The housing association sector is made up of diverse organisations including charities, limited companies,and industrial and provident societies. They range from organisations which own and manage a small number of homes in a local community to large, national organisations which own and manage tens of thousands of homes. Increasing numbers of housing associations have been formed by the transfer of former local authority homes. A significant number work together in groups which provide common services and support.
The range of services provided by housing associations covers standard housing management functions (e.g. asset management and major repairs, estate management and rent collection), specialist support housing services (e.g. sheltered housing and supported living for people with a range of needs), building new homes and working in partnership with local authorities to manage local housing needs. They also provide services, such as care and nursing homes, support under the Supporting People programme, and education and health services which are inspected by other bodies.
The statutory regulator for housing associations is the Tenant Services Authority, and their primary source of new development funding, is the Homes and Communities Agency. The Audit Commission and the Tenant Services Authority's lead regulation teams work together in partnership on the inspection of housing associations. The results of inspection are used by the Tenant Services Authority in its overall assessment of housing association performance. See the Audit Commission and Tenant Services Authority agreement on how the partnership works.
Relevant publications include: Housing association rent income and Group dynamics.
The Tenant Services Authority (external link) publishes housing association inspection reports.
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
The Tenant Services Authority (TSA) and the Audit Commission have published a Memorandum of Understanding, which sets out how the two organisations work together in regulating and inspecting housing associations, with the aim to improve services provided to tenants. The MoU will cover information exchange and communication, co-ordinated regulatory activity, promoting excellence, Board and Executive liaison and consultation on matters of common interest. The Commission will support the TSA's regulatory role through carrying out inspection on behalf of the TSA. The TSA will support the Commission in its role on Comprehensive Area Assessments.
The MoU will be supported by an annual work plan detailing the joint work agreed in order to deliver the commitments set out in the MoU and by operational guidance for Audit Commission inspectors and Tenants Services Authority regulators.
A protocol between the Audit Commission and the Housing Ombudsman Service on exchange of information was formally agreed on 5 December 2005. This protocol sets out the circumstances in which information will be shared. It also creates an annual liaison meeting in which the Ombudsman and the Commission can discuss issues of common interest and mutual concern.
In addition, the Inspectorate applies the criteria outlined in its key lines of enquiry (KLOEs), first published in July 2004, to housing association inspections.
Housing associations are re-inspected if they are considered to be providing a 'poor' (zero-star) service or to have 'poor' prospects for improvement from a 'fair' (one-star) service. Further information can be found on the housing association re-inspection page.