In the first of a series of blogs on new regulations in the homelessness sector, Homeless Link Associate Consultant Becky Elton explains the implications of new access to information requirements.
The Social Tenant Access to Information Requirements (STAIRs) is one of the big regulatory changes coming up for Private Registered Providers of social housing (PRPs) and their managing agents over the next 18 months. If you’re involved in supported housing, running services, managing contracts, overseeing compliance, or setting organisational direction, you need to be aware of how it might affect your organisation.
STAIRs at a glance
STAIRs is a new transparency regime introduced under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, designed to give tenants of Private Registered Providers (PRPs) clearer rights to information, closer to what council tenants can already access via Freedom of Information.
- 1 October 2026: PRPs must have a publication scheme and proactively publish information they hold about how they manage their social housing.
- 1 April 2027: PRPs must respond to written tenant information requests within 30 calendar days (with limited extensions in specific circumstances).
- Who it affects: PRPs directly; managing agents/support providers indirectly (because PRPs may need information you hold on their behalf).
- How it will be monitored: It is expected that STAIRs will become part of the Consumer Standards, under the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard. It will be regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing. The Housing Ombudsman will deal with complaints about the handling of STAIRs requests.
In day-to-day supported housing this is about residents being able to see how things work behind the scenes, how you prioritise repairs, how you handle complaints, what your health and safety approach is, and (where relevant) how service charges are set and used. Clear information helps build trust and empowers residents, especially if things are going wrong.
What kind of information needs to be published?
Essentially PRPs are asked to publish information about who runs the organisation, where the money goes, what state the buildings are in, how you're performing, and what your policies say.
There are seven broad categories of information required, including:
- Governance and decision-making (e.g., senior staff names, organisational structures, and how complaints are prioritised)
- Spending (including use of service charge income and grants)
- Housing stock management (e.g., maintenance plans, stock condition, progress towards net zero)
- Performance data (e.g., inspection outcomes, tenant satisfaction measures, complaints metrics, health and safety assessments, and eviction numbers)
- Descriptions of housing services
- Policies relating to social housing management
- Any lists or registers held by the provider
PRPs are not required to create new policies or other documentation for STAIRs, the focus is on publishing information they already hold. However, what is published must be easy to find, accessible, and kept up to date.
For supported housing providers, you may want to think about what written documents you have on support delivery, safeguarding, risk management, staffing/training, ASB, and building safety, and if they are in a format that can be published.
What about information requests?
From April 2027, tenants (or a representative they nominate in writing) can make written requests for information about how their social housing is managed. This isn’t a general “public FOI” right, it’s specifically for tenants of PRPs.
In supported housing, requests could be about repairs history, property inspections and safety checks, how complaints are handled, ASB processes, staffing/training, safeguarding arrangements, service charges, or the policies that sit behind support and housing management.
PRPs must respond within 30 calendar days. They can take longer in limited situations, for instance, where they need extra time to consider whether information should be withheld, or where the information is actually held by someone else, like a managing agent and has to be obtained.
Some requests can be refused or information redacted on FOI-style grounds, for example if the request is unclear, disclosure would cause harm, or the work involved would exceed 18 hours of staff time.
Any complaints about how a PRP handles publication or information requests will go to the Housing Ombudsman, which has a specific role in overseeing STAIRs disputes.
Scenario 1: You're a PRP providing supported housing
If you’re a PRP delivering supported housing, STAIRs applies to you directly. The duty sits with the registered landlord, so even if delivery is contracted out, you still need to be ready for the October 2026 publication scheme deadline.
What this means in practice:
- Audit what you already hold against the publication scheme categories (and what’s held by partners/agents).
- Decide how residents will access it (website, tenant portal, scheme information packs, accessible formats).
- Set up a simple process for requests from April 2027: logging, deadlines, who reviews/approves withholding, and how you do internal reviews.
- Train frontline staff, as tenants won’t have to use the word “STAIRs” for it to count as a request.
For supported housing, it’s worth paying particular attention to how you publish information about support delivery, safeguarding, complaints, and health and safety. These are often the areas residents ask about most, and clarity here can make a real difference to trust and day-to-day relationships.
You should also be aware that you must not delete or alter information to avoid disclosure (a principle carried over from FOI legislation).
If you are a National Housing Federation member, they have published detailed operational guidance on STAIRs.
Scenario 2: You're a managing agent for a PRP
If you’re a managing agent (or support provider) working for a PRP, the legal duty still sits with the PRP, but if you hold information the PRP needs to publish or disclose, you’ll be part of the process.
The STAIRs policy statement makes clear that where information is held by a person or organisation managing social housing on the PRP’s behalf, the PRP must use “all reasonable endeavours” to obtain it and provide it to the tenant. So if you hold records relevant to a request, repair histories, complaints logs, staffing information, performance data, the PRP may need you to supply it.
Expect PRPs to ask what information you hold, where it sits, and how quickly you can provide it. Some may also want your input into their publication scheme, particularly information about service delivery, complaints, and performance in the schemes you manage.
What to check:
- Review how you record and store key housing management information.
- Test whether you could locate and extract relevant records within a short timeframe.
- Agree practical protocols with PRP partners (who receives requests, how you’ll share information, and timescales).
The government has recognised that obtaining information from managing agents can take additional time, so PRPs can extend the 30-day timeframe in those circumstances. That said, the expectation remains that relevant information will be provided.
What should you be doing now?
Whether you’re a PRP or a managing agent, the publication scheme deadline (October 2026) is a key milestone. Practical steps to take now include:
- Read the STAIRs policy statement (MHCLG) and the NHF operational guidance (April 2026, with Anthony Collins; free for NHF members).
- Audit what you currently hold against the publication scheme categories and identify gaps.
- Build or update your publication scheme (for example, a dedicated section of your website or another format tenants can easily access).
- Review record-keeping and data management, especially if you hold information on behalf of PRPs.
- Train staff to recognise and respond to requests (what counts as a valid request; when information can be withheld; who signs off decisions).
- Put an internal review process in place for complaints about information disclosure.
STAIRs sits within a wider shift towards transparency and accountability in social housing, flowing from the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. For supported housing providers, getting organised early is the easiest win.
For more information on STAIRs and other regulatory changes affecting supported housing, visit the Homeless Link regulation of homelessness services page.
