Getting Ready for the Social Tenant Access to Information Requirements (STAIRs)

The regulations limit the scope of information which can be requested by tenants to that relating to the management of their housing.  This would typically include:

• How the housing stock is managed, including planned maintenance, progress on environmental issues, and proposals to buy, sell or improve housing stock
• Performance, including the outcomes of inspections, ratings, evaluation and performance reports, tenant satisfaction survey results, performance against complaints, health and safety performance, maintenance work and summaries of the responses to requests for information
• Housing services, including the description of services and guidance for tenants
• Finance, including how money is spent, any grants and how the service charge revenue is used
• Governance of the organisation, such as the organisational structure, management and leadership structure, decision making processes, tenant consultations and meeting agendas, minutes and papers
• Lists, registers and policies related to the management of social housing.

1. Understand the requirements of STAIRs and how it applies to your organisation.
2. Complete a gap analysis to identify the information you hold that is within scope of the publication scheme and the information you have already published.
   Remember: there will be no requirement to create information to include in the publication scheme or to answer information requests; STAIRs only cover the information already held by your organisation.  
3. Prepare a publication scheme area on your organisation’s website so that you can begin to add information early and move existing published information into the publication scheme.
4. Communicate with your tenants to inform them of the new rights, when these rights will become applicable, and the information that can be found on the publication scheme.
5. Speak to suppliers and contractors, as information they hold on your behalf may be requested by tenants.  As such, it is important that you can provide that information in a timely manner to ensure request deadlines are met, and to provide tenants with help when needed.  You should also add standard clauses to supplier contract templates for future contracts that alert suppliers to your STAIRs obligations and their role in helping to fulfill them.
6. Set up a process for answering requests for information. This is likely to include:

• Assessing the resources required and ensuring that your staff are trained.
• Deciding whether specialist request handling or case management software is needed to help record and manage requests.
• Creating a request log to record requests, when they were received and how and when they were answered.
• Devising a simple means for tenants to make requests, such as an online form. (Requesters are not obliged to use any particular means to request information, but any request must be in writing to be valid.)
• Creating a process to identify tenants or their representatives to ensure the request is valid.
• Assessing the information requested to determine whether it falls within the scope of STAIRs or another information rights regulation, such as a DSAR under data protection law.
• Creating a process to contact your suppliers and contractors to obtain information they hold on your organisation’s behalf and to track responses.
• Creating a process to determine a standard appropriate response, including the assessment of whether the request is valid, and if any exemptions apply.
• Making a decision on the format for providing information so that it is accessible to all requesters.
• Devising a standard template for answering requests to ensure that a compliant response is made and includes all relevant information.
• Creating a process to handle complaints if the requester is not satisfied with a response.

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While there is still some time before the STAIRs Standard comes into force, PRPs can realise considerable benefit by taking these initial, early steps towards compliance.  Doing so will allow your organisation to lay the groundwork for a smooth and seamless implementation of the STAIRs’ full requirements when details of these become available, thereby avoiding last-minute pressures and reducing the risk of noncompliance.