The Regulator of Social Housing's Competence and Conduct Standard applies to all registered providers from 1 October 2026. It's about making sure the people who deliver housing services have the right skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours.
The required outcomes
Registered providers must make sure their relevant staff have the skills, knowledge and experience, and show the behaviours, needed for their services to be of good quality. They must also take appropriate steps to make sure the staff of organisations that deliver services for them meet the same standard.
A written policy
Your written policy should cover:
- how you develop the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours each role needs
- learning and development that keeps people's knowledge up to date
- how you appraise and manage performance
- the steps you take to make sure your service providers' staff are competent.
A code of conduct
You must develop or adopt a code of conduct for your relevant staff and make sure it's embedded in your organisation.
Tenants' say
Both the policy and the code of conduct must be kept up to date, fit for purpose and accessible to tenants. Tenants must be given meaningful opportunities to influence and scrutinise them.
Qualifications
The standard also brings in qualification requirements for senior housing managers and executives. Providers with fewer than 1,000 homes have longer to meet them, until October 2030, and unpaid volunteers are exempt. See our guide to housing qualifications and volunteers.
Questions
Does the standard apply to small providers?
Yes. It applies to all registered providers from 1 October 2026, whatever their size.
Do we have to write our own code of conduct?
No. You can develop your own or adopt one, as long as it's embedded in your organisation.
How do tenants get a say?
Your policy and code of conduct must be accessible to tenants, and tenants must have meaningful opportunities to influence and scrutinise them.
Sources
This guide is general information, not legal advice.