In 2022 the Government will be launching a new wholesale review of training and qualifications within the social housing industry to raise standards and make sure that landlords are knowledgeable on how to deal with complaints from tenants.
This review follows on from the Grenfell Inquiry, where it was discovered that the landlord and staff did not respond to concerns from the residents before the devastation of the fire. The inquiry has heard that they were dissatisfied with the landlord as well as the complaints handling.
The Social Housing Professionalism Review was announced on the 18th of January; this will explore the current qualifications that are available to staff and consider what additional training will improve services to residents.
This review will be an important part of the improvement of social housing that is included in the Social Housing Bill, expected in March, and will move on to the proposals that were set out in the Social Housing White Paper, published in November 2020. In the White Paper,
the government promised to review all training for social housing employees and will explore if the current standards are still relevant and sufficient.
This has been brought into sharp focus by an ITV News investigation that exposed examples of appalling conditions that some social housing residents have had no other choice but to live in – with their landlords taking months and years to deal with repairs.
Late in 2021, there were plans published by the Regulator for Social Housing on proposals to change consumer standards. It will be looking at different indicators, like engagement, accountability, and safety performance.
This review should help to ensure that housing employees have the correct tools to be able to deliver good quality homes and services with residents at the heart of service provision. But don’t wait for the Regulator and the Government to tell you to train your staff better, get in touch with Upkeep now to ensure your staff are well trained.