Wandsworth Council rated 'C3' for housing safety failures

Wandsworth Council has been rated 'C3' by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) after inspectors found significant failings in health and safety standards across its housing stock. The rating, issued in February last year, indicates the council is not meeting required consumer standards. The RSH's inspection in November 2024 revealed tenants waiting more than 12 months for essential fire safety works to be completed. Furthermore, many properties were found to be without up-to-date electrical safety tests.

Apology and Improvement Plan

Conservative Council Leader Robert Morritt apologised to tenants and leaseholders for the level of service they had experienced. Speaking at a council meeting on Tuesday, September 15, Councillor Morritt stated his ambition for the council to achieve a 'C1' rating, the second highest possible score. He assured residents that work was underway to ensure homes are safe, well-maintained, and properly managed, with accurate records and timely repairs. The council is currently implementing Wandsworth's housing improvement and transformation plan, which was approved under the previous Labour administration in January. This plan aims to enhance compliance with standards and improve resident engagement. The council is also in the process of hiring a new director of housing.

Councillor Morritt also expressed a desire for tenants and leaseholders to be treated with greater respect, stating he wanted to see them "treated in a better and… sometimes less dismissive manner."

Inspection Findings

The RSH inspection identified that while none of the 1,800 overdue fire safety works were classified as high risk, they were all significantly delayed. The regulator was satisfied that the council met legal requirements in other health and safety areas, such as water safety, asbestos management, and lift maintenance, though many tests had been completed only shortly before the inspection. The inspection also found that nearly 80 per cent of communal areas and around 40 per cent of individual properties had not undergone electrical safety testing. Weaknesses were also noted in the council's record-keeping regarding property conditions and in its processes for considering and communicating tenant feedback.

Opposition Criticism

Labour Opposition Leader Simon Hogg acknowledged the regulator's findings and the need for cultural change within the housing service. However, he criticised the current Conservative administration for axing plans to build new council homes. These plans included developments on the Lennox estate in Roehampton and the Ashburton estate in Putney, as well as three smaller schemes. Councillor Hogg stated that while his group would support necessary repairs and the improvement plan, they would not endorse a housing policy that reduced the number of council homes. The administration is also set to develop a new temporary accommodation strategy in the coming months.