Consumer Standards: How We Are Strengthening Housing Services

The Regulator of Social Housing has introduced Consumer Standards that all social housing providers must meet. These standards are designed to ensure tenants live in safe, good‑quality homes and receive fair, transparent and responsive services.

The standards came into force on 1 April 2024. This page explains how Sandwell Council meets these requirements and where you can find further information about our housing services.

Consumer Standards (full details)


Safety and Quality Standard

This standard ensures that homes are safe, well‑maintained and meet all required quality standards.

Sandwell Council delivers this through housing policies, asset management strategies and responsive repairs services that keep homes safe, healthy and compliant.

Policies and services

Our repairs service is responsible for maintaining council homes and shared areas. It sets out how residents can report problems and how we prioritise and carry out repairs to keep homes safe and well maintained.
This service allows tenants and leaseholders to report repairs quickly and easily, ensuring issues such as leaks, heating failures and safety concerns are addressed promptly.
This policy explains our standards for repairs, response times, landlord and tenant responsibilities, and how we deliver a high‑quality, customer‑focused repairs service.
This policy sets out how we prevent, identify and resolve damp and mould in council homes, supporting healthy living conditions and quick, effective action where issues arise.
This policy explains how we provide adaptations and aids to support tenants with disabilities or long‑term health conditions, helping them live safely and independently in their homes.

Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard

This standard ensures that tenants are treated fairly, can influence housing services, and have access to clear information about performance and decision‑making.

Sandwell Council supports this through tenant engagement, complaints handling, feedback processes and transparent reporting.

Policies and services

Customer Feedback Policy
This policy explains how tenants and residents can provide feedback, compliments or concerns about housing services, and how we use this feedback to improve services.
Get Involved in Housing Services
This page explains how residents can get involved in shaping housing services through engagement activities, consultations and resident groups.
Tenant Engagement Opportunities
This service outlines the different ways tenants can influence decisions, scrutinise performance and work with the Council to improve housing services.
Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs)
TSMs show how tenants feel about key housing services such as repairs, safety and engagement, helping residents understand how we are performing and where we need to improve.
Complaints and Feedback
This service explains how to make a complaint, what to expect from the complaints process, and how we learn from complaints to improve services.

Neighbourhood and Community Standard

This standard supports safe, well‑managed neighbourhoods and promotes community wellbeing.
Sandwell Council works with residents and partner organisations to prevent and respond to issues that affect neighbourhoods and communities.
 

Policies and services

Anti‑Social Behaviour Policy
This policy explains how we prevent and tackle anti‑social behaviour, support victims and take action to make neighbourhoods safer.
Report Anti‑Social Behaviour
This service allows residents to report anti‑social behaviour so concerns can be investigated and appropriate action taken.
Domestic Abuse Support and Advice
This service provides advice, support and signposting for residents experiencing domestic abuse, with a focus on safety and confidentiality.
Neighbourhood Management Strategy
This strategy explains how we work with residents and partners to manage estates, address local issues and improve neighbourhood safety and wellbeing.

Tenancy Standard

This standard ensures that homes are allocated fairly and that tenants are supported to sustain their tenancies.

Sandwell Council delivers this through clear allocation policies and tenancy management services.

Policies and services

Allocations and Lettings Policy
This policy explains who is eligible for council housing and how priority for homes is assessed and managed fairly.
Tenancy Management Policy
This policy sets out how we manage tenancies, work with tenants to resolve issues and support people to maintain their homes.
Tenancy Fraud Policy
This policy explains how we prevent, detect and investigate tenancy fraud, ensuring council homes are used lawfully and fairly.
Tenancy Sustainment Policy
This policy explains how we support tenants who may be struggling, helping prevent tenancy breakdown and homelessness.
Find a Home
This service provides information on applying for council housing and bidding for available homes.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about the Consumer Standards or our housing services, please contact us: