A regulatory judgement has been published for Watford Community Housing after the government scrutinised its standards.

The Regulator of Social Housing published its report yesterday (July 24) on the provider, which owns and manages 5,200 homes that are mostly in Watford.

It was given the top grade in each category: viability, governance, and consumer, as it was found to meet requirements in all areas.

The report said evidence showed that Watford Community Housing (WCHT) provides “an effective repairs service to tenants and continues to implement actions to improve the service and outcomes to tenants”.

“WCHT has evidenced that it provides a wide range of opportunities for tenants to influence and scrutinise its strategies, policies and services,” it added.

Watford Community Housing office in Clarendon Road.Watford Community Housing office in Clarendon Road. (Image: Newsquest)

“There is evidence that WCHT has arrangements in place to seek the views of tenants and to enable them to provide scrutiny, which has directly influenced how WCHT delivers services to improve outcomes for tenants.”

The board was praised for being well-run, experienced and knowledgeable – carrying out appropriate reviews.

Its finances were found to be well set up so that it could cope with potential “adverse scenarios” and still fulfil its obligations. It developed 201 properties in the 2023/2024 financial year and had a £41million turnover.

Watford Community Housing chief executive Tina Barnard said: “We are delighted to be amongst the first registered landlords to be awarded the C1 rating under the new consumer standards. We believe that this reflects our commitment to providing great services and putting residents at the heart of our work.

“Our corporate strategy is guided by our customers’ priorities, and the regulator’s judgement demonstrates how hard our teams work to meet their expectations. The feedback from the regulator has been very positive, with strong assurance around our approach to key areas such as ensuring our homes are safe and providing an effective repairs service.

“We are also pleased to have retained our G1 and V1 ratings, which confirm that we run our business well and have a strong financial profile, giving us the right foundations to continue delivering for our customers and communities.”