To ask the Minister for Communities to detail how the (i) work of his Housing Regulation Branch; and (ii) role of the NI Public Service Ombudsman are promoted to tenants of Housing Associations.

The role of my Department’s Housing Regulation Branch (HRB) is primarily promoted to tenants of registered housing associations (RHAs) via the Regulatory Framework for Registered Housing Associations in Northern Ireland, which is readily available on the Department’s website. This framework, effective from 01 April 2024, was subject to a recent high-level effectiveness review which was carried out in consultation with the sector, including tenants.

The Department was assisted during the review by Supporting Communities NI (SCNI), an independent charity that champions tenant and community participation. A stakeholder workshop, held specifically for tenants, was facilitated by SCNI to help ensure that the views of tenants were taken on board.

SCNI is also a member of the Department’s Stakeholder Reference Group which meets biannually to discuss emerging issues and exchange good practice. The group consists of representatives from sectoral organisations, several Chief Executives of RHAs and Housing Policy colleagues.

HRB also regularly attends various sectoral forums to promote its role. This includes a tenant forum facilitated by SCNI, namely the Housing Policy Panel, which acts in a consultative function to the Department, focusing on social housing-related matters. It is made up of tenant representatives from the social housing sector.

The role of the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman (NIPSO) is also set out in the Regulatory Framework and on the Department’s website. HRB does not deal with individual service-related complaints about RHAs. These should be progressed through the individual RHA’s complaints process in the first instance, and then through NIPSO if tenants remain unhappy. Each RHA has in place an individual complaints policy which clearly sets out the process for tenants. HRB ensures, during the regulatory process, and in keeping with the desired outcomes and expectations under Consumer Standard 2 of the Regulatory Framework, that RHAs make this information readily available to their tenants.

NIPSO, in fulfilling its role in the process, will inform HRB of any concerns or systemic issues identified within an RHA, or the whole sector, to allow HRB to consider if the Department needs to take any follow up action in response.