Social housing

Social housing is rented housing provided at below-market rents by local housing authorities and registered providers (e.g. housing associations) to people whose needs are not met by the private market. For example because of low income, vulnerability or homelessness. It is governed by a different legal and regulatory framework from most private renting, with strong emphasis on affordability, allocation based on need, and long-term security.

Social landlords are:

Subject to Regulator of Social Housing consumer and economic standards, including tenant involvement, safety, repairs and governance.
Increasingly bound by Awaab’s Law timescales and an updated Decent Homes Standard, requiring rapid action on damp and mould and other serious hazards.
Answerable to the Housing Ombudsman, whose approach to complaints and compensation is influencing expectations in the Private Rented Sector.

The Renters’ Rights Act draws heavily on social housing principles, such as stronger redress, clearer rental standards and limits on “no-fault” Section 21 eviction and gradually extends similar protections into the Private Rented Sector. For private landlords, social housing is both a comparator, showing the standards government expects. In some areas, a competitor for tenants seeking stability, predictable rents and robust rights.