The Scottish Housing Regulator today published a report on its thematic inquiry into British Sign Language (BSL) users’ access to social landlords’ housing and homelessness services.
The report sets out the challenges some BSL users experience communicating with their landlords, for example when applying for housing, getting repairs done in their homes and making complaints. The report also gives good practice examples and makes recommendations for improvements.
The Regulator commissioned the British Deaf Association, a leading national Deaf-led organisation, to get an insight into BSL users’ experiences of accessing social landlords’ services in Scotland. The Regulator also reviewed all social landlords’ websites to assess the provision of BSL content.
Helen Shaw, Director of Regulation, said “Housing and homelessness services play a crucial role in people’s lives and it is essential that all services users are able to access these services when they need them. We would encourage all social landlords to consider this report and what steps they can take to ensure BSL tenants and service users have equal access to their services’. We will also consider the recommendations to inform our own next BSL plan.”
The Regulator carried out the thematic inquiry as part of its BSL plan to promote BSL to the organisations it regulates.
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’s current approach to how it regulates social landlords is set out in its current Regulatory framework – Regulation of Social Housing in Scotland.