STAIRs

Access to Information (STAIRS)

What is STAIRs?

Social Tenants Access to Information Requirements (STAIRs) is a new government scheme designed to improve transparency and accountability in social housing. It gives tenants greater access to information about how their landlord manages homes, services, finances, performance, and decision-making.

The aim of STAIRs is to help tenants better understand how housing providers operate and to ensure they have the information they need to hold their landlord accountable for the quality of housing and services they receive.

What does STAIRs mean for tenants?

Under STAIRs, social housing landlords will be required to:

  • Publish key information about their organisation, services, performance, spending, and housing management.

  • Make information easy to find and access through a publication scheme.

  • Provide tenants with access to relevant information about the management of their homes and services.

  • Support greater openness, transparency, and tenant involvement in decision-making.

When will STAIRs be introduced?

Most of the information that we are required to publish under STAIRs is already available on the Wirral Methodist Housing Association's website. To make things easy, we've organised the information using the STAIRs categories below, including links to relevant pages on our website.

The scheme is being introduced in stages:

  • October 2026: Landlords must have a publication scheme in place, making key information routinely available to tenants

  • April 2027: Tenants will be able to formally request information that is not already published, subject to certain legal exemptions.


How you can access information

Tenants or their designated representatives can request information in writing; they do not need to mention STAIRs explicitly

Requests must identify the applicant, and providers are expected to assist in clarifying requests if needed

Providers must make reasonable efforts to obtain information held by third parties managing housing on their behalf

Tenants can nominate representatives to make requests or complaints on their behalf, provided the representative is identified to the provider