Written question asked by Lord Rennard (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 18 December 2025, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 6 January 2026. It was answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage (Labour) on Tuesday, 6 January 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Social Rented Housing: Fraud

Question: To ask His Majesty's Government what safeguards are in place to prevent individuals running social housing from abusing the system for personal gain.

Answer: Registered providers must meet the Regulator of Social Housing’s economic standards, including the Governance and Financial Viability and Value for Money standards, which require robust governance, internal controls, and management of conflicts of interest to protect social housing assets and prevent misuse for personal gain. All landlords must also meet strengthened consumer standards, notably Transparency, Influence and Accountability, which require openness, fair treatment, and effective complaints handling. The Regulator regulates providers of social housing through monitoring data returns, proactive inspections, and publishing regulatory judgements. It takes appropriate action if the outcomes of the standards are not being delivered.

Secondary information