Though the council achieved the second highest rating by the social housing regulator, around 20% of its housing stock was found to not meet the government’s Decent Homes Standard, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter
Waltham Forest Council’s housing department generally meets consumer standards but there are “some weaknesses,” a review revealed.
The town hall was awarded a ‘C2’ rating by the social housing regulator, following a lengthy inspection. C2 is the second highest rating.
Between December 2024 and April 2025, government officials reviewed hundreds of documents, spoke with senior officers and councillors, and observed public scrutiny meetings.
The council was told it needs to make “faster, more efficient repairs” and communicate better with “hard to reach residents,” according to deputy leader Ahsan Khan.
On top of that, around 20% of the council’s social housing stock do not meet the government’s Decent Homes Standard. The policy sets a minimum standard for all social housing in the UK, mandating that all homes are free of safety risks and are comfortably warm.
Some of the areas highlighted as examples of good practice were compliance with health and safety compliance and the council and police’s work to tackle anti-social behaviour.
Cllr Khan, who also oversees housing in the borough, said: “While achieving a C2 rating demonstrates real progress, we know our work isn’t done.
“We’ve listened carefully to the regulator’s findings and have already developed a targeted improvement plan to address every area requiring attention.
“We’re determined to secure that C1 rating because Waltham Forest residents deserve nothing less than excellent housing services. This is about more than meeting standards – it’s about delivering the safe, quality homes that form the foundation of strong communities.
The majority of London councils inspected received a ‘C3’ rating after “serious failings” were identified.
The only council to receive a C1 rating – “meeting all consumer standards” – was Westminster and the only other council to receive a C2 rating was Lambeth. “This context makes our achievement particularly significant,” Cllr Khan added.
Housing is one of the biggest strains on the council, which faces similar challenges to many other London authorities.
There are currently more than 8,000 people on the council’s housing register, waiting to be allocated a permanent place to live, according to data from February. Around 200 people apply each month and 88% of cases are accepted.
Senior councillors in the borough have called the situation a “significant” housing crisis.
No news is bad news
Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.
The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.
If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.
Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.
Monthly direct debit
Annual direct debit
£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.
More information on supporting us monthly or annually
More Information about donations
