The Scottish Housing Regulator has today ended its statutory intervention at Ruchazie Housing Association and reduced the number of statutory appointments at Fairfield Housing Co-operative after both social landlords have delivered improvements.
The Regulator first intervened at both social landlords in 2018 in order to protect the interests of tenants and service users after it identified serious weaknesses in the governance and financial management of both organisations.
Speaking of the improvements at Ruchazie, Margaret Sharkey, Assistant Director of Regulation said: “Ruchazie has worked hard to make the necessary improvements. With the support of the statutory appointments Ruchazie has improved its governance and financial management and is now compliant with regulatory requirements. So we have ended our statutory appointments to the governing body.”
The Regulator ended the appointment of the statutory manager at Fairfield in May and is now reducing the number of statutory appointments to the governing body from seven to four as Fairfield continues to improve its governance and financial management. The four remaining statutory appointments will support the Co-operative as it continues to deliver improvements.
Helen Shaw, Assistant Director of Regulation, said: “We have seen positive action and progress by Fairfield in addressing its serious weaknesses. We have reduced the number of appointees to reflect the progress which has been made. The four continuing appointments will support Fairfield as it continues to deliver the further necessary improvements needed to secure a good future for the Co-operative’s tenants and service users.”
The Regulator has published updated engagement plans which set out the details of its engagement with Ruchazie and Fairfield.
Notes to editors
- The Scottish Housing Regulator was established on 1 April 2011 under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010. Its objective is to safeguard and promote the interests of tenants and others who use local authority and RSL housing services. The Regulator operates independently of Scottish Ministers and is accountable directly to the Scottish Parliament. It assumed its full regulatory responsibilities on 1 April 2012. The Regulator consists of the Chair and seven Board members. More information about the Regulator can be found on its website at housingregulator.gov.scot
- SHR sets out how it regulates social landlords in its published framework – Regulation of Social Housing in Scotland.