Positive Inspection Outcome for Leeds City Council Housing Service

Regulator of Social Housing publishes findings on local authority housing standards

Leeds City Council’s housing service has received a positive assessment following an inspection by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH). The inspection, which took place earlier in 2026, evaluated the council’s compliance with newly introduced consumer standards aimed at improving social housing quality across the country.

Inspection framework and process

The RSH inspection focused on four key consumer standards introduced in 2024:

• Safety and quality
• Transparency, influence and accountability
• Neighbourhood and community
• Tenancy

During the inspection, the RSH team engaged with a range of stakeholders including tenants, elected members, council managers, and Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contractors. They also reviewed documentation and observed committee meetings, including those of the independent Tenant Scrutiny Board.

Inspection rating and findings

The council was awarded a C2 rating, the second highest of four possible categories. This indicates that while there were no serious failings, there are areas where improvements could enhance tenant outcomes.

Significant strengths identified in the report include:

• An effective and timely repairs service, with 93% of non-emergency and 95% of emergency repairs completed on schedule
• A proactive approach to identifying and addressing damp and mould issues in homes
• Strong management of fire safety, including in high-rise buildings
• Fair and prompt handling of complaints, alongside meaningful tenant involvement in policy and service scrutiny
• Partnership working to address crime and anti-social behaviour, providing support to vulnerable tenants

Areas for improvement

The report highlighted two main areas requiring attention, both of which the council had already recognised and was addressing:

• Incomplete and outdated information on the condition and potential hazards in some homes. The council is working to complete outstanding stock condition surveys by August 2027 and improve monitoring of PFI-managed properties.
• A backlog in electrical safety inspections, with 9% of homes overdue due primarily to difficulties in gaining access. The council has begun using legal powers to facilitate these necessary checks.

Council and tenant responses

Councillor Mary Harland, executive member for housing, stated that the findings fairly reflect the council’s compliance efforts and reaffirmed the commitment to providing safe, good-quality homes. She emphasised the council’s intention to address the identified issues promptly and aims to achieve a top-level C1 rating in the future.

Dennis Moody, chair of the Tenant Scrutiny Board, welcomed the opportunity to engage with the regulator and highlighted the ongoing tenant influence on housing service decisions, noting that tenant recommendations are regularly implemented.

Background information

Leeds City Council owns approximately 52,000 social housing homes. Of these, about 2,600 are managed under PFI contracts, and around 1,800 are overseen by the Belle Isle Tenant Management Organisation, which operates in partnership with the council.

The full regulatory judgement report by the Regulator of Social Housing is publicly available for review.