The Social Tenant Access to Information Requirements (STAIRs) give tenants of housing associations and other private registered providers more access to information about their landlord. The first part, the publication scheme, applies from 1 October 2026.
Who it covers
STAIRs applies to private registered providers, whatever their size. For STAIRs, "tenant" includes licensees, such as almshouse residents, and shared owners who own less than 100% of their home. It doesn't apply to council tenants or to leaseholders who own their home outright.
The seven classes of information
| Class | Examples |
|---|---|
| Governance and decision making | Senior staff names and roles, organisational structure, how decisions are made, how complaints are prioritised, tenant consultations, tenant meeting agendas and minutes |
| Spending | Spending, grants, use of service charge income |
| Housing stock management | Plans, maintenance work, progress towards net zero, stock transfers |
| Performance | Inspection outcomes, performance reviews, Tenant Satisfaction Measures, complaint figures, information request figures, health and safety performance, number of evictions |
| Housing services | A description of your services, and advice and guidance for tenants |
| Lists and registers | Registers you must keep by law, and other lists and registers about managing your homes |
| Social housing management | Policies and strategies for managing your homes |
What you need to do
- Publish the information you hold in each class.
- Make tenants aware of your publication scheme, so they can find the information easily.
- Review and update the information regularly.
You don't have to create new records just to publish them, and you can remove parts of documents where it's reasonable to do so, for example to protect personal data.
What comes next
From 1 April 2027, tenants can also ask you for information. See our guide to STAIRs information requests.
Questions
Do we have to create new documents to publish?
No. You publish the information you hold in each class. You don't have to create new records just to publish them.
Does the publication scheme cover shared owners?
Yes. For STAIRs, "tenant" includes shared owners who own less than 100% of their home, and licensees such as almshouse residents.
Can we remove personal information from what we publish?
Yes. You can remove parts of documents where it's reasonable to do so, for example to protect personal data.
Sources
This guide is general information, not legal advice.