Watford Community Housing earns top regulatory ratings – including a C1 under the new consumer standard

We are pleased to confirm that we have been awarded the highest ratings following our recent inspection by the Regulator of Social Housing. As well as retaining our G1 rating for governance and our V1 rating for viability, we have earned a C1 rating under the new consumer standards.

The regulatory judgement puts us in the first batch of housing providers to be awarded the C1 rating following the introduction of the new approach to consumer regulation, which took effect on 1 April 2024. 

The new consumer standards aim to strengthen the accountability of social landlords for providing safe homes with quality services, and treating residents with respect, so the top-grade C1 assessment puts us amongst the best in the sector for the services we deliver to our customers.

During the inspection, the regulator considered all four of its consumer standards: Neighbourhood and Community Standard, Safety and Quality Standard, Tenancy Standard, and the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard. The regulator gathered information by observing a board meeting and a tenant scrutiny panel, speaking with tenants, meeting with members of our team and non-executive directors, and reviewing a wide range of documents.

In its judgement, the regulator recognised that we:

• are delivering the outcomes of the consumer standard
• have appropriate systems for ensuring the health and safety of tenants in their homes
• provide an effective repairs service and continue to implement actions to improve the service
• monitor complaints and use performance data to improve our services
• have the skills and capacity to deliver our strategic objectives
• have effective risk management and performance and reporting frameworks
• have a strong financial profile

Commenting on the regulatory judgement, Tina Barnard, Chief Executive of Watford Community Housing, said: “We are delighted to be amongst the first registered landlords to be awarded the C1 rating under the new consumer standards. We believe that this reflects our commitment to providing great services and putting residents at the heart of our work. 

“Our corporate strategy is guided by our customers’ priorities, and the regulator’s judgement demonstrates how hard our teams work to meet their expectations. The feedback from the regulator has been very positive, with strong assurance around our approach to key areas such as ensuring our homes are safe and providing an effective repairs service. 

“We are also pleased to have retained our G1 and V1 ratings, which confirm that we run our business well and have a strong financial profile, giving us the right foundations to continue delivering for our customers and communities.”