The Housing Assurance Board meeting on 09 February 2026 addressed a wide range of housing service performance issues, with a particular focus on anti-social behaviour, domestic abuse, and fire safety. Key decisions included noting the progress on the Housing Improvement Programme, approving updates on capital investment and asset management, and reviewing the fire and building safety strategy.

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. Mary Larbie, Director of Housing Management, highlighted improvements in tenant satisfaction regarding ASB handling, with satisfaction increasing to 52.7% in Q4 2025/26. The introduction of a pilot community patrol service by Park Guard, launched on 15 December 2025, was noted as a positive step towards increasing visible patrols and providing community assurance. This service uses marked vehicles with CCTV and body cameras to gather intelligence and address issues such as drug dealing, vandalism, and harassment.

The report detailed the tools used to address ASB, including warning letters, Acceptable Behaviour Agreements, mediation, notices seeking possession, evictions, and closure orders. While the number of closure orders and evictions had decreased compared to the previous year, the Board was informed that reports of hate crime were treated as high-risk ASB cases and investigated accordingly. Domestic abuse cases are managed by the Family Justice Service, with a member of this service attending weekly meetings with the Tenancy Team to discuss cases and provide input. A working group is also progressing towards Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) accreditation.

Residents' feedback from a Bootcamp and Deep Dive highlighted concerns about inconsistent communication, delayed initial contact, and a lack of clarity on next steps. In response, action plans have been developed to make action plans and risk assessments mandatory, improve resident contact frequency, and standardise case closure processes. The Board was informed that while progress has been made, consistency remains a challenge. Refresher training for Tenancy and ASB teams is planned for Q1 2026, along with the finalisation of an updated ASB Procedure and the implementation of inbox automation.

Capital Investment, Asset Management Data, and Decent Homes

Matthew West, Director of Assets and Repairs, presented an update on capital investment, asset management, and decent homes. As of December 2025, 95.23% of stock condition surveys were completed, with the remaining 4.77% being addressed. The Decent Homes standard was met by 96.43% of homes, with a slight increase in January 2026 to 96.56%. The capital delivery programme had a budget of over £45.5 million, with approximately £20 million spent by January 2026 based on paid invoices. The estimated value of works completed on site was around £31 million.

A new Asset Management Policy is being developed in collaboration with Savills, aiming for full alignment with RSH Consumer Standards, integration of sustainability plans, and improved data governance. The procurement of a new major works contract to replace the Mulally contract is underway, with 4i Solutions Ltd assisting in developing the tender package. A Decency Task Force is being established, comprising representatives from assets, compliance, tenancy, and repairs, to address non-decent properties and develop plans for their remediation.

Fire and Building Safety

Paul Coffey, Head of Fire and Building Safety, provided an update on fire and building safety measures. The team has been working to establish a permanent structure, with two Building Safety Manager offers made. The portfolio includes approximately 750 blocks, with 43 high-rise blocks (18m+/7 storeys), of which 15 are Large Panel System (LPS) blocks. The team is working towards compliance with the Building Safety Act 2022, with Building Safety Case Reports being submitted.

The report highlighted that 95.23% of stock condition surveys were completed, and 96.43% of homes met the Decent Homes Standard. The Capital Delivery Programme had a budget of over £45.5 million, with approximately £20 million spent by January 2026. A new Asset Management Policy is being developed with Savills to align with RSH Consumer Standards.

Regarding fire safety, 60% of Regulation 10 checks for front entrance doors had been completed, with a plan to increase this. There were 2663 open Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) actions, with only 5 overdue, and a net reduction of over 400 actions in the past month. The team is working to close all overdue actions by the end of February 2026. The report also detailed the financial breakdown of the Fire & Building Safety budget, with significant allocations for fire door replacements and surveys.

Resident engagement in fire and building safety is a key focus, with a multi-channel approach to communications and efforts to understand residents' vulnerabilities. The report also touched upon the challenges with Large Panel System (LPS) buildings and the next steps for structural assessments and safety cases.

Other Key Discussions

Complaints Performance: The Board noted improvements in complaint resolution timescales, with 65% of Stage 1 and 60.2% of Stage 2 complaints being responded to within Housing Ombudsman (HO) timescales. However, this remains below the target. Satisfaction with complaints handling has increased to 29.5%, placing Croydon in the upper quartile for London local authorities. Learning from complaints is being embedded through a new framework and fortnightly meetings.

Readiness for Inspection: Progress has been made in preparing for regulatory inspections, including mock inspections and resident focus groups. The Board was informed that the Housing Improvement Plan is being finalised and aligns with the Target Operating Model.

Forward Plan: The Board discussed the forward plan, noting that the April meeting would be particularly packed. Discussions are ongoing about potentially rescheduling some items to maintain momentum and manage workload.

Regina Road Development: Councillor Chrishni Reshekaron raised a query about the timeline for the Regina Road development, with the start on site for the first block confirmed for 26 March 2026.

Compensation for Complaints: The Board discussed the process for compensation following complaints and ombudsman determinations, noting that this would likely sit outside of general corporate compensation and would be updated in the April meeting.

Awaab's Law: The implementation of Awaab's Law, focusing on timescales for addressing health hazards like damp and mould, was discussed. Data reporting on this is still being developed, with a dashboard expected at the next meeting.

Staff Sickness: While the rolling 12-month average for staff sickness remains high at 19.8 days per FTE, this is largely due to historic long-term absences. When these closed cases are excluded, the effective sickness level reduces to approximately 11.2 days per FTE. Focused action continues to reduce long-term absence and improve workforce resilience.

Contact Centre Performance: The Contact Centre answered 67.4% of calls within 20 seconds in December 2025, a significant improvement from November. Satisfaction scores for the Contact Centre have also seen an increase.

Gas Safety Compliance: Gas safety compliance stood at 99.30% at the end of December 2025, showing an improvement. However, 83 cases remained overdue, with the oldest dating back to April 2025, and these are being progressed through injunctions. Electrical testing compliance saw a slight drop to 98.36%.

Asset Management Policy: A new Housing Asset Management Policy is being developed with Savills to align with RSH Consumer Standards and improve long-term investment planning.

Major Works Procurement: The procurement process for a new major works contract to replace the Mulally contract is ongoing, with discussions on contract structure and implementation timescales.

Decency Task Force: A Decency Task Force is being established to drive and maintain decency in the housing stock, comprising teams from assets, compliance, tenancy, and repairs.

Resident Engagement: The Board was updated on various resident engagement initiatives, including Estate Improvement Surveys, the use of QR codes for reporting issues, and the ongoing review of the Customer Influence and Assurance Panel. The Tenants-without-contact project concluded that there were no significant barriers to reporting repairs.

Fire Safety and Structure: A suggestion was made to include structure alongside fire safety in future reports, as the Building Safety Regulator covers both aspects.

Large Panel System (LPS) Buildings: Updates were provided on the ongoing work with LPS buildings, including asbestos removal and structural assessments, with a focus on future decision-making regarding repair, refurbishment, or regeneration.

No Access Issues: The challenge of no access for essential safety checks was discussed, with ongoing efforts to improve access rates through new policies, dedicated officers, and collaboration with contractors.

Regina Road Development: Planning consent for Regina Road has been secured, with demolition completed and site handover anticipated in January 2026.

Compensation for Complaints: The Board noted that the handling of compensation for complaints and ombudsman determinations would likely be managed outside of general corporate compensation and would be updated in a future meeting.

Staff Development: The development of a training and qualification register for housing staff is underway, with a focus on professionalisation and compliance with incoming Competence and Conduct Standards.

Restructures: The final stages of restructuring within the Housing service, including Housing Needs, are being completed to improve early intervention and demand management.

NEC System: The NEC Housing Management IT System implementation is ongoing, with a focus on completing the roll-out of servicing modules and aligning with the Housing Improvement Programme priorities.

Joint Working Protocols: Protocols for joint working between different teams, including no access, void management, ASB, and repairs, are being developed and reviewed.

Sheltered Housing Review: The Sheltered Housing Review is in its final draft stage and is expected to be agreed in February 2026.

Forward Plan: The Board discussed the forward plan, noting that the April meeting would be particularly busy. Discussions are ongoing about potentially rescheduling some items to manage workload effectively.

Other Business: The Board was reminded of upcoming legislative requirements, including the need for updated codes of conduct and HR policies by October, and the professionalisation of housing staff. The timeline for the Regina Road development was confirmed, with work starting on site on 26 March 2026. The process for compensation related to complaints and ombudsman determinations was also discussed.

The meeting concluded with thanks to the officers and Board members for their contributions.