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Our Judgement

	Grade/Judgement	Change	Date of assessment
Consumer	C2 Our judgement is that there are some weaknesses in the landlord delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards and improvement is needed.	First grading	June 2025
Governance	G1 Our judgement is that the landlord meets our governance requirements.	Assessed and unchanged	June 2025
Viability	V2 Our judgement is that the landlord meets our viability requirements. It has the financial capacity to deal with a reasonable range of adverse scenarios but needs to manage material risks to ensure continued compliance.	Assessed and unchanged	June 2025

Reason for publication

We are publishing a regulatory judgement for Tuntum Housing Association Limited (Tuntum) following an inspection completed in June 2025.

This regulatory judgement confirms a consumer grade of C2, a governance grading of G1, and a financial viability grading of V2.

Prior to this regulatory judgement, the governance and financial viability gradings for Tuntum were last updated in January 2025, following a stability check which confirmed a G1 grade for governance and a V2 grade for financial viability. This is the first time we have issued a consumer grade in relation to this landlord.

Summary of the decision

Based on the evidence and assurance gained during the inspection it is our judgement that there are some weaknesses in Tuntum’s delivery of the outcomes of the consumer standards and improvement is needed, specifically in relation to the Safety and Quality Standard. Based on this assessment, we have concluded a C2 grade for Tuntum.

Our judgement is that Tuntum meets our governance requirements. Tuntum has provided evidence of the effectiveness of its governance arrangements, and the board and leadership team have the skills and capacity to deliver Tuntum’s charitable and strategic objectives. Tuntum continues to effectively manage the risks associated with its activities and has performance reporting frameworks in place; allowing it to deliver its strategic and charitable objectives. Based on this assessment, we have concluded a G1 grade for Tuntum.

Our judgement is that Tuntum meets our financial viability requirements. Tuntum has access to sufficient liquidity and continues to forecast covenant compliance with reasonable headroom. Whilst Tuntum has the financial capacity to deal with a reasonable range of adverse scenarios, it has exposure to financial risks relating to its planned investment in existing homes, including building safety and energy efficiency, that it needs to manage. Based on this assessment, we have concluded a V2 grade for Tuntum.

How we reached our judgement

We carried out an inspection of Tuntum to assess how well it is delivering the outcomes of the consumer standards and meeting our governance and financial viability requirements. During the inspection, we considered all four of the consumer standards: Neighbourhood and Community Standard, Safety and Quality Standard, Tenancy Standard, and the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard.

During the inspection we observed a board meeting and a tenant scrutiny panel meeting, spoke with engaged tenants, held meetings with Tuntum including with its non-executive directors, and reviewed a wide range of documents provided by Tuntum.

Our regulatory judgement is based on a review of all the relevant information we obtained during the inspection, as well as analysis of information received from Tuntum through its regulatory returns and other regulatory engagement activity.

Summary of findings 

Consumer – C2 – June 2025 

During the inspection, Tuntum provided evidence-based assurance that it has appropriate systems in place to ensure the health and safety of its tenants in their homes and associated communal areas. Tuntum demonstrated it has a good understanding of its compliance position with landlord health and safety requirements. Its performance information demonstrated a good level of compliance with legal obligations. Where required, there are mitigations and improvement plans in place. Tuntum has evidenced progress in its monitoring of how its homes comply with health and safety requirements, including using lessons learned exercises to improve its processes and assurance.

Tuntum maintains an accurate and up to date record of the condition of its homes through physical stock condition surveys at an individual property level. Despite requiring improvements in data clarity, it has a process for keeping this information up to date and there is evidence of controls and processes in place that ensure its tenants are safe in their homes.

To fully meet the requirements of the Safety & Quality Standard there are some areas where Tuntum needs to improve its oversight of the data it holds on the condition of its homes. At the time of our inspection its programmes for stock condition surveys and Electrical Installation Condition Reports were not complete. There was also evidence of a small number of outstanding fire safety remediation works to be completed. Tuntum has implemented an action plan to deliver improvements in its understanding of the condition of its homes, we will continue to engage with it while the actions are delivered.

We have assurance that Tuntum has an accessible repairs, maintenance and planned improvements service, with improvement action being taken to address weaknesses that had been identified by the landlord prior to our inspection. Where Tuntum is not meeting its targets, we have assurance that it has plans in place to address this and have seen evidence that the changes are beginning to deliver improvements in outcomes to its tenants. We gained assurance that the service takes account of the needs of its tenants and that vulnerabilities are considered. Tuntum makes use of the information it has, including stock condition and information from tenants’ complaints to inform the delivery of its repairs service.

In relation to the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard, we saw evidence that Tuntum treats tenants with fairness and respect. Action is taken to deliver fair and equitable outcomes for tenants, and it takes their diverse needs into account in its decision making and provides information about landlord services.

We saw evidence that Tuntum’s complaints process is simple, accessible and publicised to tenants. Complaints are addressed fairly, effectively, and promptly, and its performance in this area is monitored by the board. Themes identified from complaints are monitored to inform future service design and are communicated to tenants.

Tuntum provides a reasonable range of opportunities for tenants to influence and scrutinise its performance. We saw evidence that it has arrangements in place to seek the views of tenants and enables them to provide scrutiny. The board engages with this information in a variety of ways, and we saw evidence of how resulting improvements are communicated back to tenants. Tuntum plans to further develop its approach to tenant engagement to ensure its arrangements continue to be effective and strengthen outcomes.

In relation to the Neighbourhood and Community Standard, we gained assurance that Tuntum is working in partnership with relevant organisations to deter and tackle anti-social behaviour and hate incidents in the neighbourhoods where it provides social housing. Tuntum has demonstrated a commitment to the continuous gathering of and learning from feedback to improve outcomes in this area.

We gained assurance that, in line with the Tenancy Standard, Tuntum has arrangements in place to let its homes in a fair and transparent way that reflects the needs of tenants. We saw evidence that Tuntum has considered the diverse needs of its tenants in the delivery of a range of tenancy sustainment services, and we have assurance that performance in this area is monitored with an appropriate level of oversight.

Governance – G1 – June 2025 

Based on evidence gained through the inspection, we have assurance that Tuntum’s governance arrangements enable it to effectively manage its risk and adequately control the organisation, allowing it to deliver its objectives.

Tuntum’s board has a clear corporate strategy, business plan and associated strategies, that focus on tenants and their homes. These are regularly reviewed by Tuntum’s board, its tenants, and where appropriate by relevant third-party expertise. Arrangements for reporting on and scrutinising strategic delivery, oversight of financial risks, and building safety are in place. There is evidence that Tuntum assures itself that its services deliver value for money, and this includes evidence of structured service reviews.

An appropriate risk management and control framework that is aligned with the activities of the organisation and its strategic risks is in place. Tuntum’s board regularly seeks and gains assurance across a range of risk areas. We saw evidence that its board challenges the quality of assurance and actively seeks assurance that Tuntum is performing in line with its risk appetite.

Tuntum has provided assurance that it has established clear roles, responsibilities and accountabilities within its leadership and governance structure. There is evidence that the relationship between the board and committees is working in line with its delegations. Board members’ skills, experience and knowledge are aligned to the activities of the organisation and there is a structured approach to developing and appraising skills and succession planning. The effectiveness of its governance has been reviewed by an independent third party, and Tuntum reviews compliance with the National Housing Federation Code of Governance on an annual basis.

Tuntum provided evidence that its governance arrangements give oversight and control of financial and operational business planning and decision making. Its board has a clear understanding of the challenges and risks facing the organisation and the sector. Tuntum has demonstrated a robust approach to stress testing that is aligned with its strategic risks. Board ownership of stress testing, mitigation strategies and wider governance over risks is evidenced, with reporting providing sufficient detail for the board to ensure effective oversight.

During the inspection process, Tuntum’s board evidenced awareness of the areas Tuntum needs to improve to fully deliver the outcomes required by the consumer standards, and that it was taking action to address the matters identified. We have seen evidence that Tuntum’s board has overseen improvements regarding the quality of reporting.

Viability – V2 – June 2025 

Based on the evidence gained through the inspection, there is appropriate assurance that Tuntum’s financial plans are consistent with and support its financial strategy. Tuntum has appropriately evidenced that it has an adequately funded business plan and has access to sufficient liquidity and security to support its financial covenants under a reasonable range of financial scenarios. We saw evidence that Tuntum has appropriate controls and monitors performance against its covenants, with its board having effective oversight of covenant compliance through regular reporting on actual and projected covenant performance.

Tuntum continues to meet our viability requirements and has financial capacity to deal with adverse scenarios. Its recent financial performance indicates it has delivered a sustainable financial position through a period of economic uncertainty. However, in the short term Tuntum continues to make significant investment in its current homes, and is developing new homes, which means close management of its financial position is required to ensure its financial plans continue to be sustainable. This restricts its capacity to respond to a wide range of financial risks.

Background to the judgement

About the landlord

Tuntum is a black and minority ethnic led housing association, based in Nottingham and operates across the East Midlands. It owns and manages around 1,612 homes.

Based on unaudited accounts for 2025, Tuntum employed 58 staff on a full-time equivalent basis and reported a turnover of £11,813,000. Over the next five years, Tuntum plans to develop 115 homes.

Our role and regulatory approach

We regulate for a viable, efficient, and well governed social housing sector able to deliver quality homes and services for current and future tenants.

We regulate at the landlord level to drive improvement in how landlords operate. By landlord we mean a registered provider of social housing. These can either be local authorities, or private registered providers (other organisations registered with us such as non-profit housing associations, co-operatives, or profit-making organisations).

We set standards which state outcomes that landlords must deliver. The outcomes of our standards include both the required outcomes and specific expectations we set. Where we find there are significant failures in landlords which we consider to be material to the landlord’s delivery of those outcomes, we hold them to account. Ultimately this provides protection for tenants’ homes and services and achieves better outcomes for current and future tenants. It also contributes to a sustainable sector which can attract strong investment.

We have a different role for regulating local authorities than for other landlords. This is because we have a narrower role for local authorities and the Governance and Financial Viability Standard, and Value for Money Standard do not apply. Further detail on which standards apply to different landlords can be found on our standards page.

We assess the performance of landlords through inspections and by reviewing data that landlords are required to submit to us. In Depth Assessments (IDAs) were one of our previous assessment processes, which are now replaced by our new inspections programme from 1 April 2024. We also respond where there is an issue or a potential issue that may be material to a landlord’s delivery of the outcomes of our standards. We publish regulatory judgements that describe our view of landlords’ performance with our standards. We also publish grades for landlords with more than 1,000 social housing homes.

The Housing Ombudsman deals with individual complaints. When individual complaints are referred to us, we investigate if we consider that the issue may be material to a landlord’s delivery of the outcomes of our standards.

For more information about our approach to regulation, please see Regulating the standards.

Further information