Why we are engaging with East Dunbartonshire Council (East Dunbartonshire)
We are engaging with East Dunbartonshire Council about its services for people who are homeless and tenant and resident safety.
During 2024/25, we reviewed and compared the data for all local authorities from the Scottish Government’s national homelessness statistics. We also spoke to all local authorities to gather further information and assurance about their homelessness services. To assess the risks to people who are threatened with or experiencing homelessness we will engage with all local authorities during 2025/26 with a focus on the provision of appropriate temporary accommodation.
East Dunbartonshire does not fully comply with electrical safety requirements which came into force in early 2022 and form part of the Scottish Housing Quality Standard. East Dunbartonshire is progressing inspections to provide Electrical Installation Condition Reports in all of its tenants’ homes.
We are engaging with East Dunbartonshire to monitor its progress in completing this outstanding work as quickly as possible and maintaining future compliance.
What East Dunbartonshire must do
East Dunbartonshire must:
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send us the information we require in relation to its homelessness service;
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tell us about any emerging issues preventing it from fulfilling its statutory duty to provide temporary accommodation when it should and comply with the Unsuitable Accommodation Order;
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complete the outstanding electrical safety work as quickly as possible;
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by 30 April 2025, send us a plan for how it will complete the outstanding electrical work, including timescales, and how it will maintain future compliance; and
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send us monthly updates on progress on achieving compliance with electrical safety requirements.
What we will do
We will:
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meet with East Dunbartonshire to discuss its homelessness service and decide whether we require any additional assurance;
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meet with East Dunbartonshire to seek assurance if it does not provide temporary accommodation when it should, or if it breaches the Unsuitable Accommodation Order;
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review East Dunbartonshire's progress with its plan to achieve and maintain compliance with electrical safety requirements and engage as necessary; and
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update our published engagement plan in the light of any material change to our planned engagement with East Dunbartonshire.
Regulatory Returns
East Dunbartonshire must provide us with the following annual regulatory returns:
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Annual Assurance Statement; and
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Annual Return on the Charter.
It should also notify us of any material changes to its Annual Assurance Statement, and any tenant and resident safety matter which has been reported to or is being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive or reports from regulatory or statutory authorities or insurance providers, relating to safety concerns.