Two local authorities get consumer upgrades

Two local authorities, Castle Point Borough Council and North Kesteven District Council, have recently received consumer upgrades in the latest regulatory judgements issued by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH). These improvements reflect progress in addressing previous shortcomings in tenant safety and housing standards.

Upgrades for Castle Point and North Kesteven

Castle Point Borough Council in Essex has been upgraded from a C4 to a C3 consumer rating. This marks a positive step following a period of significant challenges. Initially rated C3 in September 2024 due to failures in collecting and reporting Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs), Castle Point was downgraded to C4 in December 2024 after RSH identified very serious failings in delivering consumer standards, necessitating fundamental changes.

The recent upgrade to C3 indicates that Castle Point has made progress, particularly in improving the safety of tenants’ homes. However, serious failings remain, and the council must continue to make significant improvements. The council has now demonstrated its ability to address previous issues, which it failed to do when rated C4. Going forward, Castle Point must ensure that the changes to its housing service are fully embedded and operate effectively.

Key areas for ongoing focus include securing and maintaining the appropriate skills and expertise within the housing service, ensuring councillors and senior leaders provide effective oversight, and implementing new systems to manage and use data efficiently to deliver services.

North Kesteven’s Progress

North Kesteven District Council in Lincolnshire has also seen an upgrade, moving from a C3 to a C2 consumer rating. This improvement follows the council’s enhanced understanding of the condition of its homes and compliance with the Decent Homes Standard. North Kesteven was previously rated C3 in July 2025, and the upgrade reflects its progress in meeting consumer standards.

Other Consumer Gradings Published

Alongside these local authority upgrades, the Regulator of Social Housing published first-time consumer gradings for several housing providers. The Guinness Partnership Limited received a C1 rating, indicating it is delivering consumer standards outcomes effectively, while Peabody Trust was awarded a C2, signalling some weaknesses in delivering these outcomes. Both organisations maintained their governance (G1) and financial viability (V2) ratings.

City of York Council and Newlon Housing Trust also received initial consumer grades of C2, with Newlon’s governance and viability ratings remaining unchanged.

An interim regulatory judgement was published for Portus Supported Housing Limited, confirming governance and financial viability grades of G3 and V3 respectively, alongside serious failings in delivering the outcomes of the Rent Standard. Portus was formed following a transfer of engagements in December 2025 and is actively working with RSH to address previously identified issues.

Regulatory Context and Expectations

Since 1 April 2024, the Regulator of Social Housing has implemented new consumer standards designed to drive long-term improvements in the social housing sector. These standards, introduced under the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023, include stronger powers to hold landlords accountable and a programme of landlord inspections.

RSH emphasises that landlords must have the capacity and skills to diagnose issues accurately and implement credible, timely action plans to deliver improvements. Kate Dodsworth, Chief of Regulatory Engagement at RSH, stated: “Safety of tenants’ homes is our clear priority and where we identify serious failings, we expect landlords to act quickly to protect their tenants by prioritising the most urgent health and safety issues.”

She further highlighted that while fundamental changes take time to embed, these improvements offer landlords an important opportunity to engage tenants and secure lasting positive change.

What this means for landlords

For landlords and agents, these regulatory developments underline the importance of maintaining robust systems for tenant safety, compliance, and service delivery. The progress of Castle Point and North Kesteven demonstrates that even where serious failings are identified, improvement is achievable with focused effort and leadership.

Landlords should ensure they have the necessary skills and expertise within their teams, maintain effective oversight at senior levels, and utilise data effectively to monitor and improve service outcomes. Engaging tenants meaningfully in the process of change is also crucial for rebuilding trust and achieving sustainable improvements.

Source: Based on reporting from Regulator of Social Housing

TLA Training Academy

The Landlord Association has launched its new Training Academy for UK landlords, providing structured guidance, compliance education, and practical knowledge to support landlords at every stage. Members can now complete the programme and become TLA Certified Landlords at no additional cost as part of their membership.

Landlords can explore the Academy here: https://landlordassociation.org.uk/tla-academy/

Those looking to join and access the full training and certification can register here: https://landlordassociation.org.uk/landlord-association-membership-uk/

TLA update

The Landlord Association is currently onboarding new service providers into its Trusted Partner Hub, a new initiative designed to support landlords, tenants, letting agents, and property managers with vetted, high-quality services. As one of the fastest growing landlord associations in the UK, TLA offers partners direct access to an engaged and active member base at the point of need. Service providers across legal, maintenance, insurance, finance, mortgages, tenant screening, and property services can register their interest here: https://landlordassociation.org.uk/become-a-tla-service-partner/