It is fair to say that social housing management has had more public scrutiny during the past three years than at any other time in recent memory.

A series of high-profile media incidents, including a year-long ITV investigation into standards in social housing properties, the 2022 coroner’s report into the death of toddler Awaab Ishak due to exposure to black mould and campaigner Kwajo Twenebo’s social media shaming of landlords over poor conditions in properties, have combined to prompt the authorities to act.

The Social Housing Regulation Act has now come into force, bringing in new consumer standards and a proactive regulatory approach from the Regulator of Social Housing, including the return of routine inspections backed up with a swathe of powers and sanctions, including unlimited fines. 

This will be followed in the coming months by further regulation in the form of Awaab’s Law, which requires social housing landlords to inspect and repair hazards within set timescales, along with mandatory qualifications for social housing managers.