Social Tenant Access to Information Requirement scheme (STAIRs)
If you would like to know more about your landlord or access specific information about your home, you can now do this through STAIRs.
What is STAIRs?
The Social Tenant Access to Information Requirement (STAIRs) is a new UK Government standard designed to give people living in social housing greater access to information about how their homes and services are managed.
Key Points
- From October 2026 all housing providers must publish key information (see part one) about how they manage homes, including repairs, safety and performance data.
- From April 2027, tenants will be able to request specific information (see part two) about their housing and landlords must respond within 30 days.
- The requirement is similar to the ‘Freedom of Information’ rules that apply to councils, and now also applies to housing associations and other registered providers.
- The aim is to increase openness, transparency and accountability, helping tenants better understand decisions and hold landlords to account.
Part one: publishing key information
Most of the information required under STAIRs is already available on our website. To make things easier, we’ve organised the content using the STAIRs categories below, with links to the relevant pages on our site.
Governance and decision making
- About us:
- Find out more about EPIC, including our mission statement, vision, values and corporate objectives here.
- Our group structure:
- Tenant consultation documents:
Finance and spending
- Our annual statutory accounts can be found here.
- You can find information about rent collection in our quarterly perfomance figures here.
Housing stock management
- Corporate plans and objectives:
- Details of our stock profile and transfers can be found in our Annual Statutory Accounts and our Tenants’ Annual Report on the Corporate Information page.
- Details of our property conditions and improvements to property can be found in our quarterly performance reports, as well as our Annual Tenant Report and Annual Statutory Accounts on the Corporate Information page.
- Stock/asset condition data:
- Tenant Satisfaction Measures
- Details of our Lettings and sales can be found in our Annual Statutory Accounts on the Corporate Information page.
- Details of our property compliance can be found within our Tenants’ Annual Report on the Corporate Information page.
Performance
- You can read about our C1 grading from the Regulator of Social Housing (RSOH) here.
- Information about external audits can be found within our Annual Statutory Accounts on the Corporate Information page.
- Tenant Satisfaction Measures
- Tenants’ annual reports
- Latest news from EPIC, including charitable activities on behalf of the organisation can be found here.
- Complaints handling
Housing services and tenant liaison
Lists and registers
Our Electrical safety records (EICR), asbestos register and water hygiene logs/legionella risk assessments can be viewed within our Quarterly Performance Figures here.
Social housing management
All of our policies and strategies relating to the management of social housing can be found here.
Part two: information requests
Under STAIRs you’ll also be able to request additional information, on topics such as:
- Anti-social behaviour
- Complaints handling
- Procedures, and performance
- Health and safety
- Rent rates
- Property conditions, repairs and improvements to property
- Service charges
- Stock profile
- Energy efficiency information
- Estate management
For further details on what can be requested, please see the GOV.UK requirements here.