Standards and compliance

Longhurst Group is regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH). The RSH sets out a regulatory framework of economic and consumer standards which registered providers must comply with.

Economic Standards

The Economic Standards include the Governance and Viability Standard, which measures how well the organisation is managed, the Value for Money Standard measures the efficiency of resources and financial stability and the Rent Standard, ensures social housing rents are set in accordance with government policy.

Consumer standards

On 1 April 2024, four consumer standards were introduced, setting out the standards that you can expect from us as your landlord. Our Group Board is ultimately responsible for ensuring that we comply with the Consumer Standards.

Safety and Quality Standard

This standard requires landlords to provide safe and good quality homes and landlord services to tenants.

Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard

This standard requires landlords to be open with tenants and treat them with fairness and respect. Landlords are required to provide clear access to services and a way to raise complaints when necessary. Tenants should also be provided with a way to influence decision-making and hold their landlord to account.

Neighbourhood and Community Standard

This standard requires landlords to engage with other relevant parties so that tenants can live in safe and well-maintained neighbourhoods, and feel safe in their homes.

Tenancy Standard

This standard sets requirements for the fair allocation and letting of homes. It also outlines how tenancies should be managed and ended by landlords.

Regulatory self-assessment

We review our compliance with the regulatory standards each year to ensure we continue to meet the expectations of our customers and stakeholders.

Our most recent assessment was carried out in March 2024 and identified the following areas that we will continue to focus on:

Handling of and learning from complaints
The quality of our asset and customer data and how this is used to inform service delivery
How we communicate with our customers

Housing Ombudsman Complaints Handling Code

The Complaint Handling Code became statutory on 1 April 2024. The Code aims to achieve best practice and improve complaint handling.

Each year housing providers are required to submit a self-assessment to evidence how they have complied with the Code. Our most recent assessment is below:

Complaints Handling Code self-assessment

Health and Safety compliance

Longhurst Group believes that the health and safety of our customers, employees, and partners is of paramount importance. We work proactively with the relevant Regulatory bodies and other external organisations to identify appropriate areas of best practice and deliver safe services to our customers.

Health and Safety policy

Health and Safety policy statement

Health and Safety – our responsibilities

Customer standards and charters

Our Customer Charter outlines the service all customers can expect to receive from us. The charter was developed using feedback from our customers, and features 12 commitments to excellent quality service for our customers.

Customer charter

Longhurst Group policies

All of Longhurst Group's customer-facing policies go through a rigorous consultation process as part of our policy framework, with customer recommendations being taken on board when any new policy or associated procedures are written.

The Longhurst Group Customer Forum carries out its assurance role before the policy is presented to our Group Board, so members can be reassured that in-depth customer consultation has been carried out and the policy reflects our customers’ views and priorities.

A selection of our customer-facing policies is available below. For further information please visit our Longhurst Group policies page. 

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