The Scottish Housing Regulator has ended its appointment of a statutory manager at Thistle Housing Association following the transfer of tenants’ homes and other assets to Sanctuary Scotland Housing Association.
The Regulator directed the transfer in January following consultation with Thistle’s tenants and factored owners. This followed an independent ballot which saw 92% of Thistle’s tenants voting ‘yes’ to the transfer.
The Regulator first intervened in Thistle in August 2018 after it identified serious failures in governance and financial management at the Association. Following intervention it identified further breaches of regulatory requirements, including failures to comply with health and safety obligations relating to tenants, residents and employees.
Ian Brennan, Director of Regulation said:
“We’ve ended our statutory manager appointment at Thistle as the transfer of tenants’ homes to Sanctuary Scotland is now complete.
“Thistle’s tenants voted overwhelmingly in favour of the transfer and our own consultation confirmed the depth and strength of tenants views.
“We have decided to continue our eight statutory appointments to Thistle’s management committee to ensure the proper management of Thistle’s affairs as it progresses de-registration.”
“We will continue to engage with Sanctuary Scotland about the integration of Thistle into Sanctuary Scotland and as it continues to deliver on the commitments it made to Thistle’s former tenants and factored owners. This includes Sanctuary Scotland’s plans to address problems caused by the mismanagement of a major works contract and Thistle’s health and safety and compliance failures.”
The Regulator has published updated engagement plans for Thistle and Sanctuary Scotland.
Read the Regulator's published engagement plans in its landlord directory>
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 six 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.
- The Regulator directed the transfer of tenants’ homes and assets from Thistle to Sanctuary Housing Association in January this year Regulator directs transfer of homes from Thistle Housing Association to Sanctuary Scotland Housing Association | Scottish Housing Regulator
- Thistle Housing Association published the consultation report on its website here https://www.thistle-ha.org.uk/transfer-latest/