Housing (Scotland) Act 2010

Scottish Social Housing Charter

31 Scottish Social Housing Charter

Ministers must set out standards and outcomes which social landlords should aim to achieve when performing housing activities.

The document in which those standards and outcomes are set out is to be known as the “Scottish Social Housing Charter”.

32 Standards and outcomes

(1) Standards and outcomes set out in the Scottish Social Housing Charter may, for example, relate to—

(a) the housing needs for which social landlords should provide,

(b) the prevention and alleviation of homelessness,

(c) the provision and management of sites for gypsies and travellers, whatever their race or origin,

(d) the acquisition and disposal of housing accommodation,

(e) the allocation of housing accommodation,

(f) the terms of tenancies and the principles upon which levels of rent should be determined,

(g) the condition and quality of housing accommodation,

(h) the maintenance and repair of housing accommodation,

(i) the contribution of registered social landlords and local authority landlords to the amenity of the areas in which housing accommodation is situated,

(j) the contribution to and promotion of the environmental well-being and regeneration of the areas in which housing accommodation is situated,

(k) the prevention of harassment or anti-social behaviour,

(l) the provision of information to the public by registered social landlords on their housing services and governance arrangements,

(m) the participation of tenants (and bodies representing tenants) in formulating social landlords’ proposals concerning the provision of housing services and in reviewing those proposals once formulated,

(n) the procedures for dealing with tenants’ complaints about social landlords and for resolving other disputes between social landlords and their tenants.

(2) Different standards and outcomes may be set out for different social landlords or for different areas or cases.

33 Scottish Social Housing Charter: supplemental

(1) Ministers—

(a) must review the Scottish Social Housing Charter from time to time, and

(b) may revise it following such a review.

(2) Before preparing the Scottish Social Housing Charter (and when reviewing it), Ministers must––

(a) have regard to the interests of persons who may become—

(i) homeless, or

(ii) tenants of social landlords, and

(b) consult—

(i) the Regulator,

(ii) tenants of social landlords or their representatives,

(iii) homeless persons or bodies representing the interests of homeless persons,

(iv) recipients of housing services provided by social landlords or their representatives,

(v) social landlords or their representatives,

(vi) secured creditors of registered social landlords or their representatives,

(vii) the Accounts Commission for Scotland, and

(viii) the Commission for Equality and Human Rights and such other bodies representing equal opportunities interests as Ministers think fit.

(3) The Scottish Social Housing Charter (and any revision) does not have effect unless a proposed Charter (or revision) has been laid before and approved by a resolution of the Scottish Parliament.

(4) Ministers must—

(a) publish the Scottish Social Housing Charter (and any revision), and

(b) make arrangements for bringing the Scottish Social Housing Charter (and any revision) to the attention of—

(i) social landlords, and

(ii) registered tenant organisations associated with social landlords.