Newly published annual report and accounts for 2022/23 revealed that the Regulator focused its work on its priorities around giving tenants a strong voice, the quality and safety of homes, discharge of homelessness duties, and rent affordability and supporting landlords. It worked with stakeholders to provide landlords with advice on damp and mould and published thematic reviews on rents and homelessness.

The Regulator also published its National Report on the Charter and findings from its research with its National Panel of Tenants and Service Users. It completed its annual regulatory risk assessment of social landlords and published the outcome in engagement plans for each landlord.

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George Walker, the Regulator’s chair, said: “Moving into 2023/24 social landlords are faced with cost inflation, higher interest rates, and increasing requirements on quality of homes. This is all combined with huge demand for support from tenants who are facing genuine financial hardship, and there is pressure to keep rents as affordable as possible. We are also seeing acute issues around homelessness, and temporary accommodation in particular. The year ahead is likely to remain unpredictable, volatile and difficult.

“We recognise that the current context means that social landlords are likely to have to prioritise their attention and resources on the most critical and immediate issues, including tackling the acute problems in homelessness, alleviating fuel poverty and maintaining tenant safety. We are working with our stakeholders to understand what achievable priorities at a sustainable pace look like for social housing for the next year.

“We will shortly consult on our future Regulatory Framework, building on the very useful initial informal discussion phase earlier this year. This work will shape our regulatory approach for the next five years, and it will very much take account of our engagement with all of our stakeholders.”