Government issues revised Directions to Regulator of Social Housing on tenant involvement and mutual exchange

New Directions introduce strengthened requirements for social landlords to consider tenants’ views and to assist those using mutual exchange service

The government has issued revised Directions to the Regulator of Social Housing on tenant involvement and mutual exchange.

Having consulted on a proposal to issued revised Directions in February 2023, the government has today published its response to that consultation which confirms that it has decided to proceed with its proposed approach to updating the existing Directions and that it believes –

'… this approach will ensure that directions are fit for purpose and will support the overall reform objectives of the Social Housing Regulation Bill: to facilitate a new, proactive approach to consumer regulation so providers of social housing can be effectively held to account for the services they provide to tenants.'

In addition, confirming that the new Directions revoke the ‘Tenant involvement and empowerment’ and ’Mutual exchange’ paragraphs of the 2012 Directions on Regulatory Standards, and direct the Regulator to set revised regulatory standards (and the content of those standards) on tenant involvement and mutual exchange, the government says that –

• the revised direction on tenant involvement will assist tenants in being influential voices in the conversations and decisions taken about the strategies, service delivery and management of their homes, and about the behaviours and values of their landlord; and
• the updated mutual exchange direction will help to facilitate the intended outcomes of mutual exchange schemes, enabling tenants to easily access the details of as many available matches as possible.

The Directions on the Regulatory Standards relating to tenant involvement and mutual exchange 2023 are available from gov.uk