Social Tenants Access to Information Requirement scheme

For the first phase of STAIRs (from October 2026), we have ensured that key information about how we manage homes is published on our website, including details about maintenance, spending and performance.

The second phase (from April 2027) will ensure you have the option to make formal requests for information.

Much of the information we are required to publish for STAIRs is already available on our website. For clarity and ease of use, we have organised this information below, including links to relevant pages and resources.

We will keep this page updated with the most up-to-date information as it becomes available.

Governance and decision making

About Sutton Housing Society

Our About Us section provides information on who we are, what we do, and our aims and plans for the future.

We are registered with the Regulator of Social Housing. No: L0721. We are also an exempt charity, registered with the Financial Conduct Authority under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014. No: 16614R.

As a registered provider, Sutton Housing Society is regulated by the Regulator for Social Housing, the Housing Ombudsman Service in relation to complaints, and the Energy Ombudsman Service in respect of concerns relating to heat networks.

The board and senior management team

Details of our board and senior management team are available on our team page.

Resident engagement

Hearing our residents’ views is essential to the success of Sutton Housing Society. We are working to ensure that any of our residents can help influence the services we provide, giving them the opportunity to work with us if they wish to, including on our board.

We are committed to working collaboratively with our residents to improve and develop our services. There are several ways that we engage with our residents:

• Surveys: Our residents’ views are important, so we read and review all survey responses.

• Estate walkabouts: Residents can join the housing manager on walk of their estate, highlighting any concerns, commendations, or areas for improvement. Estate walkabouts are advertised in advance on digital noticeboards and on our Resident App.

• Focus groups: These are arranged to review specific services (such as grounds maintenance, cleaning etc), to be involved in the appointment of suitable contractors, and in the on-going monitoring of a contractors performance.

• Residents’ Charter group: This group helps us respond to some of the ‘big-ticket’ social housing issues, such as reviewing action plans put in place following the Tenant Satisfaction Measures perception surveys, reviewing our position on damp and mould concerns, working with us to improve communications with residents, assisting with promoting sustainability issues, and so much more.

• Disability Forum: The Disability Forum meets around three times a year for about two hours each time. The meetings are topic based so residents can dip in and out as they wish.

• Housing Operations Committee: This group is a sub-committee of our Board, put together to consider many frontline and operational matters, and to approve policies and review performance across the organisation. To access the minutes from our most recent HOC meetings, please visit our performance page.

• The Board: Our Board has a maximum of nine members, with at least one place designated for a resident. When a new resident board member is required, this is advertised and subject to a Board recruitment process. For a summary of decisions made at our most recent Board meeting, please visit our performance page.

Policies

Our policies page offers a comprehensive list of our current policy documents.

Performance

Every quarter we produce a summary report to show how we have performed against our targets. You can read these reports on our performance page, including our full TSM survey results.

The most recent Tenant Satisfaction Measures survey (November 2025) results show that 92.4% of residents are satisfied with Sutton Housing Society.

Complaints

Our policies page provides downloadable information about our complaints procedures, including:

• How to make a complaint
• The complaints timeline and process
• Resolving complaints
• Complaints policy

Investing in our team

Investment in our passionate and enthusiastic small team has seen Sutton Housing Society achieve Investors in People Gold accreditation in 2024. We are also a Living Wage Employer, and listed in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work for 2024, 2025 and 2026.

Sutton Housing Society won The Sunday Times Best Places to Work ‘Non-Profit and Charities‘ category in 2025, and The Sunday Times Best Places to Work ‘For Employees Aged 55 and Over‘ category in 2026.

In 2024 we won the UK Housing Awards Best Older People’s Landlord.

Spending

Our annual reports explain our financial position and clearly show where we have been investing and spending money. You can find our most recent annual reports on our publications page.

Service charges

Our policies page provides downloadable information about our rent and service charges.

Grants

We typically receive grant funding from the Greater London Authority for building or developing new homes.

Housing stock management

We publish an in-year planned maintenance programme on our website every year. For information on the major works that Sutton Housing Society has planned this year, please visit our planned maintenance programme page.

The planned maintenance programme is reviewed and updated annually as it underpins our 30-year investment plan, ensuring our residents have safe, well maintained, quality homes.

The stock condition survey (which is on a rolling 5-year plan) and its updates form the basis of any long-term decision making, with future development projects superseding some identified stock condition works.

The programme of works covers the following categories: planned (capital), planned (revenue), compliance, and cyclical.

The planned maintenance programme ensures we meet several key commitments, as well as achieving specific outcomes, including:

• maintaining security valuations;
• meeting funders requirements;
• maintaining the Regulator of Social Housing Safety and Quality Standard, including the Decent Home Standard;
• meeting our statutory health and safety requirements;
• following best practice guidance;
• delivery of agreed life cycle replacements;
• delivery of energy efficiency measures;
• achieving appropriate EPC ratings (affordable warmth / alleviating fuel poverty, MEES, etc);
• ensuring the health and wellbeing of our residents; and
• maintaining and enhancing our reputation.

To find the energy certificate for your scheme, please visit the ‘find an energy certificate’ page on GOV.UK.

Cyclical maintenance and compliance

Cyclical maintenance includes statutory landlord responsibilities, health and safety obligations, as well as compliance with the Safety and Quality Standard.

The majority of our stock has previously received PVC-u windows, soffits, fascias, etc. Where these were not replaced, they are included in the development upgrades where new roofs are being added and the existing timber fascias are no longer required.

Regular servicing and maintenance supports the safety of our residents and ensures that any equipment is appropriately maintained.

The cyclical maintenance programme is explained in more detail below:

• Landlord’s Gas Servicing Record (statutory): The servicing of gas appliances is a statutory landlord responsibility covered by the Gas Safe (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. Where properties have gas boilers, we also check the hard-wired smoke alarms and CO detection. We continue to include an independent sample check on 15% of all services, and we check all LGSRs and review customer feedback. These independent checks are considered good practice.

• Servicing of hard-wired smoke alarms (properties without gas): This annual check is considered good practice. We will ensure that it can be included as part of other works, rather than relying on residents testing their own alarms.

• Servicing of electric unvented hot water cylinders: This is considered good practice.

• External painting programme: Where timber fascias remain, these are being replaced as part of the airspace development works. Kent Court is our only externally (self-coloured) rendered building.

• Servicing and maintenance of fire alarm / emergency lighting systems (statutory): This is a statutory responsibility under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order) Regulations 2005. Fire alarms and emergency lighting within our communal blocks are checked quarterly.

• Water hygiene monitoring: This covers the control of communal water installations to protect residents against Legionella, as required by the Control of Legionella Bacteria in Water Systems (Approved Code of Practice and Guidance). We have a programme in place to carry out monthly temperature checks at all relevant schemes and arrange for specialist in-depth reports once major works / refurbishments are carried out.

• Asbestos surveys / re-assessment (statutory): Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 (CAWR) and the associated Code of Practice L143, asbestos in our communal areas and schemes is managed. A proactive approach has been undertaken with most known asbestos having been removed. The asbestos register is reviewed annually (in Q4) and issued to contractors in April each year. Any unknown asbestos found during development works is either encapsulated and/or removed.

• Servicing and maintenance of passenger lifts (statutory): Under the Lift Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, all lifts are serviced. Our insurers also carry out an independent inspection and provide recommendations, where appropriate.

• Rental and maintenance of fire extinguishers (statutory): We previously sought external advice and fire extinguishers were removed from our schemes. One appropriate extinguisher is provided to all our plant rooms.

• Testing / inspection of roof safety equipment (statutory): A requirement covered by the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. The inspections cover the testing of safety rails and/or harness points.

• Servicing and maintenance of dry riser systems (statutory): Required under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order) Regulations 2005.

• Portable appliance testing (statutory): For all portable appliances requiring an annual check under the Electricity Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994.

• Periodic electrical testing / inspection (statutory): The testing of electrical installations is covered by the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.

• Servicing and maintenance of automatic door openers: This is considered good practice and assists in minimising the risk of failure or injury.

• Servicing / checking of solar thermals: Visual checks of installations bi-annually from 2026/2027 and servicing every five years (drain down and re-fill the system).

• Servicing / checking of air source heat pump: A specialist company will be brought on board to inspect and service the air source heat pumps. We have currently allowed for two visits a year.

• Servicing / inspection of lightning protection: There is an annual inspection in place for one site where this applies.

Repairs and maintenance

Our maintenance and improvements section provides information on our approach to repairs and maintenance, including:

• How to report a repair
• What repairs we will carry out
• What repairs are residents’ responsibility
• What to expect from our contractors

Additionally, our policies page provides downloadable information about our repairs and maintenance policies.

Property procurement and contract information

Contractors help us deliver excellent, quality services to our residents.

In 2025/2026, we spent £1,418,942 on maintenance related goods, works and services to ensure contracted works delivered the best possible experience for our residents.

When sourcing contractors, we are required to follow the Procurement Act 2023 and our financial regulations and standing orders. We have contracts let below and above the threshold limits. Our approach to procurement is embedded within our financial regulations and standing orders.

Sustainability

Our sustainability strategy, together with our asset management, development and value for money (and quality) strategies, supports the delivery of our corporate plan 2026/2031.

We know we do not have all the answers for a carbon zero future, particularly as technology, innovation and progress is changing all the time. However, we are committed to learn, research and share knowledge to ensure the best outcome for our residents, our business and the planet.

The UK government set out its strategy for decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy to meet the net zero target by 2050. Whilst the UK has already reduced emissions by 42% (from 1990 levels), the legal commitment within the Climate Change Act 2008 (as amended in 2019) is to achieve net zero carbon (NZC) by 2050.

Homes in the UK account for around 30% of energy consumption and for 27% of the UK’s total CO₂ emissions. We are aware that 80% of the 2050 building stock is already built. There are several challenges to delivering energy efficient homes, including performance (or closing the ‘performance gap’), skills gap, retrofitting existing homes, building new homes, as well as finance and funding.

Sutton Housing Society seeks not to dispose of any of its stock or assets to achieve the net zero aspirations. Our development and planned improvements focus on retaining, enhancing and extending our existing assets.

The Sutton Housing society roadmap for sustainability includes the following:

1. Data: review our data, identify starting point/potential costs/quick wins/cost vs benefit (with external support).
2. EPC C: achieve by 2030 or before as only 6.3% of homes recorded as ‘D’.
3. Fabric first: focus upon fabric enhancements ‘in all that we do’.
4. Renewables: adopt renewable electricity generation, where appropriate, in new and existing homes.
5. New build/scheme extensions:
   1. Adding to our existing schemes to minimise the impact of embodied carbon created through demolition.
   2. Existing fabric: new build programme to enhance existing fabric at same time.
   3. Adopting Passivhaus principles: new homes designed to Passivhaus principles with renewables.
   4. Current data/performance: prioritise scheme extensions based on their energy performance, and identify where these offset existing works.

Building safety

We are committed to ensuring the safety of residents, visitors and our employees.

Visit our health and safety pages to find out more about our approach to:

• Asbestos
• Communal heating
• Damp and mould
• Electrical safety
• Fire safety
• Gas safety
• Mobility scooters
• Water hygiene

Social housing management

Our homes

Our homes page provides details about our housing schemes and general use properties.

Resident support

All Sutton Housing Society residents can request help and support with finances, which also includes the Helping Hands Fund.

Lists and registers

Information held in registers required by law, and other lists and registers relating to the management of social housing, are listed here:

Statutory requirement:

• Asbestos register
• Data breach register
• Electrical safety records
• Fire risk assessments
• Gas safety records
• Priority persons register
• Subject access request register

Legal / regulatory requirement:

• Accident and incident register
• Complaints register
• Conflicts of interest register
• Fixed assets register
• Gifts and hospitality register
• Grants register
• Tender register