Dudley Council has formally requested the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) to lift a Regulatory Notice that was imposed in April 2023. The notice was issued after the council self-reported serious lapses in meeting legal health and safety obligations across its housing stock.
The council acknowledged it had failed to complete essential safety checks, including gas, fire, electrical, and asbestos inspections, in numerous properties. Additionally, critical fire remedial work in communal areas was incomplete, and Dudley could not verify that all of its 21,000 council homes met the decent homes standard.
In response, Dudley Council commissioned a comprehensive stock condition survey by property experts Savills, which cost £3.25 million. The survey aims to assess the condition and safety compliance of the council’s entire housing portfolio. According to a recent report presented to the Housing and Assets Scrutiny Committee, Dudley has completed 82% of internal property inspections and all communal area inspections, with 96.6% of council homes meeting the decent homes standard.
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Despite these improvements, the council admits it has yet to fully comply with energy efficiency targets and decarbonisation plans. The report highlights strong governance, resident engagement, and compliance across most regulatory standards but emphasizes that areas such as data integration and transparency need targeted enhancements.
Kathryn Jones, Director of Housing and Communities, affirmed the council’s commitment to resolving these issues, stating that a 12-month survey programme was already underway before the notice was issued. The council assures residents that swift actions are being taken to ensure safety and legal compliance.
Funding for all work related to the survey and compliance efforts, spanning from 2023/24 through 2025/26, has been covered within existing budgets. Dudley Council’s formal request to lift the Regulatory Notice was submitted following close collaboration with the RSH, with a decision expected in mid-January 2026.