BCP Council earns top grade for social housing standards
The council's housing service joins only seven others in England with the top rating
Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole Council’s housing service, has been awarded the highest possible grade for its service to council tenants, placing it among only seven councils in England with the rating.
The recognition of BCP Homes follows an inspection by the Regulator of Social Housing, which reviewed the council under its new consumer standards framework.
This first-of-its-kind inspection for BCP Council assessed areas such as housing safety, quality, tenancy management and community services.
BCP Homes was awarded the top rating of ‘C1’—the highest grade within the four inspection outcome categories.
The regulator highlighted the council’s efforts in managing repairs, safety and quality across its 9,600 rented homes.
Specific praise was given for the council’s proactive approach to addressing damp and mould issues, ensuring the presence of working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and conducting routine safety checks.
The report also found the council delivers timely repair services, with 94 per cent of emergency repairs and 82 per cent of non-emergency repairs completed on schedule.
It also acknowledged improvements in tackling anti-social behaviour and the council's commitment to fairness, respect and listening to residents.
Councillor Kieron Wilson, who oversees housing and regulatory services at BCP Council, said this outcome demonstrates the dedication of the team at BCP Homes:
“Our priority is to provide quality homes for our residents—not simply bricks and mortar.
"We are incredibly proud of this grading outcome, especially in the context that only six other councils have achieved a C1.
"Which is testament to the hard-working team we have at BCP Homes who are genuinely passionate and work so hard every day to make sure our tenants receive a high level of service.
“We are always striving to be a council and landlord who listens, learns and improves. Residents’ voices are at the heart of everything we do, and tenants have worked proactively with us to help shape the housing management services we provide today,” Wilson said.
Kelly Deane, BCP Council’s Director of Housing and Public Protection, also shared her thoughts on the achievement:
“This is more than just a grade—it’s a strong reflection of our team’s determination to deliver safe and well-managed homes, with faster and more reliable services.
“It’s fantastic to see our efforts recognised nationally, and alongside the best in local authority social housing providers.
“We will not remain complacent though— we will build on this success and continue to listen and act on what tenants tell us is important to them, and make sure we continue to provide good quality homes where our residents can thrive.”
Roger Smithers, Resident Chair of the BCP Homes Residents Committee, praised the council’s engagement with tenants:
“You are a person and not a number with BCP Homes.
"It is very well organised.
"All you have to do is speak up and they will help you. Our feedback is listened to and affects change.”