Explanatory Notes

Housing (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2018

2018 asp 13

6 July 2018

The Act

Organisational changes affecting registered social landlords

Section 6 – Restructuring, winding up and dissolution of registered social landlord
Dissolution of registered societies

84.Section 99 of the 2010 Act covers the dissolution of RSLs that are registered societies and provides that the FCA may register an instrument of dissolution and advertise the dissolution only if the Regulator consents and the society sends a copy of that consent to the FCA with the instrument. As for section 98, the Regulator can give consent only where the RSL has consulted its tenants on the dissolution (by virtue of section 96(3)).

85.Section 6(6) replaces section 99 of the 2010 Act with a new version. Under this new section 99, the need for the Regulator’s consent is removed. Instead, the RSL is under a duty to consult its tenants on the proposed dissolution. In addition, the FCA may register the instrument of dissolution and advertise the dissolution only if the RSL confirms to the FCA that it consulted its tenants when sending the instrument to the FCA.

86.As for new section 98, subsections (4) to (6) of new section 99 make provision additional to that currently made. Section 99(4) places the RSL under a duty to notify the Regulator of the dissolution. Section 99(5) gives the Regulator a duty to issue guidance about tenant consultation under this section. And section 99(6) requires the RSL, when consulting its tenants, to have regard to that guidance.