CIH welcomes further clarity on Competence and Conduct Standard  

The government has today (30 September) published its final direction to the Regulator of Social Housing, requiring it to set a Competence and Conduct Standard for social housing providers, to commence in October 2026. 

Alongside this, the government has published an updated policy statement on qualification requirements, updated impact assessment and its response to last year's consultation. 

In summary, the direction requires the Regulator to set a standard that ensures registered providers must: 

• Ensure staff competence — all relevant staff must have the skills, knowledge, experience, and behaviours needed to deliver good quality housing services 
• Hold contractors to account — providers must take steps to ensure staff employed by their service providers also meet these competence and conduct requirements 
• Adopt a written policy — setting out how they will support learning and development, appraise performance, and address poor performance across their workforce 
• Embed a code of conduct — adopt or develop a code for relevant staff, ensure it is understood and applied across the organisation, and keep it current 
• Enable tenant influence — give tenants meaningful opportunities to shape and scrutinise both the competence policy and the code of conduct, and make these accessible, up to date, and fit for purpose 
• Meet qualification requirements — ensure senior housing managers and senior housing executives hold (or are working towards) an approved housing management qualification and take steps to ensure that service providers’ relevant managers do likewise. (The qualification requirements will only apply in relation to services providers who provide a comprehensive social housing management service to the registered provider.) 

The new standard will begin in October 2026. Large providers with 1,000 or more homes, and their service providers, will have three years to make sure staff are qualified or working towards a qualification. Smaller providers with fewer than 1,000 homes, and their service providers, will have four years.  

Commenting on the update, Gavin Smart, CIH chief executive, said: “CIH and the sector have been gearing up for the Competence and Conduct Standard to go live next October for some time, so we welcome the additional clarity that today’s publication brings. We’ll continue to work with the government and with the Regulator to help housing professionals, and the organisations they work for, respond to the new requirements.” 

He added: “Professionalisation goes beyond qualifications. It’s about culture, values and behaviours. The standard sets a clear framework for growth and excellence across housing. With the right support, we can build a housing profession that’s more skilled, confident and valued, delivering better outcomes for tenants.”

We will soon be publishing a 'what you need to know briefing' on the update for CIH members.