The housing sector has seen a huge amount of change over the last few years, with a growing focus on transparency, accountability and giving tenants a stronger voice. STAIRs (Social Tenant Access to Information Requirements) is the latest step in that journey. 

The new requirements are designed to make it easier for social housing tenants to access information about the organisations that manage their homes. For housing providers, that means having clear processes in place and ensuring staff understand what STAIRs is, how it works, and what to do if a tenant makes a request. 

While governance and information teams may lead on compliance, STAIRs is something every member of staff should be aware of. 

What is STAIRs? 

STAIRs stands for Social Tenant Access to Information Requirements. Introduced as part of wider reforms to strengthen consumer standards in social housing, it gives tenants greater access to information about their landlord, from performance and policies to the way key decisions are made. 

Unlike the Freedom of Information Act, which applies to public authorities, STAIRs has been developed specifically for registered providers of social housing. It aims to make information more accessible, encourage openness and strengthen trust between landlords and residents. 

Why is STAIRs important? 

Housing providers already share a significant amount of information with residents, whether that’s complaints data, repairs performance or service standards. STAIRs builds on this by setting clearer expectations around what information should be available and how tenants can request it. 

For residents, this means greater transparency and confidence that information about their landlord is easy to access. 

For organisations, it’s another opportunity to demonstrate accountability and reinforce a culture of openness across the business. 

Why every member of staff should understand STAIRs 

It’s easy to assume that information requests are only handled by governance or data protection teams. In reality, the first person a tenant speaks to is often a Housing Officer, Customer Service Adviser or someone working in neighbourhood services. 

If a STAIRs request isn’t recognised, it can easily be delayed or passed to the wrong team. 

That’s why awareness is so important. Staff don’t need to know every detail of the legislation, but they should understand: 

• what a STAIRs request looks like  

• how it differs from other types of information requests  

• who requests should be passed to  

• why handling them correctly matters.  

Building that awareness across the organisation helps create a smoother experience for tenants while supporting compliance with the new requirements. 

Helping your teams prepare 

Like many of the recent changes affecting the housing sector, preparing for STAIRs starts with giving staff the confidence to do the right thing. 

Me Learning’s STAIRs Awareness course has been developed specifically for housing professionals. In around 30 minutes, learners gain a practical understanding of what STAIRs is, who it applies to and how to respond appropriately when a request is received. 

The course helps staff to: 

• recognise STAIRs requests  

• understand their responsibilities  

• know where requests should be directed  

• support consistent, compliant responses across the organisation.  

Whether someone works on the frontline or in a support role, having a shared understanding of STAIRs helps organisations respond more effectively and deliver a better experience for residents. 

Looking ahead 

The introduction of STAIRs is another reminder that transparency is becoming an increasingly important part of housing services. While compliance is essential, the bigger opportunity lies in strengthening relationships with residents through openness and clear communication. 

By helping staff understand their role and giving them the confidence to recognise and respond to requests, housing providers can be better prepared for the new requirements while continuing to build trust with the communities they serve. 

Get in touch with Eva: housing@melearning.co.uk  

Learn more about our work in the housing sector.  

Interested in our housing-specific courses? Check out our housing courses.