Supported exempt accommodation

Housing providers and managing agents

We expect housing providers and managing agents of supported exempt accommodation (SEA) to be properly accredited. This means you should sign up to our Quality Standards scheme.

Quality Standards

We have partnered with the Birmingham Voluntary Service Council (BVSC) to draw up a supported exempt accommodation quality standards (SEAQS) accreditation scheme for Birmingham.

The scheme is aimed at SEA housing providers and managing agents that have not been commissioned by the council.

The Quality Standards focus on:

  • policy and practice
  • standards of accommodation
  • quality of support and information provided to residents and stakeholders

The Quality Standards are based on the government's best practice guidelines – also known as the national statement of expectations.

Find out more about the Quality Standards on the BVSC site.

Read a list of current Quality Standards award holders.

Apply for a Quality Standards accreditation

There is information about application fees on the BVSC website.

Email exemptstandards@bvsc.org to apply for a Supported Exempt Accommodation Quality Standards award.

Charter of Rights

Spring Housing Association has worked with the University of Birmingham to draw up a tenants' Charter of Rights.

The charter aims to make sure SEA tenants and their families know what to expect from a SEA housing provider or managing agents.

The Charter of Rights forms part of the Quality Standards and sets the expected standards of provision for Birmingham. There is a single application and assessment for both.

You cannot be fully accredited as an approved provider with us unless you are signed up to both the Charter of Rights and the Quality Standards.

We also see signing up to the Charter of Rights alone as a good endorsement for a provider.

Read more about the Charter of Rights.

Regulating housing providers

There are four regulators in the supported housing sector.

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) is the main regulator for the sector.

The Charity Commission regulates charities that run SEAs.

The Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies regulates community interest companies that run SEAs.

The Financial Conduct Authority may also get involved if there has been financial misconduct.

RSH monitors the four consumer standards laid down for the sector:

  • home standard – includes quality of accommodation and repairs
  • tenancy standard – includes how providers allocate homes
  • neighbourhood and community standard – includes how providers deal with anti-social behaviour
  • tenant involvement and empowerment standard – includes tenants' rights and complaints

The RSH also investigates SEAs that do not meet the correct standards.

Read the outcomes of RSH investigations.

Current legislation

The Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act (2023) aims to reform the SEA sector.

Applying for exempt status

Birmingham has sufficient supported exempt accommodation.

However, if you want to apply for exempt status, you must be able to show:

  • the business is not for profit
  • evidence of the care, support and supervision provided to residents

All new providers will have their property reviewed by the SEA multi-disciplinary partnership team.

To apply for exempt status, you will need to email us at landlord.liaison@birmingham.gov.uk.

Page last updated: 7 February 2024

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