Louis Hobart

Housing associations have faced a steady stream of regulatory change in recent years, with greater focus on governance, consumer standards and accountability. STAIRs is the latest step in that journey, giving tenants greater access to information about how their homes and services are managed. The new requirements introduce a sector-specific transparency regime for private registered providers of social housing in England, including most housing associations.

Housing associations continue to face a rapidly evolving risk landscape. Increasing regulatory expectations, financial pressures, growing tenant scrutiny and technological change are creating new challenges for boards and executive teams. At the same time, organisations must continue to deliver safe, affordable housing while maintaining financial resilience and demonstrating effective governance.

Housing associations are operating in an increasingly challenging environment, with financial pressures, increasing regulatory scrutiny, and growing expectations around tenant outcomes impacting them. Against this backdrop, internal audit has a real opportunity to step beyond traditional compliance, providing valuable insight that supports operational improvements and decision-making. Too often, audit plans still focus heavily on cyclical, low-impact reviews.