4. Regulatory standards, legislation and approved codes of practice

4.1 Regulatory standards

We must ensure we comply with the Regulator of Social Housing's regulatory framework and consumer standards for social housing in England. The new consumer standards were introduced on 1 April 2024 and detail the four consumer standards which landlords are required to comply with, including:

• The Safety and Quality Standard - which requires landlords to provide safe and good-quality homes and landlord services to tenants. This includes stock quality; decency; health and safety; repairs, maintenance, and planned improvements; and adaptations
• The Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard - which requires landlords to be open with tenants and treat them with fairness and respect so that tenants can access services, raise complaints when necessary, influence decision-making and hold their landlord to account. This standard incorporates Tenant Satisfaction Measure requirements
• The Neighbourhood and Community Standard - which requires landlords to engage with other relevant parties so that tenants can live in safe and well-maintained neighbourhoods and feel safe in their homes
• The Tenancy Standard - which sets requirements for the fair allocation and letting of homes and for how those tenancies are managed and ended by landlords

4.2 Legislation

The principal legislation applicable to this policy is:

• Housing Act 1985
• Housing Act 1988
• Housing Act 1996
• Freedom of Information Act 2000
• Data Protection Act and General Data Protection Regulations 2018
• Equality Act 2010
• The Universal Credit Regulations 2013
• Welfare Reform Act 2012 and Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016
• Coronavirus Act 2020
• Consumer standards Code of Practice

4.3 Guidance

The principal guidance applicable to this policy is the Pre-Action Protocol for Possession Claims by Social Landlords. The pre-action protocol prescribes the specific procedures that social landlords should follow before issuing possession claims.