The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has published Regulatory Notices (RN) for Great Yarmouth Borough Council and Newark and Sherwood District Council.
Great Yarmouth made a self-referral to the RSH in relation to a failure to meet statutory health and safety requirements in some of its homes. The RSH has subsequently concluded that the council has failed to meet statutory health and safety requirements in two areas:
- Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs) which were in place were neither suitable nor sufficient and could not be relied upon. In addition a small number of high risk actions arising from FRAs were overdue for at least six months and
- the Council did not have up to date records of health and safety compliance and therefore did not have assurance that all required checks and remedial actions had been undertaken.
The RSH found Great Yarmouth to be in breach of the Home Standard and that as a consequence there was the potential for serious detriment to tenants.
Newark and Sherwood made a self-referral to the RSH in relation to a failure to meet statutory health and safety requirements in relation to gas safety. The RSH has subsequently concluded that more than 1,000 properties had not received a gas safety inspection within the statutory timeframe. The inspections were typically overdue for a relatively short period of time, however almost 20% of Newark and Sherwood DC’s homes were affected.
The RSH found Newark and Sherwood to be in breach of the Home Standard and that as a consequence there was the potential for serious detriment to tenants.