Probe launched after 36,000-home local authority landlord self-referred over missed electrical safety tests
The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has opened an investigation into Southwark Council as it suspects the local authority may have breached its new Safety and Quality standard.
RSH’s decision to place the 36,000-home landlord on its ‘gradings under review’ list follows Southwark referring itself last month after finding it has not carried out electrical safety tests on all its properties.
A spokesperson for RSH, said: “The regulator is currently investigating, through a planned inspection, matters which may indicate serious failings in the landlord delivering the outcomes of the Safety and Quality Standard.
“This follows a self-referral and public statements made by the landlord.”
The council last month said it had failed to implement a new requirement for electrical testing “in the way it should have been”. The council has now begun a “major programme” to carry out the tests, which are known as Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR).
The new RSH Safety and Quality standard requires providers to “take all reasonable steps to ensure the health and safety of tenants in their homes and associated communal areas.”
The Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, which became law last year, made a provision for new standards requiring social housing providers to carry out electrical safety checks.
The previous government had proposed mandatory inspections and tests on electrical installations for all social housing at least once every five years and a legal requirement to obtain an EICR, but this regulation has yet to be brought in.
The code of practice for the management of electrotechnical care in social housing recommends an “electrical installation in a domestic tenanted property is inspected and tested at least once every five years, resulting in the creation of an EICR”. The code was drawn up by the Electrical Safety Roundtable, which consists of dozens of organisations including around 30 social landlords, and is co-ordinated by National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers (NAPIT).
>>See also: Four social landlords breach new consumer standards
Sarah King, cabinet member for council homes at Southwark Council said: “The safety of our tenants and residents will always be a top priority for Southwark, which is why we are determined to keep raising the quality and safety of our council homes.
“We will work with the RSH…to help drive improvements on behalf of our tenants.”
The RSH earlier this month also published its first batch of regulatory judgements since its new more stringent consumer standards came into effect in April.
It found four providers failed the consumer standards, including three local authorities.
Bristol City Council, Guildford Borough Council and Sheffield City Council, in addition to housing association Octavia Housing, were all found non-compliant.
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