CHIC Compliance Audit Framework
Framework Description
CHIC's Compliance Audit framework gives social landlords independent auditors to check that their building safety and compliance work is being done properly. It has eight lots, one for each audit discipline, from asbestos and gas to lifts and water hygiene. It ran from 16 November 2021 and ends on 16 November 2026, with no extension.
Context & Use Case
Housing providers use it to get assurance that their own contractors are doing compliance work correctly, for example by sampling gas safety records, electrical certificates or fire safety works. Boards and regulators expect this second line of assurance. Audits are commissioned separately from the contractors doing the work, so the checks stay independent.
Scope of Services
Lot 1: Asbestos Management Auditing Lot 2: Commercial Gas Auditing Lot 3: Domestic Gas Auditing Lot 4: Electrical Safety Auditing Lot 5: Fire Safety Auditing Lot 6: Lifting Equipment Auditing Lot 7: Mechanical and Electrical Auditing Lot 8: Water Hygiene Auditing
Lots
Lot 1 Asbestos Management Auditing; Lot 2 Commercial Gas Auditing; Lot 3 Domestic Gas Auditing; Lot 4 Electrical Safety Auditing; Lot 5 Fire Safety Auditing; Lot 6 Lifting Equipment Auditing; Lot 7 Mechanical and Electrical Auditing; Lot 8 Water Hygiene Auditing
Who Can Apply
Independent compliance auditors with recognised technical competence in one or more of the eight disciplines. Applications for this framework are closed and it expires on 16 November 2026, so new suppliers cannot join it and should watch for any re-procurement by CHIC.
Buyer Benefits
Landlords can commission independent technical audits by discipline without tendering each one. They get evidence for boards and the regulator that compliance data is reliable. Separate lots let them match an auditor's expertise to the risk area, such as domestic gas or lifting equipment.
Next Steps
Current suppliers should finish open audits before 16 November 2026. Others should register through the 'Become a supplier' section of CHIC's website to hear about new procurements, and prepare evidence of independence from contracting work, auditor qualifications in each discipline, anonymised sample audit reports and examples of findings that led to improvements.
How Athena Can Help
An audit framework is won on credibility, so any new CHIC tender will need to show independence, competence and useful reporting. Athena's bid writers and reviewers can build those win themes and check the submission against the evaluation criteria.
We can also recommend which audit disciplines to target. That is part of our bid planning for public tenders. Through our registration support for housing frameworks, we can find compliance audit opportunities you can bid for now, so you are not waiting on CHIC alone.
