Westminster City Council's housing inspection result

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has confirmed that Westminster City Council has achieved a C1 rating following an inspection of its housing services. This is the highest possible rating, indicating that the Council meets the consumer standards set by the regulator and effectively addresses and resolves problems when they are identified.

The Council is the first Local Authority in London to achieve this rating to date. The inspection involved a detailed review of documents, an on-site inspection and attendance at resident engagement meetings. The regulator also met with staff and residents to better understand their experiences.

The inspection follows significant focus and investment by the Council in improving its housing services. In Spring 2023, Westminster City Council introduced a housing improvement programme, which has included a focus on improving repairs, complaints and our support for the most vulnerable residents. Central to this has been a focus on improving the frontline service offer, including opening more service centres and a focus on engaging and listening to our residents.

The council has acknowledged there is still more to do, and this result does not mean it always gets everything right. The housing teams are committed to continuing to learn from residents and provide opportunities for them to influence how to further improve our services. This involves continuing the improvement journey which is shaped by the feedback from the inspection and what residents are saying.

Councillor Liza Begum, Cabinet Member for Housing Services, stated:

We welcome the findings from the Regulator of Social Housing, which demonstrates the significant progress we’ve made in improving our housing services over recent years. 

This C1 rating provides an important validation of the steps we have taken to improve the leadership, governance and performance of our housing services and reflects the achievements so far. However, we know that there is still much to do to ensure residents receive the best possible service, and we fully acknowledge that this result does not mean we always get everything right. 

Our improvement plans are still underway, and we will continue to work closely with residents, tenant management organisations and partners to drive continuous improvement.   

We’re committed to listening to residents and acting on their feedback to ensure all our tenants have a safe, secure and well-maintained home.  

Thank you to all the residents, staff, and partners who contributed to the inspection process. The feedback that we have received has been key in helping us deliver better homes, and services across Westminster.

To read the full inspection report, please visit: gov.uk.