Regulator of Social Housing Inspection Outcome
We are proud to announce that we’ve been awarded a C1 grading from the Regulator of Social Housing. We are one of the first landlords in England to earn a C1 grading, which was introduced in April this year. The new C grading is focused on ensuring customers are safe in their homes, treated with fairness and respect and able to influence the quality of services.
We have also retained the highest grades for both Viability - V1 and Governance - G1. The three gradings cover:
- How well our governance arrangements enable the Trust to effectively manage risks, adequately control the organisation and ensure it continues to meet its objectives (G grading)
- Our financial viability and whether we are in a good financial position to deliver our business and corporate plans (V grading)
- A brand-new consumer grading (from April 24) focused on ensuring tenants are safe in their homes, treated with fairness and respect, plus able to influence the quality of services received (C grading)
Whilst we are delighted with this news, we continue to shape our plans for the Trust, and we know there’s still work to do. We want to continue to improve our services and make a positive difference to customers and communities. It is customer voices that matter most, and we must and will keep listening.
Wayne Gales, Chief Executive at WVHT, said:
“The gradings are a testament to our hard-working colleagues and all of our involved customers from across Weaver Vale’s communities who give their time, commitment, and share lived experiences to help shape and improve our services. It also demonstrates the success of our customer feedback framework which we re-launched in April 2023.
“Whilst we are delighted with this news, we recognise there’s always work to do to ensure we continue to provide the best possible customer experience we can and ensure our homes remain safe and meet the needs and aspirations of those we serve and communities in which we work.
“It is the voices of customers that matter most, and we will continue to listen to what matters most to people who live in our homes.”
In its judgement, the Regulator recognised our strengths, including:
- WVHT provides a wide range of opportunities for tenants to influence and scrutinise its strategies, policies and services. There are clear arrangements in place for tenant engagement that are well supported by WVHT. There is also evidence that feedback from tenants has been used to help shape the design and delivery of services, and that WVHT actively considers tenants’ diverse needs.
- WVHT has a risk management and control framework that aligns to its strategic risks. There is evidence of risk being managed effectively in practice. There is also evidence of board discussion and challenge on WVHT’s performance against its strategic objectives, and board oversight of controls and assurance on its strategic risks.
- We have appropriate assurance that WVHT’s board has effective oversight of loan covenant compliance and there is evidence that it has proactively implemented mitigations to maintain good levels of forecast headroom. WVHT forecasts strong interest cover, while continuing to deliver its development programme and investing in existing stock.
Paul Smith, Board Chair at WVHT, added: “This is a significant moment for Weaver Vale, our customers, and colleagues. It clearly demonstrates we are on the right track supporting our customers to play a central role in shaping our organisation and our plans. In our approach it enables us to ensure we are listening and understanding the needs of our communities, now and in the future.
“With the regulator’s feedback, and the continued efforts from our teams and customers, we’re confident we can play our part in creating thriving communities where everyone has a place to call home.”
You can read the full RSH report here.