By Adam Brooks, Housing Tutor, AKG Learning
Back around 2008, a piece of research was conducted to explore whether housing managers saw themselves as professionals. It sparked a searching debate, highlighting the discrepancies between housing and more ‘established’ professions such as law or medicine — fields with clearly defined bodies of knowledge, compulsory qualifications, and mandatory membership in professional bodies, none of which housing had at the time. The jury seemed to be out, although many did champion the unique blend of community work, social work, asset management, legal knowledge, and more that housing roles require.
The devastating tragedy of Grenfell, the subsequent catastrophic failures of professionalism and service delivery highlighted by the ‘repairs scandal’ highlighted by an ITN investigation, the death of young Awaab Ishaak, the campaigning work of Kwajo Twenboa, all highlighted massive failures of professionalism and integrity in the housing profession. The government wanted action.
Hence the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, part of which was a pledge to drive forward a consistent standard of professionalism in housing, the Competence and Conduct Standard, complete with mandatory qualifications. The CIH in the meantime also highlighted the need for integrity and ethics as well as professional knowledge to be equally validated and recognised.
Consultation on the standard has taken a while to crystalise into specifics, but last week focus began to tighten. A three‑year transition period has been announced, and here’s what housing professionals need to know.
The Competence and Conduct Standard for social housing will now come into force in October 2026, giving larger providers (with over 1,000 homes) a three‑year transition window, and smaller providers a four‑year period to comply.
Timeline at a Glance
- October 2026 – Competence and Conduct Standard becomes effective.
- 2026–2029 – Larger providers complete compliance.
- 2026–2030 – Smaller providers wrap up.
- The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) will publish consultation and detail expectations in the next few months.
Why the Extended Window Matters
The decision offers practical benefits:
- Avoid service disruption – providers can enrol staff incrementally without overwhelming operations.
- Enable financial planning – budgets and resources can be allocated over three to four years.
- Support retention – experienced staff remain engaged, as the pace of change isn’t rushed.
Focus on Culture, Not Just Qualifications
While formal qualifications remain essential (Level 4 for senior managers, Level 5 for executives), culture and conduct are equally key. This Standard isn’t simply a certification requirement—it’s about creating an environment where values, respect, and tenant‑focused behaviours are central. This is a welcome focus, as without the right culture, qualifications alone will not deliver. Culture provides the foundation, the ground for them to propel from and gain traction.
How Practitioners Must Prepare
Experts from Housing Today and HQN advise the following steps:
- Engage training partners now
Begin conversations with accredited providers to secure early cohorts and flexible delivery. - Mapping roles & auditing skills
Identify which roles fall under the Standard, and assess current qualifications, skills and behaviours. - Strategic action & budgeting
Build a multi-year L&D plan to enrol staff in full qualifications or top-up modules. - Strengthen governance and oversight
Ensure boards and senior leaders are fully briefed with clear progress reporting systems. - Embed codes of conduct
Co-design with tenants, train staff on expectations, and integrate conduct standards in appraisal and performance management. - Gather evidence of impact
Don’t just record attendance or certificates—track improvements in tenant outcomes, reduce complaints, and measure satisfaction.
Final Thoughts: What Housing Professionals Should Do Now
By proactively embracing this process—not merely viewing it as compliance—you and your organisation will help drive professionalism, consistency and increased trust in the sector.
Our housing & property qualifications and expertise will give housing staff the overall professional education to understands the importance of culture and values and how professionals embed them, together with the comprehensive knowledge base with which to build new learning habits to continually improve and generate insight.
