The London Borough of Brent (LB Brent) has received a C3 rating from the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) after serious issues were found with its fire safety data and housing management. The C3 grading is the lowest possible for consumer standards and means the council has failed to meet expected outcomes for tenant safety and housing quality.
Why Was Brent Council Downgraded?
In April 2025, LB Brent reported itself to the RSH after discovering problems with its fire safety records during an internal spot check. Though the council had marked some fire safety tasks as “complete”, it couldn’t provide evidence in many cases. In fact, some required safety actions had not been done at all.
Further checks by RSH found more serious issues, including:
- Inconsistent safety data related to fire risks, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, asbestos, and water safety.
- Weaknesses in the data validation process used before launching their new asset management system.
- While LB Brent claims to have 95% coverage in its housing stock condition data, almost 50% of homes had no official survey on record.
The council has now been placed under Responsive Engagement, meaning RSH will continue working closely with LB Brent to fix these issues and ensure residents are safe.
What Does a C3 Grade Mean?
A C3 rating signals serious failures in meeting tenant safety and housing quality standards. It means a provider has not delivered the expected outcomes under consumer standards. In this case, Brent Council put tenants at risk by failing to manage key safety measures and properly track essential repairs or inspections.
Updates on Other Housing Providers
Along with Brent Council, RSH also published two other regulatory judgements:
Metropolitan Housing Trust
- Governance downgraded from G1 to G2.
- Given C2 and V2 ratings.
- Needs better board oversight, improved stress-testing, and stronger safety monitoring.
- Still meets governance standards but requires improvement in several areas.
Mosscare St Vincent’s Housing Group
- Upgraded from C2 to C1.
- Shows it now meets all consumer standards after improvements made through Responsive Engagement.
What the Regulator Says
Kate Dodsworth, Chief of Regulatory Engagement at RSH, said:
“Accurate, up-to-date data is essential for landlords to keep tenants safe and provide decent homes. Brent has been cooperating with us since reporting their issues, and we’ll keep supporting them as they put things right.”
She added that strong governance and regular checks are key for housing providers to manage risks and deliver good services. RSH will keep pushing for a housing sector that is well-run, safe and focused on tenant wellbeing.
RSH’s Role in Social Housing
The Regulator of Social Housing sets and monitors standards for housing associations and local authorities. It works to:
- Ensure safe, decent homes for tenants
- Promote financially stable and well-managed landlords
- Take action when standards are not met
While housing associations are regulated for governance, finance, and consumer standards, councils like Brent are only judged on consumer and rent standards.
