The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has indicated that the new regulatory system designed to protect the tenants and residents of the 4 million social homes in England will face its greatest challenges in properties managed by local authorities.

The comments were made in CIH's response to the Government's consultation, Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (Registration of Local Authorities) Order 2009, which will subject local authorities to the same regulatory system as housing associations, in a move warmly welcomed by the professional body for housing.

-- Advertisement --

However, CIH has highlighted that the positive outcomes for council house tenants are more at risk than for tenants of other registered housing providers. CIH's concern is based on the decision to adapt, in particular, the Tenant Services Authority's (TSA) ability to enforce its powers on local authority landlords. Whilst CIH understands the approach to enforcement - to fit with existing systems – it will only work in the full interest of tenants if all organisations involved work in a trusting and co-ordinated way. In particular CIH wants the TSA and Government to commit to close monitoring and an early review of effectiveness.

Abigail Davies, CIH Head of Policy in England said: "To be successful, the new tenant-focused regulatory system must be clear to tenants and command their confidence as well as ensuring service quality.

"The decisions to restrict the TSA’s powers to deal with problems in local authority housing, and to keep other measures one step removed from TSA control, create a real challenge to meeting the criteria for success."

(CD/BMcc)