Three housing associations received consumer grades of C1 – including two upgrades – in regulatory judgements published by the Regulator of Social Housing today (Wednesday 27 May).
But the judgements also confirmed serious failings at Rugby Borough Council (Rugby BC) in how the local authority is delivering the outcomes of the Rent Standard.
Sanctuary Housing Association has been upgraded to C1, having made improvements and provided evidence that it is delivering an effective, efficient and timely repairs service.
RSH confirmed the consumer upgrade alongside unchanged governance grade of G1 and financial viability grade of V2 for Sanctuary, which manages over 85,000 social homes across England from its Worcester headquarters.
Railway Housing Association and Benefit Fund (Railway Housing) also received an upgrade to C1, while its governance grade of G1 and financial viability grade of V2 are unchanged.
As well as making improvements to its repairs service, Darlington-based Railway Housing also demonstrated it is delivering against its Resident Engagement Strategy and has improved the accuracy and relevancy of the information held on the diverse needs of its tenants.
Regenda Limited received a governance upgrade to G1, alongside its first consumer grade of C1 and an unchanged financial viability grade of V2.
In addition to meeting the outcomes of the consumer standards, Regenda provided evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of its governance arrangements and showed that it continues to effectively manage the risks of its activities, allowing it to deliver its strategic and charitable objectives.
RSH found Regenda, which owns or manages around 13,000 homes mainly across the North West, also meets the financial viability requirements but needs to manage material risks to ensure continued compliance.
Chief of Regulatory Engagement Kate Dodsworth said
“Our job is to hold landlords to account and drive continuous improvement to ensure tenants get good quality homes and effective services. Getting a top grading shows a landlord is meeting our minimum standards – and there’s always room to do better.
“It’s really encouraging when we see landlords listening, acting on our feedback and making the necessary changes to deliver better quality homes and a better service for their tenants.”
RSH identified serious non-compliance with the Rent Standard at Rugby Borough Council (Rugby BC) after the local authority overcharged around 4,000 tenants and former tenants due to errors it made in setting rents, totalling approximately £415,000.
The rents have now been corrected, and engagement between RSH and the local authority is ongoing to ensure improvements and appropriate redress for tenants. Rugby BC’s consumer grade of C3 issued in February 2026 remains unchanged.
Ms Dodsworth said the council was engaging constructively with RSH as it worked to address these issues, and added “We expect to see clear evidence of meaningful improvement, with a firm focus on managing risks to tenants and ensuring those affected receive appropriate redress.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
The full list of judgements published today is provided in the table below.
| Landlord | Consumer grade | Governance Grade | Viability Grade | Rent Change | Engagement Process |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Railway Housing Association and Benefit Fund | C1 (upgrade) | G1 (based on previous assessment) | V2 (based on previous assessment) | – | Responsive Engagement |
| Regenda Limited | C1 (first grading) | G1 (upgrade) | V2 (assessed and unchanged) | – | Inspection |
| Rugby Borough Council | C3 (based on previous assessment) | – | – | New judgement | Responsive Engagement |
| Sanctuary Housing Association | C1 (upgrade) | G1 (based on previous assessment) | V2 (Based on previous assessment) | – | Responsive Engagement |
- On 1 April 2024 RSH introduced revised consumer standards for social housing landlords, designed to drive long-term improvements in the sector. It also began a programme of landlord inspections. The changes are a result of the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023 and include stronger powers to hold landlords to account. More information about RSH’s approach is available in its document Reshaping Consumer Regulation.
- More information about RSH’s responsive engagement, programmed inspections and consumer gradings is also available on its website.
- RSH promotes a viable, efficient and well-governed social housing sector able to deliver more and better social homes. It does this by setting standards and carrying out robust regulation focusing on driving improvement in social landlords, including local authorities, and ensuring that housing associations are well-governed, financially viable and offer value for money. It takes appropriate action if the outcomes of the standards are not being delivered.
- RSH publishes gradings for consumer, governance and viability. Local authorities only receive consumer gradings. More information can be found on the How we approach regulatory judgements and gradings page.
- For media enquiries please contact [email protected] or [email protected]. For general enquiries contact [email protected].
