Regulator finds failings in West Northamptonshire social housing
The leader of West Northants Council says they're taking action
The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has found serious failings in the way its housing is being ran and managed.
Council contractor Northamptonshire Partnership Homes (NPH) say they're "prioritising safety concerns, including carrying out essential safety checks such as fire risk assessments for properties with a communal space."
We're told further checks of all 11,500 properties will be completed by the end of December.
The Council referred itself to the Regulator in September 2024 following a review process identifying issues. This includes a lack of safety inspections being carried out at some properties.
Local authority leader Adam Brown says they're working on a shared plan of action:
“Everyone deserves safe, high-quality housing and we recognise that this is not being delivered to some of our tenants. This is simply not good enough and we are sorry that standards have fallen short of what the Council and tenants should expect. We accept this judgement and welcome the Regulator’s input and transparency, as this will help us drive forward the urgent improvements required together.
“Since identifying these failings and submitting a self-referral, we have taken immediate action, prioritising safety concerns and working closely with NPH to ensure robust processes are in place. We have also strengthened oversight by appointing additional directors and housing experts to the board to guide and support the recovery process.
“Our priority is to restore confidence among our tenants by delivering safe, secure, and high-quality homes, and we are fully committed to meeting the Regulator’s standards. We will continue to be open and transparent throughout this process as we work tirelessly to achieve these goals.”
The council go on to say that they welcome the evaluation.