Social Tenant Access to Information Requirements policy (STAIRs)

Introduction

At Magna, we aim to provide information for our customers that is relevant and accessible. When customers need more information, we want to ensure they’re able to access or request it from us.

The Social Tenant Access to Information Requirements (STAIRs) is a new statutory transparency regime introduced by the UK Government in 2026. It gives people living in social housing greater rights to access information about how their home and services are managed. STAIRs forms part of the Regulator of Social Housing’s Transparency, Influence and Accountability consumer standard, following changes made under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023.

This policy sets out how we’ll comply with the new standard, including how we’ll provide access to information under STAIRs and how we’ll distinguish information requests from requests for personal data. More detail about how information requests and subject access requests are handled is set out in the section on STAIRs and subject access requests.

Who this policy applies to and what it covers

This policy applies to:
• All Magna colleagues and third parties contracted to provide services for us.
• All Magna customers wanting to see information about their home and the services we provide to them.

This policy covers:
• How we’ll comply with STAIRs, ensuring transparency, openness and tenant empowerment.
• How we’ll promote STAIRs, so our customers know how to access information and make information requests.

Our STAIRs policy

STAIRs is designed to enable our customers, or their designated representative, to access information that helps them understand how their services are delivered. This may be through information we publish or by responding to information requests.

The STAIRs scheme has two phases:
• Phase 1 — publication scheme: the requirement to proactively publish information, which takes effect from 1 October 2026.
• Phase 2 — information requests: enabling customers to submit information requests, which takes effect from 1 April 2027.

Phase 1 — publication scheme

Under the publication scheme, we must proactively publish information we hold that falls within one or more of the classes set out in the table below. 

The policy statement doesn’t give a fixed list of the documents we must provide. Instead, we have flexibility over what information we publish, provided we take a proactive approach. Our approach is to publish information in line with recognised sector guidance. 

The government’s intention to promote transparency and accountability under STAIRs means we should take a proactive approach to publication and publish information unless there is a good reason not to. 

We’ll take reasonable steps to ensure that information published under STAIRs is accurate, up to date and taken from approved corporate sources.

Phase 2 — information requests

Our customers, or their designated representative, may make an information request to us. Customers do not need to explain why they want the information.

We’ll respond to information requests within 30 calendar days, unless there are reasonable grounds to withhold information. For example, this may apply where the information is protected under freedom of information, data protection or other laws, and the harm caused by disclosure would outweigh the benefit of sharing it.

We’ll provide information regardless of the reasons for the request or how the information may be used after it is shared. We’ll not take into account any possible negative impact or publicity that may result from sharing it.

Practical guidance on how to make an information request, and who to contact, is available on our STAIRs page. Information available under STAIRs is generally provided free of charge, and we’ll publish it in a way that is as accessible as possible for all our customers. All information will be published on our website, but printed information can be provided on request. Where a customer asks for additional copies of information, we may charge only to cover the actual costs of providing those additional copies.

We’ll maintain a log of all information requests, and of the timescales for responding to them, for reporting and accountability purposes.

Information we may not provide

We’re not required to create new information to comply with either the publication scheme or information requests.

We may need to redact documents before publication or when responding to an information request. When considering an information request under Phase 2, we’ll consider whether any information needs to be withheld or redacted. Any decision to withhold or redact information must be reasonable and will be assessed against a recognised ground under the reasonableness test, consistent with our information classification approach.

We’ll explain our reasons where we withhold or redact information. Where possible, we’ll tell the customer what has been withheld and why, without disclosing information that should remain protected.

If a customer requests information and feels that it has been redacted or withheld without a reasonable basis, they can ask us to review that decision under the Review Process section of this policy.

Data protection and security

Data protection laws apply to housing providers. This means that where requested information is personal data, or could identify someone when combined with other information, that information may be withheld from disclosure under STAIRs in line with data protection laws. This is cross-referenced to our data protection policy and customer information policy.

STAIRs requests and subject access requests

Requested information that is personal data will not be disclosed under STAIRs, but may be disclosed under data protection laws as a subject access request (SAR), where a customer is seeking information about themselves.

Where we consider that a request is effectively a request for the customer’s own personal data, we’ll process it as a SAR in line with our subject access request process, available on our Access to Information page. We’ll tell the customer when we are doing this, so it is clear which process applies.

Review Process

If a customer considers that we haven’t published information we should have, haven’t responded to an information request appropriately, or are dissatisfied with how their information request was handled, they can ask us to carry out a review. Customers don’t have to use the word ‘review’ for it to be treated as one.

A STAIRs review is not a complaint. It is separate from complaints about our services made under our Customer Complaints Policy. It applies specifically to information requests made under STAIRs and is handled by our STAIRs review function, not by our customer complaints team.

Customers can request a review if they believe:
• We haven’t provided information we should have shared.
• The information provided isn’t complete or accessible.
• We haven’t responded within the expected timescales.
• We’ve incorrectly withheld or redacted information.

When a review is requested, customers can expect us to:
• Listen and make sure we understand their concerns.
• Confirm what we’re reviewing and what they want to happen.
• Explain our decision clearly and what happens next.

A request for a review should generally be made within three months of receiving the original decision. This is shorter than the twelve months that applies to complaints under our Customer Complaints Policy, because STAIRs reviews are a separate process.

Because a STAIRs review is separate from a complaint, review requests are made through our dedicated STAIRs review route. Customers can request a review:
• On our dedicated STAIRs web page
• By email to stairs.review@magna.org.uk.
• By post to: STAIRs Review, Magna Housing, Everdene House, Railway Triangle Industrial Estate, Poundbury Road, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 2PJ.
• By phone: 0800 358 6025.
• In person, or when speaking with any of our colleagues.

If customers prefer to speak to someone, we’ll support them. Where review requests are made publicly on our social media channels, we’ll respond by private message or offline to maintain privacy and confidentiality.

We’ll acknowledge review requests within five working days. The acknowledgement will explain our understanding of the review request, the outcome the customer is looking for, and the deadline for our response.

The review is a single-stage review of how the information request was handled. We’ll:
• Review the information request and our original response.
• Check whether the correct information was provided and whether it was given in an accessible way.
• Confirm whether any information was correctly withheld or redacted.

We’ll provide a full response within 30 calendar days of receiving the review request. In exceptional circumstances, we may need more time. If this happens, we’ll:
• Explain why an extension is needed.
• Tell the customer when they can expect a response.

Any extension will be reasonable and kept to a minimum.

If the customer remains unhappy after the STAIRs review process has been completed, they can contact the Housing Ombudsman Service. The Ombudsman can consider complaints relating to STAIRs once the STAIRs review process has been completed. Their contact details are:
• 0300 111 3000.
• housing-ombudsman.org.uk.
• Housing Ombudsman Service, PO Box 1484, Unit D, Preston, PR2 0ET.

This Review Process only applies to concerns about information requests made under STAIRs. If a concern relates to personal data, it will be handled under our data protection complaints process. This Review Process doesn’t affect a customer’s right to make a complaint under our Customer Complaints Policy where appropriate.

Responsibilities

The Head of Governance and Legal has overall responsibility for this policy.

The Data Protection Officer is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of this policy, including oversight of the publication scheme, the handling of information requests, and redaction and withholding decisions.

All colleagues are required to familiarise themselves with the wording and obligations of this policy. We’re committed to providing training and guidance to relevant colleagues so that knowledge of STAIRs is kept current across the organisation.

We’ll maintain oversight of the volume of information requests and our response times, for reporting and accountability purposes.

This policy and the STAIRs scheme will be reviewed at least annually to ensure they remain accurate and compliant. We’ll review the content of the publication scheme at intervals appropriate to each type of information.