Housing service recognised for number of strengths following inspection

The city council is delivering outcomes predominantly in line with nationally-recognised consumer standards, according to the latest inspection of its housing services.

And the authority has pledged to take action where further improvements have been identified.

The authority received a C2 grading from the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) following the inspection which took place earlier this year.

The RSH has published its regulatory judgement following an inspection carried out in Spring 2026, which assessed the council's performance against the Consumer Standards (Regulatory standards for landlords - GOV.UK)

The RSH is responsible for regulating social landlords in England, issuing consumer gradings ranging from C1 (compliant) to C4 (very serious failings). A C2 grading means the council is delivering the outcomes of the Consumer Standards overall, but that there are some areas where further improvement is needed.

The inspection involved a review of key documents, assessment of information available online, as well as a number of on-site meetings with senior management, involved tenants, the council leader and the councillor who is the Portfolio Holder for housing.

The judgement recognised a number of strengths within the housing service, including:

• Homes are well-maintained, good quality and safe
• Tenants are treated fairly and with respect, and feel that the Council acts on their feedback
• Positive outcomes for tenants in relation to anti-social behaviour and hate crime, working closely with partner agencies.

The judgement also identified areas where further improvement is required, including:

• Damp and mould performance reporting
• Focusing on tenant data to improve services for tenants with diverse needs
• Complaints handling, including the use of extensions.

Councillor Duncan Walker, cabinet member for Safe and Resilient Communities and Housing at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “We welcome the regulator's judgement and the detailed assessment of our housing services. The inspection provided a valuable opportunity for us to demonstrate the work taking place across our housing service and to receive independent feedback on where we can improve further.

"The report recognises the hard work that has been undertaken by our housing teams and the progress made in delivering safe, quality homes and services that are informed by our tenants. The judgement reflects where we would broadly be at this stage after making some significant changes.

“We acknowledge the areas where the regulator has identified that improvements are needed and we are already taking action to address these matters.

“Our focus remains on providing excellent services, listening to tenant feedback and ensuring that every tenant lives in a safe, well-maintained home.

"We are committed to achieving the highest standards and will continue to work together with the RSH and tenants as we deliver our improvement programme."

In their findings, the RSH were positive about the council’s engagement with them, welcoming the proactive and transparent approach. They also noted how “respectfully” staff spoke about tenants during their engagement and, also, that involved tenants felt listened to and valued.

Councillor Walker added: “We have been very open with our tenants that the service is on an improvement journey.

“The inspection has occurred midway through that journey and within just one year of returning the repairs and maintenance service (formerly Unitas) back in-house in order to improve standards for our tenants.

“Many of the improvement actions identified by the regulator are already underway, with a clear plan to strengthen performance in the areas highlighted and a commitment to obtaining a C1 grade as quickly as possible.”

The full regulatory judgement from the Regulator of Social Housing can be viewed here: Stoke-on-Trent City Council - GOV.UK