The Regulator for Social Housing (RSH) has assessed council‑owned homes in Newark and Sherwood, concluding the authority is generally delivering required consumer standards but with some weaknesses. Newark and Sherwood currently manages around 5,500 council homes, the inspection report states, and the council has been awarded a C2 rating — a judgement that indicates outcomes are being met overall but that improvements are needed in parts of the service.
What the regulator found
Inspectors praised several practical aspects of the council’s housing service. The report highlights a “respectful, fair, and positive culture towards tenants”, effective handling of complaints and strong activity to prevent and tackle anti‑social behaviour. It also notes that tenant records are generally up to date.
“It has been really positive and welcome news, extraordinarily proud,” Cllr Lee Brazier (Lab), the authority's portfolio holder for housing, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Cllr Lee Brazier said the result reflected teamwork across council departments and ongoing efforts to listen to tenants.
Areas for improvement
The regulator did identify clear weaknesses around the council’s information on the condition of its homes. While a high proportion of properties have been surveyed in the last five years, the RSH found that not all homes have a full hazards assessment on record. As of April 2026, the council reported that 9% of its homes did not meet the Decent Homes Standard, though it expects this proportion to fall as outstanding surveys are completed.
- Homes managed: c. 5,500
- Regulator rating: C2
- Homes below Decent Homes Standard (April 2026): 9%
- Outstanding surveys due to be completed: council anticipates completion (report refers to work continuing and targets in place)
| Item | Reported figure |
|---|---|
| Homes managed | Around 5,500 |
| Homes not meeting Decent Homes Standard (Apr 2026) | 9% |
| Regulator rating | C2 |
The RSH stressed the council does not yet hold complete and up‑to‑date information on the safety and quality of every property, including potential hazards. The authority has told the regulator it is working to finish the remaining surveys, and expects the number of properties failing the Decent Homes Standard to fall as a result.
Local impact and next steps
For tenants, the report is mixed: it recognises strong tenant engagement and nuisance‑busting work but underlines the importance of accurate records about home safety and condition. For the council, the C2 rating is an official signal to keep up improvement activity and complete the outstanding stock condition checks.
The regulator has been inspecting all social housing landlords across the country, and several local authorities have received lower ratings where serious failings were identified. In Newark and Sherwood’s case, the RSH’s findings point to a service that is largely meeting expectations while needing to close specific information and survey gaps.
Council leaders have welcomed the report as recognition of staff efforts, while accepting the need to address the areas the regulator highlighted. Tenants and residents can expect updates from the authority as it completes outstanding surveys and works through the actions set out in the inspection findings.
