Regulator Grades UK Local Authorities on Housing Safety

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has issued C3 consumer grades to Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council and the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, citing serious failings in their housing safety management. The regulatory judgements, published on October 14, 2026, highlight significant deficiencies in both local authorities' understanding and management of their housing stock conditions.

Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council

According to the RSH, Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council, located in West Yorkshire, has failed to maintain up-to-date condition information for the majority of its housing stock, with only about 25% of tenants' homes having current data. The council also lacks assurance in understanding potential risks across its housing portfolio. The inspection identified weaknesses in tenant scrutiny, data management, and the handling of complaints. Furthermore, Kirklees MBC has approximately 2,500 fire safety remedial actions pending completion.

Despite these challenges, the council is engaging constructively with the RSH to address the issues. The RSH will continue to monitor Kirklees MBC to ensure sufficient progress is made in managing risks to tenants.

Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London also received a C3 grade due to similar failings. The RSH found that accurate, up-to-date information was unavailable for most properties, with only 15% of homes surveyed under a new stock condition program. While the borough meets key health and safety legal requirements and has improved its repairs performance, it still faces challenges in overseeing remedial actions, communal repairs, and complaints handling. Additionally, there are gaps in the borough's understanding of tenants' diverse needs.

The Royal Borough has acknowledged these issues and is taking steps to address them. The RSH will maintain intensive engagement to ensure improvements are made and risks to tenants are effectively managed.

Other Regulatory Judgements

In contrast, Broadacres Housing Association Limited received a C1 upgrade, demonstrating progress in strengthening board oversight and health and safety reporting. Broadacres, which owns around 7,000 homes in Yorkshire and the Humber, has also improved its approach to monitoring and tackling anti-social behavior.

Other landlords receiving grades include Onward Group Limited and Wealden District Council, both receiving a C1 grade on their first grading. Abri Group Limited, Babergh District Council, and Mid Suffolk District Council received a C2 grade. Abri Group, which manages around 48,000 homes across London and the south of England, has shown significant improvements in addressing safety and quality weaknesses.

Angela Holden, Director of Regulatory Engagement at RSH, emphasized the importance of landlords understanding the condition of their tenants' homes and delivering services that ensure tenant safety. "Where we find serious failings, we will engage intensively with landlords and expect them to take swift and effective action to address our concerns and improve outcomes for tenants," she stated.