Social Tenants Access to Information Requirement scheme (STAIRs)

What is STAIRs?

STAIRs stands for Social Tenants Access to Information Requirements scheme. It is a new standard being introduced by the UK Government and Regulator of Social Housing.

Under STAIRs, tenants will have new rights to access information regarding the management of their homes and services, which is similar to the Freedom of Information process.

This page provides a short overview about STAIRs, and you can find more detailed information in our Social Tenants Access to Information Requirements Policy.

How will it affect tenants?

Publication scheme (October 2026)

From 1 October 2026, social housing landlords must make key information clear and easy for tenants to find.

Much of the information that we are required to publish under STAIRs is already available on our website. To make it easier to find, we have arranged links to this information below using the STAIRs classifications.

You can find information about believe housing, how we are governed, how customers help shape our services, and how we keep customers updated on decisions that may affect their home, neighbourhood, services or tenancy. Where a decision affects specific customers or communities, we will normally contact them directly. Wider updates, engagement opportunities and outcomes from consultation or feedback activity will usually be published on our news page.

We publish information about our financial performance and how we use our resources. This includes information about our income, spending, grants, service charge income and how we procure goods and services.

We publish information about how we look after, maintain and invest in the homes we own and manage. This includes our strategic objectives, how we report on our performance, how we assess the condition of our homes, and how we respond to legal requirements such as Awaab’s Law. We also provide information about the homes we offer across the region and practical guidance for customers about their home.

We publish information about how we are performing in a range of ways, including updates on our website, annual reports, customer information pages, performance summaries and service updates. This helps tenants see how we are doing, what we are improving, and how we are responding to feedback. Where possible, we will bring this information together or signpost to the relevant pages so it is easier to find.

We publish information about our services and how we can help and support you in your home.

If you’re keen to share your thoughts and help influence how we work, there are plenty of ways to get involved, see get involved | believe housing for more information

Information about publicly available lists and registers that include details of our organisation, properties and services.

* Please note that believe housing does not own these websites.

 

Decision-making policies as well as our policies relating to the management of social housing can be found here policies | believe housing.

We publish a range of information on how we manage homes and services for tenants, including lettings, repairs, antisocial behaviour and rents and services charges.

Information requests (April 2027)

From 1 April 2027, tenants, or someone acting on their behalf, can ask in writing for certain information held by their social housing landlord about how their home or services are managed. This could include repairs, rents, complaints, health and safety, antisocial behaviour and service charges.

This doesn’t mean that everything will be publicly available, and in some instances, we may not be able to provide information if:

  • the request is unclear
  • the request has already been answered or is repeated
  • the request is abusive or offensive
  • answering the request would take too long
  • the information is not covered by STAIRs
  • there is a good reason to withhold the information, such as protecting someone else’s personal data.