The Housing Assurance Board meeting on 09 February 2026 addressed a wide range of critical housing issues, with a significant focus on improving resident satisfaction, ensuring building safety, and enhancing operational efficiency. Key decisions included the ongoing development of an Asset Management Policy, the planned procurement of major works contracts, and the establishment of a Decency Task Force to address non-decent homes.

Anti-Social Behaviour, Hate Crimes, and Domestic Abuse

The Board received an update on the Housing Service's response to anti-social behaviour (ASB), hate crime, and domestic abuse. The report highlighted the use of various tools and powers to tackle ASB, including warning letters, acceptable behaviour agreements, mediation, and evictions. In 2024/25, 58 closure orders were issued, and 7 evictions took place, with similar figures for 2025/26. A zero-tolerance approach to hate crime is maintained, with such incidents treated as high-risk ASB cases. Domestic abuse cases are managed by the Family Justice Service, with a member of that team working with the Tenancy Team weekly. A pilot Community Patrol Service, launched on 15 December 2025, is providing visible patrols and community assurance, with daily reports detailing issues such as drug dealing, vandalism, and harassment. Partnership working with the Safer Croydon Partnership Board, the Violence Reduction Network, and the Community Safety Department is central to tackling ASB. Training has been delivered on topics including mental health and ASB, understanding the Equality Act, and cuckooing. Resident feedback from bootcamps and deep dives has led to action plans focusing on mandatory risk assessments, agreed resident contact frequency, and standardised case closure processes. Tenant satisfaction with the approach to handling ASB has shown steady improvement, reaching 56% in Q3 2025/26. Key risks identified include inconsistent application of policies, underutilisation of the ASB toolkit, and a lack of consistent training for new officers.

Capital Investment, Asset Management Data, and Decent Homes

The Board received an update on the Capital Investment, Asset Management Data, and Decent Homes programme. As of December 2025, 95.23% of stock condition surveys were completed, with ongoing efforts to survey the remaining properties, often tied to gas inspections. The Decent Homes standard was met by 96.43% of homes, with a slight increase in January 2026. The Capital Delivery Programme has a budget of over £45.5 million, with approximately £31 million in works completed to date. An Asset Management Policy is being developed with Savills to align with RSH Consumer Standards and integrate sustainability and data governance. The procurement of major works, including the replacement of the Mulalley contract, is underway, with a focus on long-term collaborative contracts. A Decency Task Force is being established, comprising teams from assets, compliance, tenancy, and repairs, to address non-decent properties and develop plans for remediation and prevention.

Fire and Building Safety

An update was provided on Fire and Building Safety, highlighting the establishment of a new, permanent team structure for 2026, with two Building Safety Managers already appointed. The portfolio includes approximately 750 blocks, with 43 high-rise blocks (18m+/7 storeys) identified as within the scope of the Building Safety Act 2022, including 15 Large Panel System (LPS) blocks. Significant work is being done on Fire Risk Assessments (FRAs), with 100% compliance and a focus on closing out actions within set timescales. The report detailed the progress on Building Safety Case Reports, with submissions planned throughout 2026 and 2027. An Enforcement Notice was issued for 45-76 Heathfield Gardens, with a deadline for action in October 2026. The financial overview shows significant expenditure on fire safety, including fire door replacements and surveys. The Resident Engagement Strategy for Fire and Building Safety employs a multi-channel approach to communicate with residents about safety measures, including RPEEPs (Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans). Work is progressing on LPS blocks, with structural assessments informing future decisions on repair or regeneration.

Housing Overview Report and Performance Report

The Board received updates on the operational performance of Housing Services. Successes highlighted include improvements in the Contact Centre's call answering times and online repair requests, completion of the Regina Road demolition, and positive progress on the Housing Improvement Programme. Areas of concern include staff sickness levels, delays in the NEC system rollout, void performance, and a decline in gas safety compliance, although improvements are now being seen. Complaints performance has improved, with 65% of Stage 1 and 60.2% of Stage 2 complaints being responded to within Housing Ombudsman timescales, though this is still below target. Satisfaction with complaints handling has increased to 29.5%. The report also detailed progress on the implementation of Awaab's Law, with a focus on damp and mould cases and a commitment to monitoring performance and mitigating risks.

Forward Plan

The Board discussed the forward plan, noting that the April meeting would be particularly packed. Discussions are ongoing regarding whether the April meeting should proceed as scheduled or be partially rescheduled to maintain momentum. The first Homelessness and Housing Needs meeting is scheduled for March, with an introductory session planned to outline the current situation in Croydon. Topics for future consideration include the rent standard, rent convergence, OPGEM, heat networks, and the competency and conduct standard, with a particular emphasis on refreshing codes of conduct and HR policies by October.

Other Matters

The Board was informed of the planning consent for Regina Road, with construction anticipated to begin on 26 March. Discussions also touched upon the process for handling compensation claims resulting from complaints or Ombudsman determinations, with an update to be provided in April. The issue of leaseholder income and the challenges of Section 20 charges were also raised. The Board was assured that the Council is actively monitoring its stock and properties, with a rolling programme of stock condition surveys feeding into investment plans. The importance of ensuring that all buildings, including medium and low-rise properties, are considered in safety plans was emphasised. The Board also discussed the auditing of stock condition surveys, with a commitment to third-party validation checks. Finally, the potential inclusion of home security and floor coverings in future standards was noted, alongside the ongoing challenges of building control requirements impacting capital programmes.