The Audit Commission inspected the housing services provided by all housing authorities in England (county councils are not housing authorities). Our approach was initially linked to the timing of best value reviews where the Commission determined the time and scope of an inspection in discussion with the authority each year. The inspections could be for all or part of the landlord or strategic housing service.
In subsequent years inspections of local authority landlord services became more risk based. We inspected following assessment of performance information and other intelligence (including tenant feedback). Along with published performance indicators, Inspection scores fed into the assessment ratings for the authority under Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) and then Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA).
Since April 2010, we have inspected landlord services provided by local authorities on behalf of the Tenant Services Authority (TSA). We continued to inspect the strategic housing services of local authorities (eg homelessness) under pre-existing powers.
Inspections of local authority housing services also took place under these circumstances:
- Arms length management organisations (ALMOs) established by local authorities for their housing were inspected up until November 2010, as a requirement for the release of central government funding.
- The Secretary of State or the authority's external auditors could also direct the Audit Commission to carry out an inspection.