The Council’s housing arm, Sutton Housing Partnership (SHP), achieved a C1 rating following an inspection by the Government’s Regulator of Social Housing, and was praised for its proactive approach to tackling damp and mould.
Alongside its response to mould and damp, inspectors commended Sutton for the wide range of ways tenants can share feedback, from resident review groups to serving as board members.
The Regulator said the approach to tenant engagement is “varied and accessible,” demonstrating a strong commitment to listening to residents.
Evidence from the review showed that tenant input has directly improved services, particularly in responsive repairs.
The Regulator noted that Sutton’s Resident Review Group is able to influence policy and service improvements, showing that tenants have a genuine voice in shaping change.
While the report praised Sutton for safety, quality, and tenant engagement, it also highlighted areas for continued improvement.
Inspectors noted that the council should continue embedding recent changes in complaints handling, strengthen case management for anti‑social behaviour, and enhance the collection and use of tenant data to ensure services meet residents’ evolving needs.
The Regulator’s assessment involved extensive engagement with both the Council and SHP to measure compliance with new consumer standards covering safety, quality, transparency, accountability, and community engagement.
The inspection also looked at how landlords managing more than 1,000 homes involve residents in decision‑making and respond to their feedback.
Commenting on the grading, Councillor Jake Short, Lead Member for Housing, said: “This outcome shows that we are delivering on our promise to provide safe, high‑quality homes alongside excellent services for our residents.
“With over 500 council homes set to be built in the next five years, we are doing all we can to improve access to good, quality, affordable social housing that we know our residents need.
“This inspection has also highlighted the value of listening to our residents, and we are committed to using their invaluable feedback to continuously learn, improve, and shape even better services for the future. I would like to congratulate everyone at the Council and Sutton Housing Partnership on this fantastic achievement.”
Steve Tucker, Managing Director of Sutton Housing Partnership, added: “Achieving the C1 rating is highly encouraging, confirming the Regulator’s finding that we are meeting the consumer standards.
“It’s a validation of the hard work and dedication of our staff, particularly in delivering safer homes and faster repairs. In a time that remains tough for the social housing sector, we will use this outcome to celebrate our strengths and focus on where we must continue to improve.”
As of Monday (October 27), local authorities and landlords are now subject to the Renters’ Rights Bill, which introduces new protections for renters in England including banning no‑fault evictions, replacing fixed‑term tenancies with periodic tenancies, and giving local councils stronger enforcement powers.
While the bill primarily targets the private rented sector, tenants in social housing will benefit from the greater emphasis on transparency, fairness and the obligation for landlords to act quickly on serious issues.
