The UK government has announced it will “name and shame” failing social housing providers as it steps up support and standards for social housing tenants.

The reforms, set out in the Social Housing White Paper, aim to regulate landlords and hold them to account for the homes and services they deliver.

As part of the reforms, any landlords providing sub-standard housing conditions will be publicly criticised on the government’s website and on social media channels.

Other measures include a resident panel, which will invite 250 tenants who live in social housing across England to voice their concerns, experiences and advice to the government directly.

The tenants will be able to scrutinise and influence measures to strengthen the Decent Homes Standard, training and qualification for staff and a new Access to Information Scheme.

The measures also include publishing draft clauses to legislation to toughen consumer powers, provide greater enforcement tools against failing landlords and arrange new responsibilities for social landlords.

A new factsheet explaining the role of the Regulator of Social Housing and Housing Ombudsman Service and a gov.uk page to update on progress and further measures have also been set up.

Minister for Social Housing Eddie Hughes says: “Everyone in this country deserves to live in a safe and decent home. It is unacceptable that anyone should have mould covering their walls, risk slipping on a wet floor or have water dripping from the ceiling.

“We have published draft legislation today to toughen up regulation of social housing landlords. This includes naming and shaming those landlords who fail to meet acceptable living standards and giving tenants a direct channel to raise their concerns with government.”

Hughes explains that the reforms would help to deliver on the commitments set out in the Levelling Up White Paper, which aimed to halve the number of non-decent rented homes by 2030.