Scottish Housing Regulator publishes Annual Report for 2016/17
Report looks back on past year of SHR’s work.
The Scottish Housing Regulator has published its Annual Report and Accounts for 2016/17.
The report looks back on another busy year, and as the SHR said, show how it “worked to protect the interests of tenants, homeless people and others who use social landlords’ services”.
The regulator said it “continued to empower tenants by publishing accessible information on landlord performance, including individual landlord reports”. It drew landlords’ attention to issues that are important to tenants, like affordability and quality of services. In its third annual National Charter Report the Regulator reported a general picture of strong performance and continued improvement against the Charter.
The regulator engaged with 51 Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) and 19 councils following its annual risk assessment. The SHR also said it used its statutory intervention powers when it found that the interests of tenants and the good reputation of social landlords were at risk. It continued intervention in three organisations and completed it in two of these. The regulator also started intervention in four other RSLs.
The Annual Report explains how tenants and service users remain at the heart of the Regulator’s work through initiatives such as its 500-strong National Panel, its tenant advisors and its RTO liaison group. One new project saw it develop an information poster with Gypsy/Travellers to raise awareness of standards.
The SHR said the Annual Report also highlights the positive practice principles it produced to help landlords develop new homes sustainably and deliver on the Scottish Government’s affordable housing targets.
George Walker, SHR Chair, said:
“I became chair in August this year, and I’m pleased to have taken the helm of an organisation in good shape and with such a clear focus on protecting tenant and service users’ interests.
We have an important year ahead, and I look forward to engaging with stakeholders as we begin our planned review of how we regulate.”
The annual report and accounts is available on the regulator's website.