3.The purpose of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 is to safeguard social housing for the use of future generations of tenants by reforming the Right to Buy (RTB), and to improve value for tenants and taxpayers through a modernised system of social housing regulation.
4.Parts 1-12 of the Act replace and modernise the regulatory framework established by the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 (“the 2001 Act”) and Part 3 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988. Part 13 removes restrictions on certain leases and securities entered into by social landlords and rural housing bodies. Part 14 contains the RTB reforms.
5.Part 15 of the Act includes improvements to local authority powers in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 dealing with disrepair in privately owned houses.
6.Part 16 of the Act makes some miscellaneous changes to housing legislation. The changes affect assured tenants including “unauthorised tenants” (i.e. those granted a lease in breach of their landlord’s standard security conditions), tenants with rent arrears, police accommodation, the definition of “local connection” for members of the armed forces, vacant dwellings and homelessness assessment and support duties.