News & Insights

Read the latest housing sector news, blogs, and commentary from ARK.

New Decent Homes Standard

Getting Ready for the New Decent Homes Standard

By Karl Linder · 2 February 2026

The new Decent Homes Standard is a generational shift for social housing. Moving beyond basic compliance, providers must now demonstrate …

social housing maintenance spend

Spend on Housing Repairs and Maintenance – Big Shock or Celebration?

By John Fisher · 29 January 2026

While headlines focus on the “record-breaking” £10bn spend on housing repairs, a look through the tenant’s lens suggests this is …

Luke Beard on the new Decent Homes Standard

Some early thoughts on the New Decent Homes Standard

By Luke Beard · 29 January 2026

The new Decent Homes Standard represents a quiet but significant shift from age-based asset management to evidence-led performance. In this …

Heat Networks - ARK Consultancy

Big changes are coming for heat networks – are you ready?

By Luke Beard · 5 January 2026

Heat networks are entering a major new regulatory era, with Ofgem set to become the statutory regulator from 2026. For …

Providing Safe and Decent Homes – Housing Sector Risk Profile 2025

By David Guy · 3 December 2025

The Regulator of Social Housing’s 2025 risk profile places safe and decent homes at the forefront. With Awaab’s Law now …

The ARK Annual Review | 2024-25

By John Paterson · 13 October 2025

Ed Miliband announced further details of the Labour Government’s Warm Homes Plan. Key changes include rebranding the SHDF to the …

The Home Energy Model: What It Means for the Social Housing Sector

By Luke Beard · 13 October 2025

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has confirmed that the Home Energy Model (HEM) will replace the …

Avoiding or Overcoming RSH Failures: How Landlords Can Respond

By Paul O’Callaghan · 9 October 2025

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) introduced its new Consumer Standards in April 2024. The standards apply fully to housing …

No More Repair Despair: Why In-House Repairs Are Making a Comeback in Social Housing

By Luke Beard · 3 October 2025

The choice between outsourcing repairs and maintenance or managing them in-house is a difficult decision for many landlords. Social landlords …

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