Consultation on Scottish Social Housing Charter Indicators

Shelter Scotland welcomes the opportunity to respond to this Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) consultation on the indicators that will be used to assess performance against the Scottish Social Housing Charter (SSHC).

Shelter Scotland believes that effective, proportionate regulation is a fundamental part of ensuring tenants, people waiting for social housing and all other service users receive the best possible service. It is important that the move away from cyclical inspections does not translate into relaxed scrutiny of services and statutory duties and that where there are potential failings, action is taken promptly to help landlords improve their services.

The Scottish Social Housing Charter which came into effect from the 1 April 2012, clearly lays out the 16 ‘outcomes’ that all social landlords must deliver to their service users. This consultation lays out the Regulators ‘indicators’ that will sit below those outcomes and the evidence that will need to be submitted annually to show compliance. It is critical that these indicators capture the right information and provide a useful mechanism for recognising both good and bad practice.

These proposed indicators addressing homelessness services, housing options and information and advice are weak and do not reflect the Charter outcomes they are designed to be measuring.