Adur District Council failed to meet a range of health and safety requirements in tenants’ homes, the the social housing watchdog has ruled.
The Regulator of Social Housing said the West Sussex council breached the Home Standard and as a result there was ‘potential for serious detriment’ to tenants.
Following a self-referral by the council, the regulator confirmed that almost one in five fire inspections were overdue, more than 1,500 homes had not had an electrical safety inspection in 10 years and more than 1,500 homes did not have a working smoke alarm.
The council did not have full or accurate data on compliance with the Decent Homes Standard.
Adur DC says it has started to put in place a programme to put things right including completing outstanding health and safety checks and starting new stock condition surveys.
The regulator will monitor the council’s progress closely as it carries out this work.
Kate Dodsworth of the Regulator of Social Housing said: ‘Adur District Council has put its tenants at potential risk by failing to carry out all necessary health and safety checks and failing to provide all homes with working smoke alarms.
‘The council referred itself to us when it identified these issues, and we are monitoring it closely as it takes urgent action to put things right.’
