11 Dec 2025
CIH welcomes new research highlighting ‘no access’ challenges amid tightened safety regime
The way many council and ALMO landlords approach difficult ‘no access’ cases is undergoing a period of change driven by a range of factors and tightened legal duties, such as those introduced under Awaab’s Law.
That’s according to new, unprecedented research highlighting what 'no access' means for keeping people safe and how prepared landlords were for the implementation of Awaab’s Law.
The two-part analysis was undertaken by HQN and commissioned by CIH and four partners in the council housing sector: the Local Government Association, the National Federation of ALMOs, the Councils with ALMOs group, and the Association of Retained Council Housing.
‘No access’ is the shorthand a landlord typically uses when a tenant doesn’t give permission or fails to respond to reasonable requests for entry to their home.
‘Clear, practical insights’
Analysis of ‘no access’ in the social rented sector — undertaken as part of the ‘Opening the Door’ report — found that 60 per cent of respondents consider ‘no access’ a growing concern.
Of those who have analysed reasons for no access, over four in five cite tenant vulnerabilities, with more than half citing stigmatising issues such as hoarding. Around 40 per cent identify landlord administrative issues.
The research highlights that there is no consistent definition of ‘no access’ within the sector and no single explanation for its growth — but that the consequences are shared, including missed visits delay safety work and escalating costs.
The findings make it clear that both good culture and good practice sit at the centre of getting access to tenants’ homes right.
The second report — titled ‘Preparing for Awaab’s Law' — points out that this attitude is also essential for complying with Awaab’s Law as the second report points out. The report shows that social housing providers have already taken significant steps to be ready for the new law, including IT and system upgrades, staff training, revised response times and improved safety governance.
However, the report shows that more empathic approaches to tenants’ reports of problems are needed, and there is much to be learnt from others who have involved tenant panels and scrutiny groups to help improve processes.
Commenting on the research, Eve Blezard, CIH’s policy lead on asset management and building safety, said: “CIH is proud to support this research, which makes clear that good housing management is crucial to achieving the outcomes both tenants and landlords want to see.
“These reports offer clear, practical insights drawn from existing best practice, and point to where further action is needed. Together, they show that when staff have the time, resources and support to address issues around access they can develop trust and reduce health and safety risks.
“As Awaab’s Law comes into full effect, investing in people and organisational culture will be essential to keeping tenants safe. We urge housing professionals to take this learning on board.”
She added: “When teams know their homes, communicate well, work with curiosity, and have systems designed around the needs of their tenants, access issues are reduced and complex cases become manageable.”
