By David Scott
30 July 2009
Social landlords have underlined their commitment to improving ‘poor or inadequate’ services following a critical report by Scotland’s housing watchdog.
An inspection by the Scottish Housing Regulator found that while 53% of housing services were good or excellent, just under half – serving 320,000 households – were just adequate or poor.
‘Many landlords need to do more to get the basics right and focus on improving services in the future,’ the report stated.
The regulator’s chief executive, Karen Watt, said: ‘We recognise that there is much strength and good practice amongst Scotland’s social landlords in providing affordable housing.
However, half of tenants are receiving services which are poor or only adequate.’
She added that recent inspections had found that, overall, homeless people needed better services. Only four of the 28 inspected local authorities provided good or excellent services for homeless households.
Tenants also required explicit standards, setting out what they could expect. The regulator also said handling of complaints needed to be improved, rent levels needed to be consistent and coherent, and landlords had to base their decisions about improving and developing their housing stock on better information.
Craig Stirrat, chair of the Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland, said: ‘I think this is something that most people can support. The next step is working with the sector to achieve positive outcomes.’
He pointed out that CIH Scotland had worked with the regulator on an initiative that would support social housing organisations in strengthening business planning, governance and asset management.
30 July 2009
Social landlords have underlined their commitment to improving ‘poor or inadequate’ services following a critical report by Scotland’s housing watchdog.
An inspection by the Scottish Housing Regulator found that while 53% of housing services were good or excellent, just under half – serving 320,000 households – were just adequate or poor.
‘Many landlords need to do more to get the basics right and focus on improving services in the future,’ the report stated.
The regulator’s chief executive, Karen Watt, said: ‘We recognise that there is much strength and good practice amongst Scotland’s social landlords in providing affordable housing.
However, half of tenants are receiving services which are poor or only adequate.’
She added that recent inspections had found that, overall, homeless people needed better services. Only four of the 28 inspected local authorities provided good or excellent services for homeless households.
Tenants also required explicit standards, setting out what they could expect. The regulator also said handling of complaints needed to be improved, rent levels needed to be consistent and coherent, and landlords had to base their decisions about improving and developing their housing stock on better information.
Craig Stirrat, chair of the Chartered Institute of Housing in Scotland, said: ‘I think this is something that most people can support. The next step is working with the sector to achieve positive outcomes.’
He pointed out that CIH Scotland had worked with the regulator on an initiative that would support social housing organisations in strengthening business planning, governance and asset management.
