Scotland's first Social Housing Charter is taking shape and the Scottish Government is seeking views to inform the final document.

The Charter is part of new arrangements to ensure that tenants and other customers of social landlords receive continually improving services. It will set the outcomes and standards that all social landlords should be achieving, and the new Scottish Housing Regulator will monitor, assess and report on how well the landlords do.

Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment Alex Neil said: "Scotland's first Social Housing Charter will encourage all social landlords to deliver an efficient, high quality, customer-focused housing service. We have been working closely with tenants, landlords and other stakeholders to develop a Charter that describes what a good landlord should be achieving for their tenants and other customers. It is clear that many social landlords are already achieving all or some of the outcomes and standards we are proposing. They are doing an excellent job of managing their housing stock and helping to build strong communities across Scotland. The Charter will challenge all landlords to match the performance of the best.


"As we get ready for the Charter's introduction next April, it is important that everyone with an interest in social housing tells us what they think of what we are proposing and that is why we are keen to gather views during this consultation process.

"The new Scottish Housing Regulator will monitor, assess and report on landlords' progress in achieving the Charter's outcomes - and, where needed, will be able to seek compliance with the Charter.

"The Government will use the Regulator's reports to ensure that public investment in new social housing goes to landlords that are shown to be achieving good outcomes for their tenants and communities."

Responses and comments on the draft Social Housing Charter should be sent to housingcharter@scotland.gsi.gov.uk by Tuesday November 1, 2011.

The Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 includes provisions to modernise the regulation of social housing. It creates a new and independent Scottish Housing Regulator to safeguard and promote the interests of tenants, homeless people and others who use the services that social landlords provide; and requires Ministers to consult on and, subject to the approval of the Scottish Parliament, to set the outcomes and standards that social landlords should achieve. The Scottish Social Housing Charter is the document that will contain these outcomes. The Scottish Government will revise the draft Charter to take account of the responses to this consultation and present it to the Scottish Parliament for its approval. Subject to the Parliament's approval, the Charter will come into force on April 1, 2012.

The new Regulator was established on April 1 this year and with effect from April 1, 2012 will be responsible for monitoring, assessing and reporting on landlords' performance against the outcomes.

(GK/KMcA)