Regulatory Standards

You should live in a home that is safe, well maintained and meets required standards. One Manchester must understand the condition of its homes and use that information to plan repairs, maintenance and investment.
 

Registered providers must ensure that tenants’ homes meet the standard set out in section five of the Government’s Decent Homes Guidance and continue to maintain their homes to at least this standard unless exempted by the regulator. 

One Manchester demonstrates strong compliance with the Decent Homes Standard, with 99.92% of homes meeting the standard at year-end and the remaining 0.08% covered by action plans and monitored through the performance framework. Compliance is supported by validated stock condition data, asset management controls, and Board-level assurance through regular reporting to the Investment and Growth Committee. The approach is aligned with health and safety duties, including damp and mould processes and preparation for Awaab’s Law Phase 2. One Manchester is also planning ahead for future regulatory changes, including Decent Homes 2, MEES and Heat Networks, while refreshing its Asset Management and Sustainability Strategies with Ridge Associates. Tenancy Experience Visits further support compliance by identifying customer needs, hazards, repairs and longer-term investment requirements.
 

When acting as landlords, registered providers must take all reasonable steps to ensure the health and safety of tenants in their homes and associated  communal areas. 

One Manchester has a strong health and safety compliance framework, with Board oversight through detailed reporting at every meeting across the key compliance areas including gas, electrical, water, lifts, fire, carbon monoxide and smoke detection. Compliance is monitored daily and reviewed weekly by the Assistant Director of Health, Safety and Compliance, supported by additional checks on areas such as fire alarms, fire doors, laundry equipment and warden call systems. Assurance is strengthened through internal audits, specialist third-party reviews and independent checks of gas and electrical certification. The Building Safety Strategy was approved by Board in February 2025, all FRAs are up to date, and remedial actions are monitored through Board reporting. Core compliance data is reconciled monthly, supported by dedicated fire and building safety teams and compliance systems including C365, Risk Hub and Risk Flag. Tenant safety is also embedded into property investment and new development activity through collaborative risk management.

Compliance has been strengthened in 2025/26 through updated and new policies, including Repairs and Maintenance, Empty Homes,Damp, Mould and Condensation, and Legal Disrepair. These support Awaab’s Law requirements, improved void management, disrepair handling and clearer internal procedures. The repairs structure has also been redesigned, including dedicated Major Works, Empty Homes and Legal Disrepair teams, the split of the Customer Resolution Centre into Homes and Repairs Hubs, and creation of a Repairs Performance Manager role.

Operational improvements include enhanced repairs triage using Co-Pilot, damp and mould case tracking through Assetli, clearer customer communications via texts and emails, and improved appointment information. One Manchester is also preparing for Awaab’s Law Phase 2, with training, system updates and a pilot planned for summer 2026 ahead of full rollout in October 2026.
 

Registered providers must assist tenants seeking housing adaptations to access appropriate services. 

One Manchester supports tenants seeking adaptations through its Adaptations Policy. Minor adaptations costing under £1,000 are completed by One Manchester, while major adaptations are delivered by Manchester City Council. Where a customer needs an adaptation, One Manchester helps them apply to Manchester City Council for a Disabled Facilities Grant and provides referral support where needed.

Engagement has been strengthened in 2025/26 through Tenancy Experience Visits, community hubs, neighbourhood inspections, tenant and resident meetings, the launch of a Leaseholder Forum, and implementation of the Customer Voice framework. Over 1,000 instances of customer feedback have been gathered through inperson and digital consultation, customers have co-created service standards for implementation in 2026/27, and new Complaints & Performance and Service Improvement groups were introduced with customer chairs.

You should be treated fairly when applying for a home, moving home or managing your tenancy. One Manchester must let homes fairly, support customers to sustain their tenancy and give advice if a tenancy is at risk.

Registered providers must allocate and let their homes in a fair and transparent way that takes the needs of tenants and prospective tenants into account. 

One Manchester demonstrates compliance with allocations and lettings requirements through use of Manchester Move, Manchester City Council’s Allocations Policy, a nominations agreement with the council, and One Manchester’s own Allocations Policy. The approach supports fair and transparent lettings, including direct offers where Tenancy Experience Visits identify unsuitable accommodation, such as a child living at height. The organisation also works with specialist programmes and partners including Greater Manchester Housing First and Lifeways to support customers with specific needs.

Governance oversight is provided through Neighbourhood Reports to Customers and Communities Committee, including data on properties let and tenancy support information, with the Annual Allocations Report also presented to the Committee. Affordability is assessed at application stage, and CORE lettings forms are completed electronically after each let or sale. Compliance has been strengthened in 2025/26 through implementation of a fortnightly Direct Offer Panel, review of the direct offer list and Allocations Policy, involvement in the Manchester City Council Tenancy Fraud Steering Group and training sessions, and completion of the 2025 Allocations Internal Audit actions.

Registered providers must support tenants to maintain their tenancy or licence. Where a registered provider ends a tenancy or licence, they must offer affected tenants’ advice and assistance. 

One Manchester demonstrates compliance through early identification and support for customers at risk of eviction. Tenancy Experience Visits and neighbourhood officer dashboards help identify customers needing support, including those with low-level arrears, with referrals made to financial inclusion and partner agencies where appropriate.

For rent arrears cases, possession and eviction action is managed through a structured legal process. Customers facing court action or eviction are signposted to partner agencies and One Manchester’s financial inclusion team. Compliance has been strengthened in 2025/26 through use of EDI data to better assess customer circumstances and tailor support.

Registered providers must support relevant tenants living in eligible housing to mutually exchange their homes. 

One Manchester demonstrates compliance through its Tenancy Management Policy, website guidance and links to the free HomeSwapper service. Customers can access advice through local hub drop-ins, including support to use mutual exchange platforms. Exchange applications are managed by neighbourhood teams, who support customers throughout the process and explain key implications such as tenure changes, rent, service charges and tenant/landlord responsibilities.

One Manchester publishes annual reports, financial statements, the Corporate Plan, Customer Annual Report and key policies on its website. It submits regulatory returns to the Regulator of Social Housing, monitors them through the Compliance Register, and reports regulatory matters to the Audit and Risk Committee and Board. Tenant accountability is supported through complaints reporting, Tenant Satisfaction Measures, customer scrutiny activity, the Customer Voice Strategy, Customer Engagement Strategy, Customer Voice Framework, and the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code self-assessment.

The controls that safeguard taxpayer interests and the reputation of the sector include One Manchester’s Risk Policy/Framework, Risk Appetite Statement, Corporate Risk Register, internal audit programme, whistleblowing arrangements, Probity Policy, gifts and hospitality controls, declarationsof interest, Anti-Bribery, Fraud and Corruption Policy, Financial Crime Risk Policy, fraud reporting to the regulator, and modern slavery arrangements.

One Manchester reports the Corporate Risk Register quarterly to the Audit and Risk Committee and Board, uses quarterly Compliance Assurance Reports, receives quarterly internal control assurance statements from Directors, prepares the CEO Annual Statement of Internal Control, assesses itself annually against the Sector Risk Profile, and uses Ideagen risk management software. 

One Manchester protects social housing assets through risk management, performance reporting, business planning, stress testing, insurance, internal audit, an Assets and Liabilities Register, an Asset Management Strategy linked to Stock Condition Survey data, and a subsidiary structure that ring-fences development risk.
 

Registered providers must: a clearly articulate their strategic objectives b. have an approach agreed by their board to achieving value for money in meeting these objectives and demonstrate their delivery of value for money to stakeholders c. through their strategic objectives, articulate their strategy for delivering homes that meet a range of needs d. ensure that optimal benefit is derived from resources and assets and optimise economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of their strategic objectives. 

One Manchester demonstrates compliance by having a clear strategic approach to value for money, set out in the Board-approved Value for Money Strategy. These strategies are aligned with Board-approved corporate priorities and are communicated to colleagues, customers and wider stakeholders. The Corporate Plan sets out One Manchester’s strategic objectives, aims, purpose and vision, and value for money is presented as embedded within delivery of those objectives.

The Board has agreed objectives that support the required outcomes of the standard: contributing to overall housing supply, investing in and making best use of existing homes, understanding customers, and developing and delivering homes and services that meet customer needs. One Manchester demonstrates delivery of value for money through its annual statutory accounts, Value for Money Strategy, Customer Annual Report, Sector Scorecard and VfM metrics.

Your rent should be set in line with government requirements and regulatory rules.

Registered providers must set rents from 1 April 2020 in accordance with the Government's Policy Statement on Rents for Social Housing 2018 (Rent Policy Statement)

One Manchester demonstrates compliance through its annual rent-setting process. Rents are reviewed each year by the Board, supported by a detailed report setting out the proposed rent settlement for the coming year, the impact on One Manchester’s financial projections and Business Plan, and the impact on individual customers and customer groups. The document states that rents are set in accordance with government direction, the Rent Standard and the Government’s Rent Policy Statement.

Assurance is supported by internal and external review. One Manchester commissioned an audit of its rent-setting process and Rent Standard compliance, which concluded that One Manchester complies with the standard. Internal audit is also used to confirm that rent setting remains compliant, and the Assistant Director of Finance validates that rents are set correctly.