Meeting Consumer Standards for housing
The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has produced a set of Consumer Standards that outlines how social housing providers, both Local Authorities and Housing Associations, should communicate and engage with their tenants. The essence of the Standards is that communications should be clear, understandable and accessible.
This article explores how translation and interpreting services provide an important way to engage with tenants who may not be proficient in English, helping providers deliver an effective and compliant housing service.
It is available as a free, downloadable PDF or you can read a summary below.
It’s more than just a numbers game
Under the Regulator of Social Housing’s (RSH) Consumer Standards Code of Practice and the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard, landlords are required to take action to understand the needs of their tenants and offer accessible services.
Language is one of those needs.
Most providers will have a significant number of tenants who are not proficient in English and can thus only engage properly if information is available to them - and conversations are supported - in a language they understand. Translation and interpreting services help them understand information about their homes, report repairs easily, and hold their landlord accountable.
Likewise, providers and landlords also want to understand the needs of their tenants, so as to prevent issues, misunderstanding and problems further down the line. Not to mention compliance with the Consumer Standards.
It’s a two-way street where language support enables the flow of effective, understandable communications, in both directions. Which in turn allows for actions to be planned, prioritised and managed in a timely manner, saving costs and building trust.
The more commonly used form of language support in these situations is on-demand telephone interpreting, where an independent, qualified, professional interpreter is brought in to support a conversation. But despite the apparent simplicity of the task, it’s not always easy. Not least, because effective interpreting requires more than linguistic skills. Interpreters also need practical knowledge of UK social housing and the judgement to handle sensitive conversations about things like rent arrears or a tenant’s expectations of their landlord. To keep tenants safe and meet regulatory standards, housing providers should look for partners that vet their interpreters for qualifications, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, and UK public sector experience.
Key Takeaway
Working with a language provider like Clear Voice gives housing teams fast access to qualified interpreters in over 260 languages, including rare ones. Integrating interpreting services into daily operations provides a practical way to fix repairs faster, reduce staff workload, and prevent rent arrears.