Regulator gives Haringey Council lowest housing grade over overdue fire safety work
The Regulator of Social Housing gave Haringey Council its lowest consumer grade (C4) after finding almost 4,000 overdue fire safety actions. The council accepted the findings and apologised, and says the previous administration did not tell the regulator the true extent of the risks.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2The Regulator of Social Housing found that Haringey Council had 'very seriously failed' to meet consumer standards, and gave the north London council the lowest possible grade in a report published on 28 October 2026. MetroLC “The Regulator of Social Housing found the London borough had ‘very seriously failed’ in meeting consumer standards” Read at Metro ↗ Evening StandardN “Haringey Council was handed the lowest possible consumer grading by the government's Regulator of Social Housing” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1The grade is C4, which is reserved for landlords whose failings are so serious that major changes are needed to improve outcomes for residents. Evening StandardN “The authority was given a C4 consumer grade, reserved for landlords whose failings are considered so serious that major changes are needed to improve outcomes for residents.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Mixed · 2The inspection found almost 4,000 overdue remedial actions from fire risk assessments, around 1,400 of them classed as high risk. MetroLC “almost 4,000 remedial actions identified during fire risk assessments were overdue, with 1,400 of these declared ‘high-risk’” Read at Metro ↗ Evening StandardN “a backlog of almost 4,000 overdue fire safety actions, including around 1,400 considered high risk” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Mixed · 2Other findings: only about half of non-emergency repairs were completed in 2025/26, there were significant damp and mould backlogs, tenant satisfaction was poor, and oversight of housing services was weak. Metro reports that 16% of council-managed homes did not meet the Decent Homes Standard. Evening StandardN “only around half of non-emergency repairs were completed during 2025/26” Read at Evening Standard ↗ MetroLC “Some 16% of homes managed by the council also did not meet the Decent Homes Standard” Read at Metro ↗ Mixed · 2The regulator said the council did not respond to complaints in good time and had not properly informed it of significant issues as they emerged. Metro reports that in November the council wrote to the regulator saying it had fixed all overdue high-risk fire safety issues. Evening StandardN “had not properly informed the regulator of significant issues as they emerged” Read at Evening Standard ↗ MetroLC “in November, the council wrote to the regulator, saying they had fixed all high-risk, overdue fire safety issues” Read at Metro ↗ Centre · 1Kate Dodsworth, the regulator's deputy chief executive, said the judgement 'sends a clear signal that tenants have been let down'. She said the regulator would keep up 'intensive engagement and close oversight' and use its powers if necessary. Evening StandardN “This judgement sends a clear signal that tenants have been let down and that urgent and sustained improvement is needed.”“intensive engagement and close oversight” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Mixed · 2Jess Crowe, the council's corporate director for culture, strategy and communities, said the council fully accepted the findings and 'unreservedly' apologised to tenants and leaseholders. The council has commissioned an independent review into why incomplete information was given to the regulator and why concerns were not reported earlier. MetroLC “We take the Regulator’s judgement very seriously and fully accept its findings.” Read at Metro ↗ Evening StandardN “The authority has commissioned an independent review into why incomplete information was provided to the regulator” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Mixed · 2Council leader Mark Blake, whose Green administration took control in May, called the report 'deeply concerning, but not surprising'. He said that under the previous administration the council did not tell the regulator the true extent of fire safety risks, and that 'we did not create this crisis' but will prioritise solving it. Evening StandardN “While we did not create this crisis, we will prioritise solving it.”“Council leader Mark Blake, whose Green administration took control in May” Read at Evening Standard ↗ MetroLC “under the previous administration the council did not inform the Regulator of Social Housing of the true extent of fire safety risks” Read at Metro ↗ Left · 1Metro also quotes resident Paul Burnham, who said he has repeatedly raised concerns about combustible panels and old fire doors and that the council 'told us consistently there is no significant fire risk'. It quotes Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who said it was shocking that thousands of overdue actions were not disclosed to the regulator. Metro adds that in 2023 the regulator said the council had put thousands of tenants at potential risk, and that a fire partly spread through the 17-storey Kenneth Robbins House, where residents said smoke alarms did not go off. MetroLC “They have completely disengaged with tenants, and told us consistently there is no significant fire risk.”“shocking that thousands of overdue fire-safety actions were not disclosed to the regulator”“It came as a fire partly spread through the 17-storey Kenneth Robbins House, with residents reporting their smoke alarms did not go off.” Read at Metro ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads on the accusation that the council misled the regulator and tenants about fire risk, linking it to Grenfell and to the previous Labour-run administration.
- Emphasis
- Resident testimony, the council's November letter, the 2023 regulator warning, the Kenneth Robbins House fire and a Green Party leader's criticism.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not give the C4 grade name or the deputy chief executive's statement, or mention the independent review.
- Charged language
- “misled”“Grenfell-era”“very seriously failed”
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Reports it as a regulator's judgement that the council must make fundamental changes, and centres on the regulator's findings and the council's response.
- Emphasis
- The C4 grade, repairs and complaints performance, the regulator's oversight plan and the council's independent review.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not report the council's November letter claiming high-risk issues were fixed, resident accounts, or the Kenneth Robbins House fire.
- Charged language
- “serious failings”“let down”
- For example
-
“In a strongly worded judgement, the watchdog said tenants had been "let down" and warned urgent, lasting improvements were needed.” — Evening Standard
“The authority has commissioned an independent review into why incomplete information was provided to the regulator” — Evening Standard
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- The Regulator of Social Housing gave Haringey Council its lowest consumer grade.
- Almost 4,000 fire safety actions were overdue, about 1,400 of them high risk.
- The council accepted the findings and apologised through Jess Crowe.
- Council leader Mark Blake called the report 'deeply concerning, but not surprising'.
Where accounts differ
-
Whether the council misled the regulator
- Left
- Metro's headline says the council 'misled' the regulator, and it notes the council's November letter said all overdue high-risk issues were fixed.
- Centre
- The Evening Standard says the council gave incomplete information and had not properly informed the regulator, and reports an independent review into why.
Regulator of Social Housing organisation
Says tenants were let down and that urgent, sustained improvement is needed. It will keep close oversight and use its powers if necessary.
“This judgement sends a clear signal that tenants have been let down and that urgent and sustained improvement is needed.” — Evening Standard
Haringey Council organisation
Accepts the findings in full and apologises. It blames the previous administration for not disclosing the true extent of the fire risks, and has commissioned an independent review.
“We take the Regulator’s judgement very seriously and fully accept its findings.” — Metro
“While we did not create this crisis, we will prioritise solving it.” — Evening Standard
Left1 article
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MetroLC ·
London council ‘misled’ Grenfell-era Regulator over fire risk in homes
Critical Frames the story as the council having misled tenants and the regulator, with resident and political criticism.
Centre1 article
-
Neutral Reports the regulator's judgement and the council's response in a measured way, with an emphasis on required improvement.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 28 Oct 12:18 First MetroLC London council ‘misled’ Grenfell-era Regulator over fire risk in homes
- 29 Oct 12:52 +24h 33m Evening StandardN North London council must fix 'serious failings' in housing as 'tenants were let down', regulator warns
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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