The Housing Scrutiny Commission of Southwark Council met on Tuesday 14 July 2026 to discuss progress on the Good Landlord Plan and to consider potential topics for the commission's work programme for the upcoming year. The meeting's agenda focused on the ongoing efforts to improve housing services and address regulatory concerns.

Progress on the Good Landlord Plan

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to reviewing the progress of the Good Landlord Plan (GLP). This plan is a key initiative aimed at addressing shortcomings identified by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH), which had previously issued a C3 grading for Southwark Council's landlord services in November 2024. The GLP is designed to align housing improvements with the Southwark 2030 Strategy's goal of Decent Homes for All and to ensure compliance with new regulations, particularly those arising from the Grenfell Tower fire and the tragic death of Awaab Ishak.

The report detailed progress across several themes within the GLP:

• Better Homes: The stock condition survey programme was ahead of schedule, with over 8,000 surveys completed by March 2026. Initial findings suggested an estimated decency rate of 92%, an improvement from previous estimates. Compliance performance in areas such as asbestos, communal EICR, and fire risk assessments had seen significant improvements, with some reaching 100% compliance. However, challenges remained in domestic EICR and smoke alarm compliance, with ongoing projects to address these. The report also highlighted the need to improve the process for gaining access to properties for essential inspections and repairs. Estate refurbishment programmes were progressing, and the deployment of Switchee sensors to monitor environmental conditions within homes was also underway.
• Better Estates: Efforts were being made to review and improve the estate inspection process, with a trial of the HouseMark Photobook platform planned. The report noted the importance of addressing outstanding communal repair issues to rebuild resident confidence. Work was also underway to strengthen the response to anti-social behaviour (ASB) with a new procedure and training for caseworkers. Estate surgeries had been successfully introduced across estates, street properties, and infill blocks to provide residents with direct engagement opportunities. A tenant-led waste management initiative was progressing across seven priority estates, with learning from a pilot on the Acorn Estate being used to inform wider rollout. Inspections and repairs to improve the safety and accessibility of play areas were also ongoing.
• Better Repairs: The report indicated a slight improvement in repairs performance, with repairs completed on the first visit reaching 85% by May 2026. A new operating model for repairs was being developed, and improvements had been made to the online repair solution, particularly for reporting damp and mould. The Plentific Marketplace system was being used for communal and void repairs, with a damp and mould module in development. A Voids Improvement Programme had introduced clear pathways for minor and major voids, aiming for a 28-day turnaround for minor voids and 100 days for major voids.
• Better Customer Service: The backlog of stage one complaints had been cleared, and response times had improved. However, stage two complaints still required attention, with a backlog identified. A Quality Assurance Framework for housing complaints handling had been implemented, and a new Customer Excellence training programme was being rolled out to staff. A new Repairs Policy was under development, with resident consultation underway. Corporate customer standards and a consistent quality assurance approach were also being developed, with the integration of the GovMetric customer satisfaction survey platform. The Bournemouth Road office continued to provide face-to-face support, and eight community-based services were operational, with plans for further expansion.
• A Stronger Voice for Residents: An allocation of £100,000 had been set aside for a reward, recognition, and incentive scheme for residents serving on Landlord Services Improvement Boards. A further £1.3 million was allocated to support grassroots resident involvement activities. The council continued to support 16 Tenant Management Organisations (TMOs) through a robust support, assurance, and governance monitoring framework. The report acknowledged potential risks of resident engagement fatigue and capacity constraints.
• New Council Homes: Delivery of the council homes programme was progressing across major regeneration schemes, although risks remained concerning market demand for private sales at the Ledbury Estate and ongoing discussions for the Abbeyfield Estate redevelopment. The Tustin Estate Phase 1 had achieved practical completion, with Phase 2 contracts entered into. The Aylesbury Estate was subject to ongoing workstreams to determine future delivery options, with resident engagement planned. A new allocations policy had been developed and consulted upon, and the new Home Connections Choice Based Lettings system had gone live.

Work Programme 2026-2027

The Commission also considered potential scrutiny topics for its work programme for the 2026-2027 municipal year. It was noted that due to the new administration, changes in leadership, and the process of new councillors familiarising themselves with their roles, it was considered too early to make informed decisions on agreeing a meaningful work programme. Therefore, it was recommended that the Commission defer agreement of the work programme until its next meeting in October 2026. In the interim, the Commission would undertake information-gathering exercises, including meetings with executive members and senior officers, to identify potential topics for prioritisation. The report outlined the executive portfolios relevant to the Commission's remit, including Council Homes, Public Works and New Homes, and Tenant and Leaseholder Services.