The Scottish Housing Regulator today published the outcome of its annual risk assessment of social landlords as well as updated engagement plans for Registered Social Landlords (RSLs).
The main areas the Regulator will focus on in its engagement with social landlords are the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, homelessness, rent affordability, and tenant and resident safety. It will also continue to focus on financial health and good governance of RSLs.
This year, for the first time, the Regulator has also published a regulatory status for RSLs. The Regulatory status describes whether, in the Regulator’s judgement a landlord complies with Regulatory Standards.
The Regulator’s risk assessment outcomes report shows that 140 RSLs are compliant (with two under review) , 7 RSLs are working towards compliance, and the Regulator will continue its statutory intervention in two RSLs, Thistle and Fairfield.
Ian Brennan, Director of Regulation, said:
“This year’s risk assessment took place against the backdrop of the COVID-19 global pandemic. We know social landlords have worked hard over the past year to adapt to the challenges this brought about.
“In March last year, we adjusted our regulatory approach to focus on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The risks we have focused on in this year’s risk assessment reflect this.
“This year, in our engagement with social landlords, we will continue to have a strong focus on the pandemic, homelessness, rent affordability, tenant and resident safety, and financial health and good governance in RSLs.
“Over the coming year, we will continue to work with tenants, landlords, The Social Housing Resilience Group, Scottish Government and all of our stakeholders to continue to tackle the challenges ahead.”
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 www.housingregulator.gov.scot
- SHR sets out how it regulates social landlords in its published framework – Regulation of Social Housing in Scotland.
- The Regulator has held back publication of a small number of engagement plans for those landlords who are currently completing significant organisational change. It will publish the engagement plans for Cloch, Oak Tree, Hillcrest, Link, Weslo, and Osprey in the coming weeks.
- SHR published the risks it would focus on in its risk assessment in November: The risks we will focus on | Scottish Housing Regulator
- SHR set out the adjustments it made to its Regulatory Framework to respond to COVID-19 in August Scottish Housing Regulator adjusts its regulatory approach to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic | Scottish Housing Regulator