Four social housing landlords have been awarded C1 consumer grades by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH), marking a significant milestone in the sector’s ongoing drive to improve tenant services and regulatory compliance. This development reflects the regulator’s enhanced focus on governance, financial viability, and consumer outcomes under new standards introduced in April 2024. For landlords, letting agents, and property professionals, these gradings highlight the evolving expectations around tenant engagement, property maintenance, and organisational oversight.
New Consumer Grades Reflect Enhanced Regulatory Standards
On 24 June 2026, the Regulator of Social Housing published updated regulatory judgements, awarding four landlords a C1 consumer grade, the highest tier under the new consumer grading system. These grades are part of a broader regulatory framework introduced following the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023, which aims to strengthen accountability and improve the quality of social housing services. The consumer grades assess how well landlords meet the outcomes of the consumer standards, focusing on tenant experience, property condition, and service delivery.
The four landlords achieving C1 status—Croydon Churches Housing Association, Livv Housing Group, Prima Housing Group, and Two Rivers Housing—have demonstrated strong performance in these areas. Notably, this was the first time these organisations received consumer grades, reflecting recent inspections and assessments. The regulator also awarded four landlords a C2 grade, including Nottingham City Council, which improved from a previous C3 grade following responsive engagement.
Governance and Viability Grades Accompany Consumer Ratings
Alongside consumer grades, the RSH continues to assess governance and financial viability, critical factors underpinning landlords’ ability to deliver sustained services. Most of the landlords awarded C1 grades retained strong governance (G1) and viability (V1) ratings, indicating robust organisational structures and financial health. For example, Two Rivers Housing, based in Gloucestershire, and Prima Housing Group in Merseyside maintained these top grades, reinforcing their overall regulatory standing.
However, Livv Housing Group experienced a downgrade to G2 governance and a V2 viability regrade, reflecting identified weaknesses in internal controls and assurance frameworks. Livv self-referred to the regulator after discovering errors in covenant reporting, illustrating the importance of transparent and accurate compliance processes. These governance and viability assessments provide landlords with clear signals about areas requiring improvement to maintain regulatory compliance and tenant trust.
Nottingham City Council’s Consumer Grade Upgrade Highlights Responsive Engagement
Nottingham City Council’s consumer grade rose from C3 to C2 following targeted improvements in tenant engagement and property maintenance oversight. The council demonstrated better understanding of tenants’ home conditions and enhanced its delivery and monitoring of repairs and maintenance services. This progress was achieved through responsive engagement with the regulator, a process designed to support landlords in addressing weaknesses without formal enforcement action.
Despite these advances, Nottingham City Council still faces challenges in fully meeting all consumer standard outcomes, indicating that further work is necessary. This case underscores the value of proactive dialogue between landlords and regulators to drive continuous improvement and safeguard tenant interests.
Other Landlords’ Gradings and Regulatory Actions
Additional landlords receiving C2 consumer grades for the first time include Advance Housing and Support Limited, The Cambridge Housing Society Limited, and Wandle Housing Association Limited. These organisations generally maintained strong governance and viability grades, with some experiencing regrades reflecting ongoing assessments. For instance, Advance Housing saw a V2 viability regrade while retaining G1 governance, and Wandle Housing Association held steady at G1 governance with a V2 viability rating.
East End Homes was upgraded to a G2 governance grade after fulfilling a voluntary undertaking to the regulator, showing progress in governance arrangements, particularly around stress testing and mitigation planning. However, its viability grade remained at V2, indicating that financial resilience remains an area for attention. Additionally, the regulator removed a regulatory judgement for Ravenscroft Re-Build Co-operative Limited following corrective actions, demonstrating the effectiveness of intensive engagement in resolving compliance issues.
Context: The Role of the Regulator of Social Housing and New Consumer Standards
The Regulator of Social Housing’s revised consumer standards, introduced on 1 April 2024, aim to promote long-term improvements in social housing quality and tenant experience. These standards were developed in response to the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023, which enhanced the regulator’s powers to hold landlords accountable. The new framework includes a programme of inspections and a grading system covering consumer outcomes, governance, and financial viability.
Local authorities receive consumer gradings but not governance or viability grades, reflecting their different regulatory context. Small landlords with fewer than 1,000 homes are not assigned formal grades but remain subject to regulatory oversight where serious weaknesses are identified. The regulator’s approach emphasises continuous improvement, tenant engagement, and transparent reporting to ensure landlords meet their obligations effectively.
What this means for landlords
For landlords and letting agents, these regulatory developments highlight the increasing importance of robust governance frameworks, accurate financial reporting, and proactive tenant engagement. Achieving or maintaining strong consumer grades requires landlords to demonstrate clear oversight of property conditions, timely repairs, and effective communication with tenants. Governance arrangements should include comprehensive internal controls and assurance processes to prevent compliance errors and support continuous improvement.
Landlords should also be aware that responsive engagement with the regulator can provide opportunities to address issues collaboratively before formal enforcement actions are necessary. However, failure to meet consumer standards or governance requirements could lead to downgrades or increased scrutiny, potentially affecting reputation and operational freedom. Staying informed about regulatory expectations and investing in compliance infrastructure is therefore essential for sustainable management of social housing stock.
What TLA members should consider
- Review and strengthen governance arrangements, including internal controls and assurance frameworks, to ensure compliance with regulatory standards.
- Maintain accurate and transparent financial reporting, particularly regarding covenant compliance and viability assessments.
- Enhance tenant engagement strategies to improve understanding of property conditions and service delivery outcomes.
- Implement robust maintenance and repairs oversight to meet consumer standard expectations and respond promptly to tenant feedback.
- Engage proactively with the Regulator of Social Housing where weaknesses are identified, utilising responsive engagement to support improvement.
- Monitor regulatory updates and training resources, such as those offered by the TLA Academy, to stay current with evolving compliance requirements.
TLA Training Academy
The Landlord Association provides structured guidance, compliance education and practical support for landlords, letting agents and property professionals. Members can access training and resources designed to help them stay organised, informed and prepared.
Landlords can explore the Academy here: https://landlordassociation.org.uk/tla-academy/
Those looking to join and access member support can register here: https://landlordassociation.org.uk/get-started-with-the-landlord-association/
TLA update
The Landlord Association is continuing to expand its support, resources and partner network for landlords, tenants, agents and property professionals across the UK. Service providers interested in working with TLA can register their interest here: https://landlordassociation.org.uk/become-a-tla-service-partner/
Source: www.gov.uk
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