The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) and the Audit Commission has signalled a fundamental review of the approach to inspections to better target landlords with performance challenges and where tenants may be getting unsatisfactory services from their landlord.

The TSA, as the social housing regulator, commissions the Audit Commission to carry out inspections of the services that housing associations provide to their tenants such as repairs, gas safety, tenant involvement and estate management. From 1 April 2010 this will also cover local authorities. The results are used by the TSA in determining whether action is needed to ensure tenants get a fair deal from their landlord.


The TSA and Audit Commission will develop a new inspection approach that aligns to the new standards that the TSA expects all social housing landlords to meet from April next year.

Both the TSA and the Audit Commission will involve landlords, tenants and other stakeholders in helping them shape the future arrangements. A joint consultation document will be published in March 2010. The TSA and Audit Commission Boards will make final decisions on the future approach to inspections around July 2010, with the new arrangements coming into force from 1 October.

TSA Chief Executive Peter Marsh said: "A vital part of our new regulatory framework is that we will ask the Audit Commission to inspect, in a targeted way, the performance of social landlords against our new outcome-focused standards.

This fundamental review of the inspection methodology will ensure that tenants and providers will be able to help us and the Audit Commission shape the new arrangements."

(CD/KMcA)