The Borough Residents' Forum was scheduled to discuss significant updates on the Social Housing Regulation Act and the council's green agenda. Other topics included heating and hot water charges, and the Housing Revenue Account budget setting, which encompasses rent setting.

Social Housing Regulation Act

The meeting was scheduled to consider a report outlining the requirements of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. This legislation introduces a new, proactive approach to regulating social housing, aiming to ensure landlords meet standards and to take action against those who do not. The Act expands the role of the Regulator of Social Housing, granting it new powers to intervene and take enforcement action earlier. Landlords will be assessed against revised Consumer Standards and Tenant Satisfaction Measures. A key amendment, known as 'Awaab's Law', obliges landlords to investigate and fix reported hazards within a specified timeframe, or rehouse tenants if a home cannot be made safe. The report indicated that proposed increases in resources for the damp and mould team would be met from existing budgets, potentially delivering a marginal saving compared to outsourcing.

Update on Green Agenda

A report was scheduled to provide an update on the actions being taken by the Housing and Regeneration Department to contribute to the Wandsworth Environment and Sustainability Strategy (WESS). This includes efforts to improve the energy efficiency of the council's residential stock and achieve carbon reductions. The department has been working on communal heating systems, exploring grant funding options, and providing support for tenants at risk of or experiencing fuel poverty. The report highlighted that 64% of the council's tenanted properties have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band C or higher, with a focus on improving the energy efficiency of those in lower bands. The council is also constructing new homes to Passive House standards. The report also detailed ongoing work with government funding streams such as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) and the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4), as well as capital works programmes that include window and roof renewals, and the installation of solar panels.

Heating and Hot Water Charges

The meeting was scheduled to receive a report from the Executive Director of Housing and Regeneration concerning heating and hot water charges.

HRA Budget Setting (including Rent Setting)

A report from the Executive Director of Finance was scheduled to address the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget setting, which includes decisions on rent setting. This report would provide updates to the HRA Business Plan, incorporating current estimates for expenditure and profiles updated for capital scheme cash flows and associated capital financing. It was also expected to highlight external challenges such as increased interest rates and inflation impacting borrowing for the council's development plans.