Regulator exposes neglected safety checks in Birmingham City Council properties

Regulator exposes neglected safety checks in Birmingham City Council properties

0:06 AM, 31st May 2023, About 11 months ago 1

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Birmingham City Council, the largest council housing landlord in the country, has come under fire for failing to meet regulatory standards and adequately maintain its homes.

The Regulator of Social Housing has revealed that the council, responsible for managing 60,000 properties, has breached the Homes Standard and the Tenant Involvement and Empowerment Standard.

During their investigation, the regulatory body discovered that Birmingham City Council had neglected crucial fire, electrical and asbestos checks and inspections for numerous properties, violating the required safety laws.

Birmingham City Council has a backlog of 1,000 fire risk assessments

The regulatory notice also details that Birmingham City Council has a backlog of 1,000 fire risk assessments, 15,000 domestic electrical inspections and a staggering 17,000 overdue asbestos surveys.

Also, an astonishing 39% of the council’s properties fall short of complying with the Decent Homes Standard (DHS), leaving many tenants living in substandard homes.

In addition to the deficiencies in safety checks, the Regulator of Social Housing also criticised the council’s handling of complaints.

It says that more than 1,000 complaints were overdue, highlighting a failure to promptly address tenants’ concerns.

Lack of proactive and effective communication with tenants

The regulator’s investigation further revealed a lack of proactive and effective communication with tenants, with external reviews conducted in 2021 and 2022 confirming that tenants’ needs were not properly understood or valued.

It has also stated that it will collaborate with Birmingham City Council as it works to rectify these breaches of standards.

The notice comes at a critical time as the Regulator of Social Housing prepares to assume additional powers under an enhanced consumer regulation regime, scheduled to take effect next year.

The upcoming Social Housing Regulation Bill will empower the regulator to inspect all large social landlords, including local authorities, against new standards on a rolling four-year basis.

The bill emphasises safety, transparency and energy efficiency as formal objectives of the regulatory body, aiming to safeguard the well-being and rights of social housing tenants.

Birmingham City Council has not commented on the regulator’s report.


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Comments

Reluctant Landlord

12:06 PM, 31st May 2023, About 11 months ago

Nothing surprises me with BCC . Worst council by far. Completely inept and beset by Labour in fighting.

Their PRS department hasn't got a clue and now they are introducing SL in 24 wards to apparently 'raise standards in the PRS', yet the latest report (as above) shows they are knowingly leaving tenants in dangerous properties.

SofS gave them the ability to into SL and they are charging £700 for a 5 year licence. Clearly all this will do is put the rent up for existing tenants for those only the good LL's that apply.

The got the agreement to have SL on the basis it ticked the box of high deprivation and crime. The conditions of the licence only relate to the LL meeting the already legal requirements of having an elec, gas cert, EPC etc. I'd love to know how they relate having to show them this documentation, and paying £700 is going to directly address deprivation and crime!

Bloody joke.

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