This Queensland State Regulatory Code outlines the performance outcomes and performance requirements that registered local government community housing providers must comply with under the Housing Act 2003.

Tenant and housing services

The local government is fair, transparent and responsive in delivering housing assistance to tenants, residents and other clients, particularly in relation to:

• determining and managing eligibility, allocation and termination of housing assistance
• determining and managing rents
• setting and meeting relevant housing service standards
• supporting tenant and resident engagement
• facilitating access to support for social housing applicants and tenants with complex needs
• managing and addressing complaints and appeals relating to the provision of housing services
• maintaining satisfaction with the overall quality of housing assistance.

Housing assets

The local government manages its community housing assets in a way that ensures suitable properties are available now and in the future, particularly in relation to:

• determining changing housing needs and plans asset acquisitions, disposals and reconfiguration to effectively respond (strategic asset management)
• setting and meeting relevant property condition standards
• planning and undertaking responsive, cyclical and life-cycle maintenance to maintain property conditions (asset maintenance).

Community engagement

The local government promotes community housing to local organisations that work with potential residents, tenants or clients*.

* Deemed to be satisfied for local governments.

Governance

The local government is well-governed to support the aims and intended outcomes of its business, specifically in relation to:

• ensuring coherent and robust strategic, operational, financial and risk planning
• ensuring effective, transparent and accountable arrangements and controls are in place for decision making to give effect to strategic, operational, financial and risk plans
• complying with legal requirements and relevant government policies
• ensuring the governing body has members with appropriate expertise, or that such expertise is available to the governing body*.

* Not required to be actioned by local governments.

Probity

The local government maintains high standards of probity relating to the business of the provider, specifically in relation to:

• establishing and administering its code of conduct
• establishing and administering a system of employment and appointment checks
• establishing and administering a system for preventing, detecting, reporting on and responding to instances of fraud, corruption and criminal conduct
• maintaining the community housing sector's reputation.

Management

The local government manages its resources cost effectively, specifically in relation to:

• demonstrating that it utilises its housing assets and housing-related funding to meet housing-related business goals
• implementing appropriate management structures, systems, policies and procedures to ensure it can meet the operational needs of its business (including having people with the right skills and experience, and the systems and resources, to achieve its business's intended outcomes).

Financial viability

The local government is financially viable at all times, specifically in relation to:

• ensuring that it has a viable capital structure
• maintaining appropriate financial performance
• managing financial risk exposure.

Reporting performance outcomes

The local government must report on financial and operational measures and complete a housing asset performance report.

Read the guides for state providers about metrics and indicators for operational and financial measures, and about completing your Community Housing Asset Performance Report (CHAPR).

Local government community housing providers must meet the requirements of the Evidence guidelines for state providers (PDF, 622KB) as a condition of registration.

The guidelines describe the business documentation and performance data you need to ensure your community housing program is well governed, well managed and financially viable.

The evidence guidelines also outline the principles we apply when assessing your performance under the QSRSCH:

• accountable: able to justify regulatory assessments and be subject to scrutiny
• consistent: based on standardised information and methods
• transparent: clear and open processes and decisions
• flexible: avoiding unnecessary rules about how local governments organise their business and demonstrate compliance
• targeted: focuses on the core purpose of improving tenant outcomes and protecting vulnerable tenants, protecting government funding and equity and ensuring investor and partner confidence.

Use these evidence guidelines in conjunction with the following:

• Housing Act 2003
• Queensland state regulatory code (PDF, 102KB).

State-based community housing providers must comply with performance requirements under the Queensland State Regulatory System for Community Housing (QSRSCH) as a condition of their registration.

You must demonstrate compliance through periodic compliance returns—undertaking standard compliance assessments at least every 3 years.

This involves completing a standard compliance return in our online regulatory system CHRIS, with a comprehensive assessment that focuses on all performance requirements involving the highest risk in the sector and for each registered community housing provider.

Where required, we will conduct an on-site compliance visit.

We may conduct a compliance assessment if we identify:

• serious operational or financial risk
• failure to comply with legislative or government policy and guidelines
• serious non-compliance
• a pattern of non-compliance
• serious complaints
• potential harm to tenants (identified or reported).

A regulatory analyst will give you information about compliance scheduling.

They will also guide you in completing your compliance return using the available tools, resources and the CHRIS system.

Read the guides about compliance for state providers and completing your return.