Charter data corrections policy

Data corrections policy: Annual Return on the Charter (ARC)

During April and May each year, landlords submit performance information to us through the Annual Return on the Charter (ARC). At the end of August, we produce Landlord Reports based on this data for each of the landlords we regulate, and publish all of the ARC data we receive from landlords on our website.

This data corrections policy sets out our approach to making revisions to the published ARC data. It is the responsibility of each landlord to make sure that the data it sends to us through the ARC return is accurate and complete. We recognise, however, that there may be exceptional cases where errors are made when compiling and submitting the ARC data. We will make scheduled revisions to correct errors and will alert stakeholders to the amendments. This policy should not replace or reduce the rigorous checks landlords should make on their performance data before sending us their ARC.

Anyone can alert us to an error in a landlord’s ARC, however we will correct errors only when the landlord has confirmed to us the amendment to be made in its return. The ARC data correction process is as follows:

• Data correction requests should be submitted by email to shr@shr.gov.scot The request should note the relevant ARC indicator reference number, the original figure(s) submitted, the figure(s) as corrected and information on
  how the error was identified;
• If we identify data errors through our data assurance visits we will include the details in the correction log;
• The amendment to be made must be confirmed by the landlord’s ARC Approver;
• We will publish ARC data corrections at the end of each calendar month;
• We will alert stakeholders to corrections by publishing and then updating a correction log at the same time as we make scheduled revisions to the ARC dataset;
• We will use the data correction log to alert stakeholders to ARC data changes in a
  way that is open and transparent;
• The correction log will include details of:
  o Landlord name;
  o Date notified of the correction;
  o Datafield reference;
  o Previous value;
  o New value;
  o Date published;
  o Relevant indicator;
  o Scottish average previous value;
  o Scottish average new value.
• Where we have concerns about a particular landlord’s ARC data quality, we will
  manage that through our regulatory engagement process with the landlord.
• Where the corrected data is included in our published Landlord Report, we expect
  the landlord to inform its tenants of the amendment.