The City of London Corporation has been given a C3 rating by the Regulator of Social Housing, highlighting serious failings in how its housing services are being delivered. The rating means the regulator believes significant improvements are needed. The City Corporation has accepted the findings and confirmed it is already working on a long-term plan to address the issues.
The organisation had referred itself to the regulator last year after identifying backlogs in areas such as electrical safety checks and fire risk actions. These issues are part of wider challenges linked to ageing housing stock and increasing safety requirements. In response, the City Corporation has committed more than £300 million to improve its housing. This includes a £211 million funding package agreed in December, alongside an earlier £110 million investment.
The upgrade programme will cover homes across 12 estates in the City and six London boroughs, including Hackney, Islington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark and Tower Hamlets. Planned works include improvements to kitchens, bathrooms, heating systems, lifts, roofs, fire safety measures and electrical systems.
The regulator said there were “examples of improving performance” and noted that the City Corporation understands the issues it needs to address and is taking action.
Construction impact
For the construction sector, the programme represents a significant pipeline of refurbishment and safety-led works over the coming years. Much of the work is expected to focus on compliance, particularly in fire safety and building services.
Similar programmes are likely to be seen across London as housing providers respond to stricter regulation and address historic maintenance backlogs. The City Corporation said it will continue working with the regulator to deliver improvements and ensure homes meet required standards.
The organisation had referred itself to the regulator last year after identifying backlogs in areas such as electrical safety checks and fire risk actions. These issues are part of wider challenges linked to ageing housing stock and increasing safety requirements. In response, the City Corporation has committed more than £300 million to improve its housing. This includes a £211 million funding package agreed in December, alongside an earlier £110 million investment.
The upgrade programme will cover homes across 12 estates in the City and six London boroughs, including Hackney, Islington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark and Tower Hamlets. Planned works include improvements to kitchens, bathrooms, heating systems, lifts, roofs, fire safety measures and electrical systems.
The regulator said there were “examples of improving performance” and noted that the City Corporation understands the issues it needs to address and is taking action.
Construction impact
For the construction sector, the programme represents a significant pipeline of refurbishment and safety-led works over the coming years. Much of the work is expected to focus on compliance, particularly in fire safety and building services.
Similar programmes are likely to be seen across London as housing providers respond to stricter regulation and address historic maintenance backlogs. The City Corporation said it will continue working with the regulator to deliver improvements and ensure homes meet required standards.
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Expert Verification & Authorship: Mihai Chelmus
Founder, London Construction Magazine | Construction Testing & Investigation Specialist |
