The Scottish Housing Regulator today announced that it has started an inquiry using its power in section 42, Part 4 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 to examine Glasgow City Council’s service for people who are homeless.
The Regulator said that it will visit the Council to directly test its performance, with a particular focus on how the Council discharges its duty to provide people with emergency and temporary accommodation.
The Regulator published a report on the Council in March 2018 which highlighted a range of serious weaknesses in the Council’s performance in delivering services to people who are homeless.
Kathleen McInulty, Assistant Director of Regulation, said:
”We have been monitoring the Council’s performance since our report last year. The Council is reporting that it continues to fail to meet its duties to provide temporary and emergency accommodation to a significant number of people who approach it for help. It also reported that people who are homeless are still waiting significant times for a permanent home.”
The Regulator will publish the findings from its inquiry in the new year. It will then determine its future regulatory strategy for the Council.
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 eight Board members. More information about the Regulator can be found on its website at scottishhousingregulator.gov.uk
- SHR sets out how it regulates social landlords in its published framework – Regulation of Social Housing in Scotland.