Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of scrutiny involved in decisions by the Regulator of Social Housing to close investigations into regulatory or compliance issues; and what mechanisms exist to review such decisions.

The Regulator of Social Housing operates independently of Government.

If the Regulator identifies serious failings in delivering the outcomes required by its standards, it engages intensively until the landlord provides evidence which gives assurance that the relevant weaknesses or failings have been addressed. Once the Regulator is satisfied that sufficient progress has been made, it may reflect this through removing or updating previous regulatory judgments. However, engagement may continue to ensure improvements continue.

Decisions of this nature are a matter for the Regulator. Ministers and the department do not intervene in the regulator’s operational decisions, including its engagement with providers or its approach to resolving non-compliance.