Three local councils have been found to fall short of the Regulator of Social Housing’s (RSH) consumer standards following recent inspections, highlighting significant concerns about tenant safety, property condition, and service delivery. The findings, published on 25 February 2026, reveal serious failings at Runnymede Borough Council, City of London Corporation, and Rugby Borough Council, prompting urgent calls for improvement.

Inspection outcomes and ratings

Runnymede Borough Council received the lowest consumer grading of C4, reflecting very serious failings in meeting the consumer standards. Both City of London Corporation and Rugby Borough Council were rated C3, indicating serious shortcomings requiring significant remedial action.

Runnymede Borough Council had self-referred to the RSH in June 2025 after identifying issues related to rent setting. The subsequent inspection uncovered multiple additional concerns, including inadequate stock condition surveys, poor hazard monitoring, and a lack of tenant engagement.

Key failings at Runnymede Borough Council

Since 2021, Runnymede had surveyed 58% of its homes, but only 30% had undergone a full stock condition survey. The inspection revealed almost 250 previously unknown hazards in tenants’ homes, exposing weaknesses in monitoring and reporting. Furthermore, there was no evidence that the council verified the accuracy and integrity of data for essential health and safety checks.

Critically, Runnymede demonstrated a poor understanding of the diverse needs of its tenants and failed to adequately incorporate tenant views into decision-making and service delivery. Although the council expressed a willingness to address these failings, the RSH stated it had yet to see evidence that the risks to tenants are fully understood.

Serious failings were also identified in Runnymede’s rent-setting approach for some properties. The council has since developed an improvement plan and is working to rectify these issues.

Concerns at City of London Corporation and Rugby Borough Council

City of London Corporation self-referred prior to inspection due to concerns about safety and quality standards. The RSH found a large backlog of outstanding remedial actions from electrical safety checks and more than 1,000 overdue fire safety actions, some high risk and overdue by over a year. Additionally, 18% of homes failed to meet the Decent Homes Standard, with current plans indicating this standard will not be achieved across all homes until 2035.

Rugby Borough Council also self-referred following a third-party assessment that raised questions about the accuracy of repairs information. The council had commissioned stock condition surveys for 86% of its homes but only holds partial data, limiting its ability to analyse results fully. Rugby reported that 99.54% of homes meet the Decent Homes Standard, though this figure has not been verified against survey data. The inspection also found 800 homes with Electrical Installation Condition Reports over five years old and 600 homes lacking smoke alarms.

Engagement and improvement plans

All three councils are engaging constructively with the RSH to address the identified failings and weaknesses. The regulator emphasises the importance of accurate, up-to-date information to ensure safe, decent housing and effective tenant services.

Kate Dodsworth, Chief of Regulatory Engagement at RSH, commented: “Our inspections continue to highlight significant gaps in some landlords’ understanding of tenants and their homes, reinforcing the need for accurate, up‑to‑date information to ensure safe, decent housing. We will continue to hold landlords to account, and drive continuous improvement, to ensure tenants live in good quality homes and receive effective services.”

Other regulatory judgements

Alongside these findings, Willow Tree Housing Partnership Limited was upgraded to a consumer grade C2, marking the first time a housing association has moved from C3 to C2. Christian Action (Enfield) Housing Association Limited also improved its governance and viability grades to G2 and V2 respectively following an agreed improvement plan.

Additional judgements published include:

• Bromford Flagship Livewest Ltd – interim judgement with governance G1 and viability V1 unchanged
• Magna Housing Limited – governance confirmed at G1 and financial viability upgraded to V2
• North Northamptonshire Council and Westmorland and Furness Council – both received consumer grading C2 after first inspections
• Yorkshire Housing Limited – first consumer grade C1, governance G1, and financial viability V2

The RSH also announced the removal of a Regulatory Notice for the Royal Borough of Greenwich.

What this means for landlords

These regulatory judgements underscore the critical importance of maintaining comprehensive, accurate records of property conditions and safety checks. Landlords and managing agents must prioritise tenant safety and engagement, ensuring that tenant views inform service delivery and decision-making.

Failing to meet consumer standards can result in serious reputational damage and regulatory intervention. The RSH’s strengthened powers under the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023 mean that landlords must be proactive in identifying and addressing issues before inspections. Transparent communication with tenants and rigorous monitoring of health and safety compliance are essential to meeting regulatory expectations and providing quality homes.

Source: Based on reporting from Regulator of Social Housing

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