More than eight million tenants across the country will benefit from new standards the Tenant Services Authority (TSA) has set for all social housing landlords.

In the biggest shake up of social housing regulation in decades, the six standards, drawn up with tenants and landlords up and down the country, will come into effect from 1 April and cover how landlords need to deal with issues such as tenant involvement and empowerment, repairs and maintenance, rents, quality of accommodation, complaints and anti-social behaviour.

The new standards will apply to nearly 1800 social housing providers in England which include housing associations, councils and co-operatives. This means for the first time tenants will get similar levels of protection and services regardless of who their landlord happens to be.


The TSA will also have new enforcement powers to rely on to ensure tenants get a fair deal, which could include issuing enforcement notices and directing the transfer of management.

Published in its new framework, the TSA's six national standards which landlords will need to meet are:

• Tenant involvement and empowerment, including customer service, choice and complaints, and understanding and responding to diverse needs
• Home, including repairs and maintenance and quality of accommodation
• Tenancy, including allocations, rent and tenure
• Neighbourhood and community, including neighbourhood management, local area co-operation and anti-social behaviour
• Value for money
• Governance and financial viability

TSA Chief Executive Peter Marsh said: "This is a landmark for the social housing sector with a new system of regulation that will touch the lives of over eight million tenants. For the first time, tenants will have opportunities, backed by the regulator, to influence the services that most affect them and hold their landlords to account.

"I am pleased we have achieved a broad consensus amongst tenants and landlords on our co-regulatory approach – one that ensures that poorly performing landlords are quickly identified but a system that lets good performing landlords get on with that they do best – providing excellent services."

(CD/GK)