Too many social housing tenants are living in homes that are 'unfit for human habitation', a new report has said today.
The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (LUHC) Committee has found the condition of some social housing in England has deteriorated so badly that people are living in 'appalling' conditions.
The report also argues the power imbalance between social housing tenants and housing providers is one of the biggest problems facing the sector today.
It calls for social housing providers to significantly improve their complaint handling process, and for Government to set up a national tenant voice body to drive up standards in social housing.
Clive Betts, chair of the Committee, said: 'Too many social housing tenants are living in uninhabitable homes and experiencing appalling conditions and levels of disrepair, including serious damp and mould, with potential serious impacts on their mental and physical health.
'The poor complaint handling of some providers not only adds insult to injury but the resulting delays in resolving tenant complaints actively contributes to the levels of disrepair. Sadly, beyond the distress of experiencing poor living conditions, it is undeniable that tenants also face poor treatment from providers who discriminate and stigmatise people because they are social housing tenants.'
The report also criticises the regime for regulating the quality of social housing, calling on the Regulator of Social Housing to be more proactive in defending the interests of tenants and make more use of its enforcement powers.
A Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities spokesperson said: 'We’re taking action to improve social housing through our new Bill. This will give the regulator and Housing Ombudsman more powers, including unlimited fines from the regulator for landlords who fail tenants.
'The biggest suppliers will also be regularly inspected and complaints dealt with quickly and fairly, meaning more people will live in decent and well looked after homes.'
