means of enhancing tenant engagement.
The panel will be made up of 250 social housing residents across the country so they can directly share their views with the government and ministers on its approach to driving up the quality of social housing.
The Social Housing Quality Resident Panel will be supported by a national survey where around 5,000 residents were asked to share their views about their landlord’s services during March and April 2022. The survey will be used to monitor the impact the reforms will have on social housing residents.
The Social Housing Quality Resident Panel will discuss many of the measures proposed by the Social Housing White Paper, including:
- Reviewing the Decent Homes Standard;
- Ensuring residents know how to raise complaints and have confidence in the system;
- Reviewing the training and qualifications available to social housing staff; and
- Delivering a new access to information scheme for tenants, so that information relating to landlords is easily available.
We understand over 1,000 expressions of interest have been received from residents wishing to join the Panel and further details are expected over the next few months.
For more information, please contact Sharon Thandi.
