[Tina Pearson]

The Housing Ombudsman will be looking for carpets in flats (except ground floor) to cut noise between flats. (Applies to registered providers). The HO seems to favour mats/ pads under washing machines too to reduce noise travelling too.

We aim to either provide new carpets or have older carpets cleaned

[Tina Pearson]

A core part of the new Competency & Conduct standard is the
requirement for certain senior roles to hold,
or be working towards, a relevant housing
qualification. This is intended to raise
professional standards, ensure consistency
across the sector, and give tenants confidence
that those leading and managing housing
services have the right knowledge and
expertise.
The government has now confirmed the specific
qualifications that will meet the requirement,
along with rules on equivalents, apprenticeships
and minimum course standards:
• Senior housing managers: Ofqual-regulated
Level 4 in housing management (or
equivalent).
• Senior housing executives: Ofqual-regulated
Level 5 in housing/foundation degree (or
equivalent).
• Equivalent or higher qualifications (e.g.
degrees, CIH PQ, DipHE, HND) recognised if
they meet content criteria.
• Partially compliant qualifications: can be
“topped up” with additional accredited
training modules.
• Apprenticeships: now explicitly recognised
where they meet content and assessment
requirements.
• All qualifications must meet coursecontent
criteria and a minimum TQT (Total qualification time of 120 hours)

I am the only employee of an almshouse- does that make me a senior housing manager or senior housing executive? PLease can someone from the Almshouses Association clarify this please?

[Tina Pearson]

Have you spoke to family/ support services connected with the resident and explained the financial position re. Universal credit. They might have savings to pay the wmc for a few months?

if you set aside an appointment who would clear the property? There would be associated legal costs and it might not be good publicity for the charity to evict someone who is in hospital.

[Tina Pearson]

lastest info from the CIH:

The government has 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, it has published an updated policy statement on qualification requirements. A ‘what you need to know’ CIH member briefing will be published shortly. Members can also sign up for a webinar on 18 November.

[Tina Pearson]

Having spent last year completing the level 4 qualification I would recommend that small registered providers where financially affordable get some extra admin help whilst their clerks and scheme managers complete the required qualifications.

[Tina Pearson]

Hi Nick,

Can you ask if the qualification for smaller providers could be completed on a modular basis (ie pay for a module at a time until the requisite number of module have been completed) or the current year long courses could be completed over 2 years rather than 1 year?

Do we know if the level 5 applies to both Clerks and Trustees?

(I am dreading starting the level 5 course. The level 4 course impacted on the quality of my work last year for the charity and I wouldn’t want to be working at the same pace again given likely inspections from the Regulator for Social Housing on the cards)

Tina

[Tina Pearson]

I enrolled myslef on the CIH level 4 qualification last year with out doing level 2 and 3 qualifications

[Tina Pearson]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/social-housing-managers-must-be-qualified-under-new-laws-to-protect-residents

[Tina Pearson]

Someone in each registered almshouse charity will need to have a miniumum level 4 housing qualification. not sure about level 5 qualification. Just waiting on the results of the level 4 qualification

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