The Regulator of Social Housing has commissioned an independent inquiry to investigate serious concerns at social housing landlord Ash-Shahada Housing Association Limited.
ASHA is a London-based landlord providing social housing in London and supported exempt accommodation in Birmingham. It is a Community Benefit Society and is designated as a not-for-profit provider. The RSH has notified ASHA and relevant stakeholders of the inquiry.
The RSH says that it has the power to hold an inquiry if it suspects that the affairs of a landlord may have been mismanaged, if it has failed to meet a regulatory standard or if there is a risk that, if no action is taken by the regulator or the landlord, it will fail to meet a standard.
RSH Chief Executive, Jonathan Walters, said: “A statutory inquiry is a serious regulatory tool that we only use very rarely. This reflects the severity of our concerns with ASHA and its longstanding failure to put things right. We will use the independent findings to inform our next steps.”
The inquirer is independent from the RSH; however, the RSH specifies the matters on which the inquirer is to report, which include whether:
- There are or have been any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest within ASHA’s executive team or board.
- The Board and Executive have the necessary degree of skills, independence and effectiveness to manage ASHA’s affairs.
- There is any evidence that ASHA, its officers, employees or agents have entered into any arrangements or transactions, made payments, or conferred other benefits for the purpose of advancing the interests of any third parties.
- There have been any instances of ASHA’s social housing assets being used in a way that may be inconsistent with applicable policies, procedures, regulatory requirements and any relevant law.
- Any officer, employee or agent of ASHA has contributed to any mismanagement or failure to comply with a standard, and if so, to identify such individuals.
- Any matters referred to above, or any other matters uncovered by the inquirer in the course of the inquiry, individually or collectively, constitute mismanagement or a failure to meet any of the applicable standards.
Following the inquiry, the RSH will consider the findings and determine whether any further regulatory action is appropriate for ASHA.
