AHBRA’s Quarterly Newsletter

Issue 2 – July 2022

A message from our CEO – Susanna Lyons:

Welcome to the second issue of our quarterly newsletter.

In this issue we provide an update on the commencement of all remaining sections of our legislation, the issuing of our Notifiable Events Guidance, the status of our Registration programme, our upcoming Monitoring and Assessment programmes, and recent and upcoming events, among other highlights. Our website also contains important and up-to-date information and we encourage you to visit.

Please share the newsletter with colleagues and encourage them to subscribe to our mailing list.

Susanna

Commencement order signed by Minister O’Brien

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien, signed the commencement order with effect from 1st July 2022, providing the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) with its remaining powers and functions.

From 1 July 2022, AHBRA will have the ability to monitor and assess AHBs against the Standards for AHBs. AHBRA will also be able to carry out investigations into the affairs of AHBs where it is considered appropriate.

Minister O’Brien commented:
“AHBs, independently regulated by the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority, will play a key role assisting the Department in meeting the objectives under Housing for All to enable a sustainable housing system in Ireland with a supply of good quality housing to match long-term needs, promote social inclusion and to ensure that existing housing stock is utilised to its fullest extent possible. Statutory regulation will provide further assurances to tenants, the public and potential investors that AHBs operate in a secure environment.”

Notifiable Events Guidance

AHBRA published Notifiable Events Guidance on our website in May 2022. Two webinars were held on the 9th of June outlining the Notifiable Events Guidance and included a Q&A session. A copy of the slides from the presentation and a recording of the webinar are available to view on our website.

We encourage you to familiarise yourself with the guidance and to inform AHBRA of any Notifiable Event in writing via email to info@ahbregulator.ie.

Monitoring and Assessment Programme

AHBRA’s focus over the coming months will be the development and implementation of our monitoring and assessment frameworks. This will include the commencement of AHBRA’s annual performance monitoring process in September 2022. Information collected in the Annual Performance Monitoring Form will be used for risk evaluation and sectoral analysis purposes and will help inform the annual assessment programme.

AHBRA will launch a pilot assessment programme in the Autumn which will involve a small number of AHBs being selected to take part in this programme. The pilot programme will help AHBRA test the effectiveness of its internal processes and receive feedback from those AHBs involved.

AHBRA have issued a survey to all AHBs requesting some high-level information on the performance data that is provided to your Board. This is an important stage in the development of our monitoring process, and we encourage every AHB to complete the survey.

Registration

AHBRA have now officially opened the programme for registration and are accepting applications. All new and ‘deemed’ AHBs making an application should contact AHBRA by emailing registration@ahbregulator.ie .

We recommend that any organisation considering making an application for registration familiarise themselves with the act and review the eligibility criteria which can be found on our website.

An important amendment has been made to the timeframe deemed AHBs have to register with AHBRA. Subsection (6) of section 34 of the Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Act 2019 has been amended to extend the timeframe for registration of each category of AHBs by 12 months. For more information on this amendment click here.

Request for Information –

Final Reminder

On 7th February 2022, AHBRA issued a Request for information to all AHBs who have been ‘deemed to be registered’. To date, 90% of AHBs contacted have completed and submitted their form.

A final reminder was issued in July 2022 to the remaining organisations. We would also like to take this opportunity to remind any organisation who has not submitted their completed form and full set of Financial Statements to do so at their earliest convenience.

Housing Practitioner’s Conference 2022

On 26th and 27th May 2022, representatives from AHBRA attended the Housing Practitioner’s Conference in Malahide, organised by the IPA and the Housing Agency. It was a great opportunity to meet key stakeholders in person.

Susanna Lyons presented to delegates on the second day on the topic of Statutory Regulation of AHBs. The presentation slides can be accessed here.

Pictured above: Minister O’Brien with AHBRA staff members Lorraine Glynn, Dympna Clerkin & Michelle Hyland.

Keep an eye out for:

Guidance – AHBRA will be issuing the first of a suite of Guidance for AHBs very shortly. The aim of the initial guidance documents will be to provide AHBs with a better understanding of how to comply with the Standards.

Upcoming Webinars – Following the issuance of the Annual Performance Monitoring Form and the Guidance documents, AHBRA will be hosting webinars in September to provide further information on both. Please keep an eye out for your invitation to the webinars.

Pilot Assessment Programme – AHBRA will be running a pilot assessment programme in the Autumn and will be selecting a small number of AHBs to take part. We will write to the selected AHBs shortly to advise of their inclusion. It is anticipated that a formal assessment programme will commence in 2023.

For updates and information:

In order to receive the latest AHBRA updates, information, and invites to events, please subscribe to our mailing list by contacting communications@ahbregulator.ie

For general queries: email us at info@ahbregulator.ie or call 01 – 224 3900