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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 8 December 2015 (HL4002), whether they will instruct the Social Housing Regulator to require a report from Circle Housing Group on the performance of Old Ford Housing Association’s gas safety and repairs and maintenance contractor since the governance rating downgrade in February 2015.

The Social Housing Regulator is statutorily independent. The Department for Communities and Local Government cannot therefore direct the Regulator on this matter.

The Social Housing Regulator has a clear regulatory framework which it applied in this case. As is normal practice the Social Housing Regulator is working closely with Circle as it recovers the urgent and emergency repairs service provided to Old Ford’s tenants and improves its governance. The Regulator currently has sufficient assurance of Circle’s plans to address the issues and its progress in doing so, such that the Regulator considers it does not need to use its enforcement powers at this point. The Regulator will of course continue to examine new information that comes to light.