The Scottish Housing Regulator has today published the Annual Assurance Statements submitted by social landlords at the end of October. The Regulator requires all social landlords to submit a Statement each year to confirm that they meet regulatory standards and requirements or to set out how they will address any areas of non-compliance.
Michael Cameron, Chief Executive at the Regulator said:
“Landlords are continuing to face significant challenges, including from the cost of living crisis. In their Statements this year local authority landlords told us about the difficulties they face meeting their statutory duties in relation to homelessness with a number reporting they had not always been able to provide temporary accommodation when required or meet the requirements of the Unsuitable Accommodation Order. We soon publish an update to our February 2023 thematic review on homelessness.”
This year the Regulator asked landlords to provide assurance in their Statements that they have an effective approach to the collection of equalities information and that they are considering how they can adopt a human rights approach in their work. It also asked landlords to provide a statement on compliance with their obligations in relation to tenant and resident safety.
The Regulator will assess the Statements as part of its annual risk assessment, which will take account of the challenging context for landlords. It will publish the outcomes from the risk assessment in updated Engagement Plans for each landlord by the end of March 2024. This will include any changes to the regulatory status for RSLs.
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.