Scottish Housing Regulator outlines main risks to sector in annual assessment as six providers non-compliant

Around fire and heat detector compliance, SHR said it will collect data when landlords submit their Annual Return on the Charter (ARC) by the end of May 2022, with results published as part of the National Report on the Charter in August 2022. 

In assessing governance, the regulator said it had looked at additional evidence as part of this assessment, which included reviewing the governing body minutes of all RSLs for three recent meetings.

The SHR said it found that some RSLs faced a number of challenges including:

• Ensuring that meetings were quorate [ie having the required number of attendees] and that key information and decisions were accurately recorded, including evidence of effective scrutiny and challenge
• Ensuring that minutes were up-to-date and published on websites, including a number of RSLs whose websites were also undergoing upgrades
• Ensuring that conflicts of interest were being declared and managed appropriately

The regulator also said it is “critical that landlords have good quality data on their performance, their compliance obligations and on the condition of their homes”.

The SHR found that some landlords had not accurately reported their compliance with the Scottish Housing Quality Standard in their Annual Return on the Charter.

The regulator also said it would be “seeking assurance” about how local authorities comply with the Unsuitable Accommodation Order, introduced in 2014 to prevent pregnant women and children being placed in unsuitable accommodation.

It added that it would encourage RSLs “to help address the number of people living in temporary accommodation and the likely need for accommodation for refugees from Ukraine”.

Helen Shaw, director of regulation at the SHR, said: “This year’s risk assessment has again taken place at a time when landlords are continuing to deal with the impact of the pandemic and the wider economic volatility and uncertainty. Many tenants and their families are facing real financial hardship. 

“We know that landlords will have some difficult choices to make in response to all of these challenges but at the heart of this will be a need to ensure that rents continue to be affordable for tenants.

“We have also looked at tenant and resident safety and the importance of asset management. Landlords need to have good information on the quality of their homes, so that they are able to prepare and plan how best to manage all of the challenges they face.”

Ms Shaw was announced in the post of director in January, having previously been an assistant regulator with the SHR. She replaced Ian Brennan, who announced in November 2021 he would be departing the organisation after three years in the role.