Supported exempt accommodation, in plain terms
Plain answers on supported exempt accommodation (SEA), managing agents, and the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023.
What is supported exempt accommodation?
Supported exempt accommodation is supported housing that sits outside the usual Housing Benefit rent restrictions. The landlord must be a housing association, registered charity, voluntary organisation or non-metropolitan county council with a legal interest in the property, and the resident must receive care, support or supervision that is more than minimal.
Who is a managing agent in supported housing?
A managing agent runs the accommodation day to day on the landlord's behalf. That covers lettings, rent, repairs, compliance and the delivery of care, support or supervision. For exempt accommodation purposes the managing agent cannot itself be the landlord. The landlord must hold the legal interest in the property.
What does the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023 mean for managing agents?
The Act lets local housing authorities license supported housing and allows National Supported Housing Standards to be set. The licence holder must be the person managing or in control of the accommodation, which in many cases is the managing agent. Government published its consultation response in April 2026. Licensing is not expected before mid-2027.
Is Keystone a CRM?
Keystone is a management platform rather than a sales CRM. It holds the property, resident, document, alert and staff records a managing agent works from each day, plus a support worker app for logging what happens on site. People in the sector often call this a supported housing CRM.
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