Social Tenant Access to Information Requirement (STAIR) Statement.

08^th December 2025

In May of 2025, the former Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), now Ministry of Housing, communities and Local Government (MHCLG), launched a consultation on a direction to the Regulator of Social Housing on a new Social Tenants Access to Information Requirements (STAIRs).

The STAIRs aim to introduce a new standard that will require us as Registered Social Landlords to be transparent with our tenants and share data about the management of their Courts and homes.

The commitment was first proposed by the Social Housing White Paper and brought forward by the Social Housing Regulation Act.  We know our commitment to this is improving transparency and accountability by strengthening our relationship with our tenants.

The consultation proposes the introduction of Social Tenant Access to Information Requirements (STAIRs), which would:

• Enable tenants to request information about their Courts/home management. There will be specific requirements about how these requests are processed, including a timeframe to respond within.
• We will be required to proactively publish information via our website and Court notice boards. The consultation also outlines how complaints about the scheme would be addressed.

Read the National Housing Federation consultation response here.

On 30th September 2025 the government published their directions to the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH).

By October 2026 Registered Social Landlords will have to meet the requirement around proactive publishing of information, and by April 2027 they will have to meet the requirement relating to responding to requests.  We’re pleased the government has recognised the need for a phased approach in their response.

The government has also given greater flexibility to landlords, aiming to balance clear expectations on publishing information with flexibility to decide what will work best for their tenants.

Read the government’s full response here.

We are now directed by the Regulator of Social Housing to set STAIRs and will consult on its implementation.  The Housing Ombudsman is also expected to consult on changes to the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, ahead of the introduction of STAIRs.

We are now looking to shape our response within the above timeframe based on the views of our Board members, colleagues, and tenants/their representatives.

• Training sessions for Board Members and colleagues
• Court meetings with tenants and their representatives
• Supporting communication through updates on our website and notices in the Courts.